Hemingway wrote,"For sale, baby shoes, never worn." as his shortest story. Someone had bet him that he couldn't write a story in six words.
It's a good practice for writers and can actually create the heart of a good story. Give it a try here.
Mine is: Flower child,embroidered jeans,no hair.
tom_saunders | November 16, 2010 - 11:01
Raising his pistol, he thought: God?
tcook | November 16, 2010 - 12:49
Hunter dead in road, deer unharmed.
I think it was Edward Lear who wrote the 'shortest poem'. It was entitled Fleas. It read:
Adam 'Ad em.
danrama | November 16, 2010 - 16:36
Bones are memories to a man.
The Big Bad G | November 16, 2010 - 17:04
He waited forever for a beginning.
The Big Bad G | November 16, 2010 - 17:05
or, "I told you I was right!"
Kahdai | November 16, 2010 - 21:28
No you so crazy,! drunk maybe?
or
dont waste your time reading this
lol
Now trying to think of one...
Kahdai | November 16, 2010 - 21:32
it was the end of time
h jenkins | November 16, 2010 - 22:03
If anyone's interested, I did a batch and posted them a few months ago. It was called 'Stories Custom Written'. I'd provide a link but I'm not sure how to do that - too decrepit!
Helvigo Jenkins
Kahdai | November 16, 2010 - 22:14
http://www.abctales.com/story/h-jenkins/stories-custom-written-all-genre...
Biggus | November 17, 2010 - 09:18
Once upon a time
lenchenelf | November 17, 2010 - 11:14
Fall out zone, bleached bones; inheritance.
lenchenelf | November 17, 2010 - 11:14
Fall out zone, bleached bones; inheritance.
tcook | November 17, 2010 - 11:24
Ooh - that's my favourite so far!
Cavalcaderl | November 17, 2010 - 12:41
New julie
Never put off till to-morrow
what can be done to-day.
Cavalcaderl | November 17, 2010 - 12:42
new julie
Every cloud has a silver lining.
Cavalcaderl | November 17, 2010 - 12:47
New Julie
Don't keep all your eggs in one basket
These are sayings is that what you want.
lenchenelf | November 17, 2010 - 14:45
In fairness, I hadn't realised my offering draws upon a similar concept to Danrama's (above)
Shortest poem I ever wrote was for a challenge :-)
entitled
'Molten'
Liquid lust.
Highhat | November 17, 2010 - 20:46
The only issue is the tissue
Highhat | November 17, 2010 - 20:47
time is tender and slender
Highhat | November 17, 2010 - 20:49
a storm, a sunny day, weather
TheSecretGirl | November 17, 2010 - 21:24
love.
alex_tomlin | November 17, 2010 - 22:09
Trying to lose weight. Fat chance.
Man walks into a bar. Ouch.
well-wisher | November 17, 2010 - 23:56
Vampire mistakes sunbed for coffin... arrrgh!
Boomerang shaped missile a big mistake.
Necrophile falls in love with cataleptic.
Larkin Williamson | November 18, 2010 - 00:34
Suicidal Cannibal disappears!
Mangone | November 18, 2010 - 05:03
Truth evolves? Yes, no… maybe so.
Kahdai | November 18, 2010 - 12:44
Wow this was a great idea
mark_yelland-brown | November 19, 2010 - 15:23
You call those buttocks... said Dave
skinner_jennifer | November 19, 2010 - 15:52
Birth, death, life!
skinner_jennifer | November 19, 2010 - 15:53
Sorry I meant Birth, life, death!
mark_yelland-brown | November 19, 2010 - 16:35
The Green shoots of post Darwinism
well-wisher | November 19, 2010 - 21:42
Christian time traveler gets a shock.
Vote For Tory MP Ebeneezer Scrooge.
For Sale, Tory soul, never used.
well-wisher | November 19, 2010 - 23:02
Before Ernest Hemingway, Julius Caesar had already invented the six word autobiography.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
maddi | November 20, 2010 - 09:57
interesting idea, however not sure most of these tell a story, they are either one line jokes (tho some very funny! eg well-wisher's ;-))
others are statements or 'sayings' eg 'time is tender and slender'. The beauty for me of hemmingway's story is that there is a whole narrative, complete with emotions, within the words.
'Hunter dead in road, deer unharmed.'comes closest for me, tho still leaves more questions unanswered than i would like
Not yet been able to come up with something myself that carries so much in so few words, but good practice trying
Yutka | November 20, 2010 - 16:34
Old Age
"Slowly" I say to the snail. I want to keep up with you.
by Yutka
pink book | November 21, 2010 - 14:46
I did the 'Hemmingway' excercise when I went to a writing workshop on a MENSA weekend when I was about 15(the worst weekend of my life) That excercise DID foster an interest in flash fiction, though. To date, my shortest story is about 300 words.
Larkin Williamson | November 22, 2010 - 00:18
"Horny dog, wooden leg, Bowouch!"
lenchenelf | November 22, 2010 - 01:58
War funds silk stockings; gravy stains.