Very Short Stories

nullWired magazine asked 33 well-known writers to write a six word story:

“We’ll be brief: Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) and is said to have called it his best work. So we asked sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers from the realms of books, TV, movies, and games to take a shot themselves.”

Here are some of my favorites:

  • Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time – Alan Moore
  • Longed for him. Got him. Shit. – Margaret Atwood
  • It cost too much, staying human. – Bruce Sterling
  • The baby’s blood type? Human, mostly. – Orson Scott Card
  • Tick tock tick tock tick tick. – Neal Stephenson
  • New genes demand expression — third eye. – Greg Bear
  • Bush told the truth. Hell froze. – William Gibson
  • Sum of all fears: AND patented. – Charles Stross
  • Time traveler’s thought: “What’s the password?” – Steven Meretzky
  • Dorothy: “Fuck it, I’ll stay here.” – Steven Meretzky

Five artists used these six-word stories and turned them into art.

The six-word story is not a new concept, but it’s been a long time since it was done. They’re almost a shortened form of haiku. Here are some of my own:

  • Black cat, evil eyes, sweet talk.
  • Dappled sunlight, field flowers — red puddle
  • Knight, Dragon, a kill. No Damsel.
  • My favorite jam; my body, dead.

Can you generate your own? If you do, send them to me at telecarb(at)hotmail(dot)com (add the @ and . in the email address), and I’ll post them on my blog.

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Friday, October 27th, 2006, by M. D. Benoit and is filed under "Books and Reading, Commentary, English and Editing, Oddities ". Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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