How Short Can A Story Be?

Posted 17 April 2009 in Writing by Catriona

My best friend first brought the idea of a six-word memoir to my attention back in April last year. I glanced at them then, but didn’t really think about them further.

Then a student submitted a piece of assessment around the idea of six-word stories, drawing my attention to this post with six-word stories, including some lovely ones from Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and Charles Stross. (Many, many ones from Charles Stross.)

And I was wondering what I could do in six words.

Chances are not a great deal. But I’ve been thinking more about restricted writing challenges lately, so it would be remiss of me not to at least try.

I’m settling on this:

“Our home planet’s gone? Well, bugger.”

Previously: Dew Next: Strange Conversations: Part One Hundred and Seventeen

Share your thoughts [9]

Matthew Smith wrote at Apr 17, 04:41 am

It’s even more restrictive than twitter! Here’s mine, a bit clichéd: “No bullets left in his gun”

Catriona wrote at Apr 17, 04:45 am

That’s not clichéd! One of my earlier efforts (before I switched genres) was clichéd: “A mute, inglorious Milton died here.”

You can see why I rejected that one.

Of course, nothing I thought up was as good as Hemingway’s effort, but they were fun to do.

michelle wrote at Apr 17, 05:09 am

First our land, then our children.

Catriona wrote at Apr 17, 05:30 am

Well, now mine just looks frivolous! ;)

Tim wrote at Apr 17, 05:58 am

I was going to say that six words isn’t enough for a story, but Michelle’s has me rethinking.

Catriona wrote at Apr 17, 06:22 am

Yes, I’m thinking of starting a new site policy that Michelle isn’t allowed to do that any more, because it makes the rest of us look bad.

Well, no: I wouldn’t really do that.

I think myself that the word “story” is a little misleading. Even the Hemingway one isn’t a story, as such—it’s intensely evocative, but except for the parameters set in those six words, what it evokes is entirely down to the reader.

But some six-word phrases evoke a complex scenario better than others.

I can see more of a story in “The tiger paused, but only briefly” than I can in “Then I made myself some coffee.”

(Ultimately, it’s just a bit of fun, isn’t it?)

Nick Caldwell wrote at Apr 17, 07:46 am

Earth was here a minute ago.

Tim wrote at Apr 17, 11:52 am

“I wrote a very short story.”

Catriona wrote at Apr 17, 12:05 pm

That’s meta, Tim, but I’m not entirely convinced it’s getting into the spirit of the exercise . . .