« Just Do It, Ian! | Main | Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times »
Six-Word Stories
Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. Rumor has it that he considered his result ("For sale: baby shoes, never used.") to be his greatest work. In its most recent issue, Utne reprinted a piece from the Fall 2004 issue of BlackBook in which that magazine asked 25 big-name writers to write their own six-word stories. Unfortunately, neither magazine had the story online, but here are some of the highlights:
Irvine Welsh: "Eyeballed me, killed him. Slight exaggeration."
Robert Olen Butler: "Saigon hotel. Decades later. He weeps."
Norman Mailer: "Satan--Jehovah--fifteen rounds. A draw."
Tobias Wolff: "She gave. He took. He forgot."
David Lodge: "I saw. I conquered. Couldn't come."
Augusten Burroughs: "Oh, that? It's nothing. Not contagious."
I think I like Butler's and Mailer's the best. Here's my own offering:
Aging skier goes downhill. Literally, figuratively.
Please feel free to post your own in the comments section!
July 1, 2005 in Books, Fiction | Permalink
Comments
Huh. I thought it was a wedding dress that was for sale and never used. Interesting.
Posted by: Julie at Jul 2, 2005 8:42:21 AM
"Tried online casino. Homeless, hungry. Change?"
Posted by: Al at Jul 5, 2005 2:28:54 PM
"A man, a plan... ... Fuck this."
Posted by: tim at Jul 6, 2005 10:07:48 AM
Grab your ankles, you get fucked.
Posted by: C.F. Davis Bell at Aug 29, 2005 11:10:51 PM
"'Sup man?"
"Nuthin'"
"Are you sure?"
Posted by: C.F. Davis Bell at Aug 29, 2005 11:13:09 PM
I feel nothing. I am blessed.
He took a chance. Nations rejoiced.
Her call echoed. The world shuddered.
Through his works he never died.
Hope springs eternal. Despair makes headlines.
Two newlyweds. No money. Merry Christmas.
Posted by: Furb at Oct 16, 2005 4:25:40 PM
dont post up bad words
Posted by: Bob at Nov 8, 2005 3:28:41 PM
Bob, does your mommy know you're on the Internet?
Posted by: speedwell at Oct 10, 2006 10:15:34 AM
Oppression, revolt, chaos, commonality, progress, oppression.
Posted by: speedwell at Oct 10, 2006 10:19:32 AM
She has a mistress. He knows.
(Whee, this is fun.)
Posted by: speedwell at Oct 10, 2006 10:22:42 AM
"Can you see?"
"No."
BRIDGE OUT.
Posted by: Whit Stevens at Oct 10, 2006 10:39:24 AM
Perfect diamonds never see the world.
Posted by: aaron at Oct 10, 2006 1:26:57 PM
What means "pull up"? Oh God!
Posted by: anonymous at Oct 10, 2006 3:38:01 PM
Jesus, my hitch-hiker, pointed, "Watch out...!"
Posted by: Gordon at Oct 10, 2006 5:58:53 PM
Scatological. Sarah Lawrence. Nubile milfs leftover.
Posted by: jdt at Oct 14, 2006 9:53:50 AM
Heaven subjugates, hell incinerates, oblivion terminates
Posted by: Jack King at Oct 16, 2006 11:48:36 AM
"Luke, I am your father."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Q
Posted by: The_Q at Oct 18, 2006 1:29:55 PM
Falling snow erases more than footprints.
Posted by: Amy at Oct 20, 2006 7:38:10 PM
Essay due tomorrow - wrote this instead
Cancer, love you, sex, dead, sex.
we came, we saw, we lost
love, hope, faith, sorrow, courage, rum
"hmmm...." *thinking*..... *thinking*..... "got any threes?"
Win, Win, Win, all in... lose
god: "sex", and there was sex
car, tree, bleeding, sun explodes, score!!
debate, disagreement, wikipedia, link, debate, disagreement....
hot girl, hot guy, alcohol, divorce
"oranges rule" "apples rule" "apples suck"
"I love you" "Dinner? "...Yeah, sure"
Russian Roulette..... my turn... spin... click....
Time is cyclical, Time is cyclical
up, down, A, B, back: Fatality
please, please, please.... .... please, FINE!!! *sex*
2:44 PM, drunk, exam today!??!? 94%
sex, really really really really bad.
friends. young. old. "I lov-" dead.
Posted by: jab at Oct 26, 2006 9:54:56 PM
He's not your father. I am.
Posted by: Bianca at Oct 27, 2006 9:06:43 AM
I had the baby. She didn't.
It should've been just a ride.
Icy conditions, 45 mph. Accident reconstruction.
It was prom; too much alcohol.
I wasn't good enough, you were.
We tripped. Finally, I wasn't embarassed.
Posted by: Bianca at Oct 27, 2006 9:35:24 AM
- The door opened mid-flight. Geronimo!!
- Torn wedding dress drapes casino floor.
- Five clicks, pull the trigger again.
- Mushroom cloud arose, start the MiniVan.
- Condom broke. Recess over. Math class.
- My bleeding eyes shed red tears.
Posted by: raul at Oct 28, 2006 2:09:06 PM
I love Me, Myself and Irene.
Lol.
Posted by: Jimbo at Oct 30, 2006 7:43:00 PM
pyromaniac arsonist executed. a phoenix rises.
descartes thinks. therefore, thought becomes alive.
and prozac lived happily ever after.
victim saves superhero! the ironic man
frilly, thy name is lizardwoman!
fashioned from play-doh: humor sapiens created
Posted by: jason at Nov 3, 2006 9:15:33 AM
Timewaster seeks same. No timewasters please.
Posted by: RB at Nov 6, 2006 7:31:27 PM
