six word stories

this morning a woman told me she went to a party where the hostess asked each guest to write a story in just six words and then compiled them all as a gift to her husband. she got the idea from ernest hemingway. he once wrote a story in six words and is said to have called it his best work.

"for sale: baby shoes. never worn."

who knew you could fit so much meaning in so few words? that's why he's ernest hemingway. well, back in 2006, wired magazine challenged current writers, directors, creatives, etc. to do the same. here are a few that stood out.

"Failed SAT. Lost scholarship. Invented rocket." - William Shatner

"Longed for him. Got him. Shit." - Margaret Atwood*

"The baby’s blood type? Human, mostly." - Orson Scott Card

"Kirby had never eaten toes before." - Kevin Smith

click here to see all the entries.


*Margaret Atwood's social science fiction novel Oryx & Crake is several hundred pages long, but was so captivating that I read it in one sitting, not a common feat for me. ask stef. anyway, if you like that sort of genre, i'd give it a read.