If you are looking for a wonderful example of a six word story, we’ve gathered a collection of some great examples.
Why not enter the Six Word Wonder contest – write your own six word stories, get published, and win $100
To recap, stories in six words are a special mix of poetry and storytelling. You are confined to just six words and punctuation to share an idea, an event, a moment with the reader. There is a famous story of Hemingway originating the form, but really it dates back to when a scribe first wrote “In the beginning, there was light.”
What makes a great example of a six word story?
Six word stories can be dark, light, funny or tragic. Much like life. For a six word story to really stand out there are a few elements that must be in place.
- The story makes sense to the reader.
- It’s okay for the reader to work a little harder than usual to understand the meaning of a six worder. In fact, that can be part of the fun. But there must be a meaning in their somewhere.
- The story takes the reader on a journey.
- By definition, you want to tell some kind of a story. But a six word story is really more about taking readers from one place to another. That could be a beginning to an end. But it also might be an expectation to a surprise or punch-line, similar to a joke. Or it could be from feeling nothing to feeling something. It could even be rhetorical question that the reader answers in their head.
- The story leaves the reader with an emotion.
- All story telling is about emotion. A six word story might be clever for its own sake, like wordplay. That should give a reader satisfaction from recognising the skill of the words. Or it might tear at the heart strings or tickle your tummy. Six words can make you feel.
Marley was dead. To begin with.
Charles Dickens
For Sale: Baby Shoes. Never Worn.
Attributed to Ernest Hemmingway
Found true love. Married someone else.
David Eggers
To be, or not to be?
William Shakespeare
It was dark inside the wolf.
Margaret Attwood
This example of a six word story above plays with our expectations. We all know the story of Red Riding Hood, but have we ever thought what it must have felt like at the moment she was gobbled up.
Lovely spring weather. Bubonic plague raging.
Evelyn Waugh
Starlet Sex Scandal. Giant squid involved.
Margaret Attwood
New genes demand expression. Third eye
Greg Bear
In the beginning, there was light.
The Bible
This is the oldest example of a six word story that I’m aware of. Opening lines often make excellent moments to kick off a whole novel or non-fiction with six words that pack a punch. And what is a more perfect story than a journey from darkness to light.
Fifteen years since last professional haircut
David Eggers
Well, I thought I was funny.
Stephen Colbert
Longed for him. Got him. Shit!
Margaret Attwood
Don’t put that in your mouth.
Morgan Spurlock
These violent delights have violent ends.
William Shakespeare
Never, ever refuse a breath mint.
Lemony Snicket
Think and wonder. Wonder and think.
Dr Seuss
Six word stories pop up in music from time to time. Here, I’ve tried to capture a few of the best examples.
You’ve got a friend in me.
Randy Newman
Guess what? I’m not a robot.
Marina and the Diamonds
It’s been a hard day’s night.
The Beatles
Six Word Story examples from Reddit
Reddit is a wonderful repository of the six word form. Here are a few of my favourites from r/sixwordstories
Goodbye mission control. Thanks for trying…
/[deleted]
He bottle-feeds his wife’s killer.
u/charmingmysterious
Six word stories, as you can see from the example above, can deal with very dark issues. This story takes a couple of reads before you fully appreciate what has happened to the husband. No words are wasted in revealing the tragedy.
I have mixed drinks about feelings.
u/iNachozi
I just wrote a great cliffhanger.
u/Guavajava
Unfortunately, haiku possibilities, seldom appear here.
u/mathmeistro
This is a fantastic example of using the six word form combined with the haiku form (five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables) to amp up the complexity and interest.
Tomorrow they’ll interview everybody I know.
u/Scream123
Birth certificate. Death certificate. One pen.
u/sixwordsmyth
This example by Techmyst really takes the formatting of a story to it’s limited. I love the way it plays with your expectations and really makes you work to decide what’s really being said.
Time travellers wanted. Inquire within, yesterday.
u/TimeBlossom
For sale: Engagement ring. Never worn.
u/HighOnAmbien
It purposely failed the Turing Test.
u/JamesIgnatius27
“We’ll meet at dinner”, said Hannibal.
u/OhSoSorryWrongHole
This story is a fantastic reminder that you can reference other popular culture to short cut to a story punchline. Anyone who has seen or read Thomas Harris Silence of the Lambs will be under no doubt about what’s on the menu!
More examples of six word stories
If you’re getting into the swing of this now, here’s a bunch more stories taken from Six Word Wonder by Doug Weller.
Won a million. Lost her mind.
One bite, and her reflection vanished.
Returned home wounded, but dead inside.
Superman started dating the Incredible Hulk.
Born. Worked forty years. Heart-attack.
Under my bed, he still waits.
None of his unemployment jokes work.
Belly-flopped into pool. Emptied it.
Through the reinforced glass, you apologised.
Here’s an example of a six word story where you have to think twice to understand the full meaning.
Ambulance finally arrived. Left without siren.
I kissed her neck. Then pushed.
Married young. Now, she’s forgotten me.
One clumsy tweet. International condemnation. Suicide.
Six words can some up a true story. This one was written after a tragic event of somebody being publicly shamed for an unpopular opinion.
Mouse danced ’till old puss pounced.
Regrets? Not wearing a crash helmet…
‘Your WIFE called,’ hissed his wife.
Typical! Hotel California is fully booked.
Brontosaurus munched, oblivious to massive asteroid.
Trainee wizard expelled for bad spelling.
Spicy puns are ideal in the six word form. This one reminds me of Harry Potter for some reason.
How cold she became by morning…
The old king died. Nobody cried.
Unloved celebrity bought gun. Shooting star.
The killer grinned at the accused.
Her lips were red. Blood red.
Tasted the apple, then got naked!
A riff on the Adam and Eve myth. Sounds like it might have been fun to sink into sin!
First rules. Then uniforms. Then guns.
The final meal was his tongue.
Ted. Underestimated. Elevated. Celebrated. Venerated. Assassinated.
This example of a six word story is a special case. The six words are split into six separate brief sentences. It’s especially useful to describe somebody’s life story.
The visitors classified me under food.
At work, she blinked… Everybody died.
Urgent flatshare: Professionals wanted. Exorcist prefered.
If you want to read more examples of six word stories, learn more about six word wonder or even enter the six word story contest, follow the link.
And if you’d like to read some more six word wonders, why not check out the books, Six Word Wonder and Six Word Story?
Эрнест Хемингуэй однажды на спор сочинил рассказ всего из 6 слов, способный растрогать кого угодно:
«For sale: baby shoes, never worn» («Продаются детские ботиночки. Не ношенные).
С тех пор множество писателей пытались повторить его достижение, сочинив душещипательную историю из шести слов.
Сейчас уже существует целый жанр 6 word story, популярный, в основном, среди англоязычных авторов (возможно, из-за особенностей английской грамматики).
Я отобрал и перевел несколько таких рассказов. С некоторыми вольностями и не всегда в шесть слов.
- You’ll never be a good artist, Adolf — Вам никогда не стать хорошим художником, Адольф.
- First sentient robot: «Turn me off.» — Первый разумный робот: «Отключите меня.»
- The smallest coffins are the heaviest — Самые маленькие гробы — самые тяжелые.
- Goodbye, Houston. Thanks for trying — Прощайте, Хьюстон. Спасибо, что попытались.
- Grean surgeon. Needlistick injury. HIV positive — Великолепный хирург, укололся иглой, ВИЧ положительный.
- She was lovely. Then things changed — Она была прекрасна. Затем все изменилось.
- Man cries holding his dog’s leash — Человек плачет, сжимая в руке собачий поводок.
- She loved cigarettes… more than life — Она любила сигареты… больше, чем жизнь.
- Cancer. Only three month left. Pregnant — Рак. Осталось только три месяца. Беременна.
- Selling rifle. Never used. Dropped once — Продается ружье. Новое. Один раз уронили.
- Dots in the sky. Dead pixels — Точки в небе. Битые пиксели.
- Siri, delete Mom from my contacts — Сири, удали маму из моих контактов.
- What’s your return policy on rings? — Какие у вас условия возврата обручальных колец?
- We are lying in bed. She is lying — Мы лежим в постели. Она лжет (игра слов: lie = 1. лежать, 2. лгать).
- T.H.C., L.S.D., D.U.I., C.P.R., D.O.A., R.I.P
Чтобы понять смысл последнего рассказа, нужно знать эти аббревиатуры, хорошо известные в Америке:
T.H.C. = tetrahydrocannabinol – тетрагидроканнабинол, наркотик.
L.S.D. = lysergic acid diethylamide – ЛСД, наркотик.
D.U.I. = driving under influence – вождение в состоянии алкогольного или наркотического опьянения
C.P.R. = cardiopulmonary resuscitation – сердечно-легочная реанимация.
D.O.A. = dead on arrival – мертв по прибытии (в больницу)
R.I.P. = rest in peace — покойся с миром.
Рассказы из шести слов. Источник: www.sixwordstories.net
Вас тронули рассказы из шести слов? Расскажите друзьям в социальных сетях:
Здравствуйте! Меня зовут Сергей Ним, я автор этого сайта, а также книг, курсов, видеоуроков по английскому языку.
Подпишитесь на мой Телеграм-канал, чтобы узнавать о новых видео, материалах по английскому языку.
У меня также есть канал на YouTube, где я регулярно публикую свои видео.
It’s a widely accepted truth that great things can come in small packages. Quality over quantity and all that.
1.
«A cry rings out. Life begins.»
—Puzzler
2.
«He died happy, knowing he lived.»
—Alexander Hoffman, Facebook
4.
«The cuts healed; her heart didn’t.»
—Hannah Lambach, Facebook
5.
«The universe is big. She’s lonely.»
—Katie Sklaver, Facebook
8.
«I remember tomorrow, but not yesterday.»
—davidr129
9.
«It’s still you. Always will be.»
—messinab
13.
«Her kindness is her favorite superpower.»
—saramoke
14.
«Realists live with fear of disappointment.»
—malinab
15.
«Incessant imagination, bubbling creativity, she wrote.»
—capricededivi
20.
«I pushed him. He didn’t fall.»
—davidr129
23.
«She loved herself when others wouldn’t.»
—Margaret S
24.
«Painfully, he changed ‘is’ to ‘was.'»
—blaithin03
26.
«I no longer survive. I live.»
—skailyr
28.
«I thought I could trust you.»
—evyh3
30.
«Her eyes summoned poetry; his, music.»
—Mo Bashir, Facebook
31.
«She wasn’t allowed to love her.»
—Jasmin00
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According to legend, Ernest Hemingway was challenged to write a short story using only six words. He came up with: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Six-word stories are a great way to practice your writing without actually having to write much.They can also be used to warm up before working on a novel or short story.
When I had first heard about six-word stories, I thought, “A whole story in six words? That’s impossible!”
Then I wrote my first six-word story—and it was really easy, not mention fun! Once you write your first, you can write a whole army of them. Here’s how six-word stories can be used as a great writing prompt.
Photo by zoovroo
1. Read
Before you write a six-word story, you should look at some examples. A great website you can use is sixwordstories.net. If you just want to look at a few quick examples, here are a few I liked:
“Rapunzel! I am slipping! A wig?!”
Misleadingly deep puddle. Curious child missing.
“I love you, too,” she lied.
Artificial limb, bungie jump-bad idea.
2. How to Write a Six-Word Story
Now that you’ve looked at some examples, you’re ready to write!
But if you end up staring at a blank screen right now—I was before I was able to write a six-word story—just think of a sentence or two that might be intriguing and tells a story without telling an entire story.
If you’re still stuck, try this tip: use magnetic poetry. You know the kind that you put on your refrigerator and mess around with? That often gives me ideas.
If you have an idea, but can’t figure out how to shorten it into six words, here’s some more advice: use contractions. Use “I’m” instead of “I am.” Use “They’re” instead of “They are.” Now what if your story is too short? Use adjectives. Don’t say, “the ball is round.” That’s only four words. Use, “the ball is big and round,” or, “the ball is furry and round,” or even, “The man-eating ball is hungry.”
And don’t worry if your six-word stories aren’t works of art. They’re supposed to be fun and creative.
3. Use Your Six-Word Stories as a Writing Prompt
When you write or read a six-word story, you probably want to know more about the story, right? Six-word stories severely limit you, and of course, that’s the point!
Once you’ve written a few six word stories, why not turn it into a write prompt. Choose one, and writing that same story using as many words as you would like. Now you can create interesting characters, surprising plot twists, and as much description as you want.
Have you ever written a six-word story? How did you like the process?
Need more grammar help? My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid. Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 25 percent off: WritePractice25
Coupon Code:WritePractice25 »
PRACTICE
Write a six-word story about anything you like. It can be humorous, dark, mysterious, and anything else you can think of. Then use that six-word story as a writing prompt.
Write for fifteen minutes and lengthen your six-word story into a more-than-six-word-story. Then post both stories as a comment.
Be sure to comment on a few other peoples’ practices. Have fun!
Joe Bunting
Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris, a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).
Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.
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Six-word stories are more than just a buzzword or internet craze. With one of the most popular examples penned by Ernest Hemingway himself, six-word stories are a unique take on memoirs. How do you want to write your life story?
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What’s a Six-Word Story or Memoir?
- Steps for Writing a Six-Word Story
- Example Six-Word Stories
A six-word story is exactly what it sounds like: six words that say something powerful, express a feeling, or share something intimate about your life. They’re a form of legacy, emphasizing the way that words have power and meaning. You don’t need a long-winded narrative to find meaning in your words (or story).
Whether you’re looking to write a memoir, learn from the master writers, or just practice with a fun writing exercise, six-word stories are a great place to start. In this guide, we’ll share how to write great six-word stories or memoirs as well as some examples for inspiration.
What’s a Six-Word Story or Memoir?
Six-word stories rest on one key concept: brevity is a virtue. Sure, you could wax poetic about your memories and how you want to be remembered, but there’s power in getting to the point.
A six-word story or memoir is just that—a story written in six words or less. Occasionally, you’ll find some “six-word stories” that are longer than six words. This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule by any means. The foundation of this writing exercise is to simply say more with less.
William Faulkner, one of the greatest southern writers, put this feeling into words with his infamous quote. He says, “In writing, you must kill all your darlings.”
This doesn’t mean to strip away everything that has meaning to you. On the contrary, this is a way to get to the heart of the matter. When you “kill your darlings,” you’re getting rid of everything unnecessary, all the flowery language that simply obstructs the view of the true core of your message.
In creative writing, you can’t afford to get too attached to the characters, language, or plot lines. Everything is dispensable when it comes to the overall story. Sometimes that means making hard choices, stripping away everything extra, and going back to the basics.
This is true of some of the greatest writing of all time. The best memoirs all rely on this idea of stripping away the unnecessary. It’s impossible to put someone’s entire story into words.
This would take years and wouldn’t even be interesting to read. Instead, writers craft the full narrative into something easier, something meaningful. This is the heart of the six-word story or memoir.
Steps for Writing a Six-Word Story
Anyone can write a six-word story, regardless of experience or skill. Because they’re so short, they’re perfect for artist statements, writing exercises, and even complex jumping-off points for larger retellings.
Here are the steps to follow if you want to write your own six-word story or memoir.
Step 1: Create a clear story
To begin, you’ll need a storyline. Though six-word stories are short, they still follow the same general rules as traditional narratives. This means they have a beginning, middle, and end. More particularly, they have a movement of conflict, action, and resolution.
These are the elements that make a story more than just a statement. There is a real feeling, and it’s easy to get a clear picture of the six-words in your mind.
This is easier said than done, but consider some different conflicts. To make this relevant to your own life like a memoir, what are some obstacles you’ve overcome? Where do they begin and where do they end? Journaling or talking with a friend can help with this process.
Step 2: Start writing
Next, start jotting down ideas. You don’t need to limit yourself to six-words (yet). We’ll get to that later. To start, write your story as you would if you had no restrictions. Use symbols, imagery, and add characters as needed.
Get a feel for the setting and place of your story. Step inside it and see it for what it is. Six-word stories commonly rely on imagery or symbolism to make an impact. Try to identify which symbols or images relate the most to what you’ve written so far.
Remember, symbols come in all shapes and sizes. Small symbols often convey large concepts. The fewer words you need to express these symbols, the better.
» MORE: An online memorial is a perfect ending to honor and celebrate someone’s life. Create one for free.
Step 3: Find your punchline
Your punchline is the “a-ha” moment. It’s that “oh, now I get it” realization that all six-word stories have in common. This is when there’s a real turning point in the narrative. You can think of this as a plot twist, moment of emotional realization, or anything that makes sense to you.
How does the punchline appear in your story? What’s your big reveal? It’s common to start with context or place, followed by the punchline. The story might end here, or there might be some form of resolution. It’s not uncommon for these six-word stories or memoirs to be left unresolved. Consider what it is your readers should feel and work to craft that feeling.
Step 4: Kill your darlings
Last but not least, kill your darlings. As Faulkner said, this is an essential part of the writing process. Take what you’ve written thus far and strip it to the bare bones. What do you have left?
What’s the most powerful part of your story? What makes the ready go “a-ha!” with a moment of epiphany, for better or worse. If you can’t bring it down to six words, don’t stress yourself. Let it sit for a while and return later, seeing if there’s anything else that doesn’t need to be there.
Writing is an evolution. There’s no such thing as “perfect,” though there is such a thing as “done.” Sometimes the latter is better than the former, so know when it’s time to walk away and call your work a finished masterpiece.
Tip: Aside from writing about someone’s memory, a great way to capture what they mean to you is with a memorial diamond from Eterneva or a custom urn from Foreverence. Everyone wants to be remembered when they’re gone.
Example Six-Word Stories
Six-word stories grapple with a lot of different themes and concepts. They’re often highly personal, and they rely on small and large symbols to make a powerful impact. Some are memoirs included in obituaries, and others are purely fictional.
These stories supposedly began as Ernest Hemingway’s response to a bet that it wasn’t possible to write a story in six words. Though this has since been debunked, it is true that Hemingway proved his point.
Let’s look at some examples so you can understand how six-word stories work in action. As you’ll quickly discover, it is possible to sum up an entire novel of feelings in just a few words.
For more six-word story inspiration, visit Six Word Stories to submit your own and browse categories.
» MORE: Grief can be lonely. Create space for your community to share memories and tributes with a free online memorial from Cake.
Funny six-word story examples
“I’m beside myself; cloning machine works.”
«I leave. Dog panics. Furniture shopping.”
“Coffee before art? Goodbye straight lines.”
“‘Reading for Dummies,’ somehow, never sold.”
Sad six-word story examples
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
“‘I’ll be back tomorrow.’ Years ago.”
“Selling parachute: never opened, slightly stained.”
“The smallest coffins are the heaviest.”
“Imagined adulthood. Gained adulthood. Lost imagination.”
Love-related six-word story examples
“Left handed woman seeks Mr. Right.”
“Rainy evening, two strangers, one umbrella.”
“They lived happily ever after. Separately.”
“He loves her, they’re ‘just friends.’”
“Best weekend ever. He never called.”
Say More With Less: Six-Word Stories
Storytelling takes many forms, but six-word stories are one of the shortest and most unique. You’ve likely encountered six-word stories or memoirs in your own life, but have you ever written one yourself? Though this is quite the creative writing challenge, it’s also an opportunity to put into words the feelings that are hard to capture.
Whether these six-word stories help you understand feelings of grief, loss, or even joy, they’re a unique way to see the world. Words are their own form of art. They’re a legacy we leave of the stories we’ve told. Though six-word stories might be short, they’re worth so much more than the number of characters on the page.
Sources
“Six Word Stories.” Six Word Stories. SixWordStories.net.
For further articles on these topics:
Legend has it that famous author Ernest Hemingway, out to lunch at the Algonquin, bet a table full of fellow writers he could write a short story in just 6 words. His companions had their doubts and wagered 10 dollars each to put Hemingway to the test. As the tale goes, Hemingway believed the resulting story to be his finest work ever.
Although the validity of this anecdote is contested, there’s absolutely no question this is a darn fine short story. Like all stories, it has the basics – a beginning, middle, and end. As well as all the things that make a story great – emotion, detail, and interest.
The tale of Hemingway’s ‘Baby Shoes’ continues to interest literary fans to this day, and six-word stories (classified as ‘short short stories’ or sometimes ‘flash fiction’) can be found all over the place.
There are dedicated websites…
…Tumblr’s…
…and cool 365 projects
But perhaps most notable is a book series created by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleisger of Smith Maganize. In 2006, they asked Smith Magazine readers to submit their life stories in just 6 words. From this grew their first book, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs from Writers Famous & Obscure, and after this came an entire book series. You can read a few excerpts in this NPR story or go to their website (linked above) where they share all sorts of stories.
I really like six-word stories (for our purposes six-word stories, statements, and exclamations), especially when talking about feelings and emotions. Emotional expression often makes people nervous and uncomfortable which is why we sometimes shy away from them. Show of hands, how many of you feel uncomfortable the minute something emotional leaves your mouth? Either you clam up or you awkwardly keep talking all the while wondering just how strange it would seem if you started running in the other direction.
Six-word stories are perfect little bite-sized emotional expressions. You can throw it out there and leave it open to interpretation. Interestingly enough, because of our common threads and shared experiences, we can often intuit enough about the story to understand exactly what it means. Which leads me to wonder, why am I wasting so much time talking when all I need are six words!?!
Brevity is certainly not my strong suit, yet the constraints of choosing only 6 words feel strangely freeing. It relieves the pressure of writing a perfect and precise story or explanation. The flip side of this of course, for all you men and women of few words, is using only six words sits right there in your verbal comfort zone.
The key to the six-word story, statement, or exclamation is finding the perfect 6 words to communicate your point. If we were talking strictly about ‘stories’ we would say that you should strive for a beginning, a middle, and an end; but because many of us are trying this exercise for the first time, we’re not going to worry about the structure so much as the content.
I found an interesting story while I was reading about the Smith Magazine book series on Wikipedia (my top source for information behind IMDB). In February of 2009, Smith and Fershleiser appeared on the Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC. During the segment, a listener (Anne from Hell’s Kitchen) shared her six-word memoir…
“I found my mother’s suicide note”
Sparking an intense discussion on how Anne came to terms with her mother’s death and the role the note played in this. The suicide note itself was just six words…
“No flowers, no funeral, no nothing.”
I was struck by how perfectly both of these six-word statements conveyed the emotion, turmoil, distress, and despair that would likely be found in the longer version of the story. A few carefully chosen words can tell the whole story.
Of course many find benefit in telling their whole story (many don’t) but I think there is certainly a place for six-word stories and statements in therapeutic emotional expression. It’s an art form that allows you to express something by picking and choosing the details you wish to convey and allows others (if you care to share) to draw on their inner-selves and shared experiences to interpret the narrative.
For this reason, we put together a brief journaling exercise. The following are 11 things I want you to write a 6-word story about. For those of you who do the exercise, I think you will be surprised by some of the words you ultimately choose.
Afterward, you will see Litsa and I have shared our 6-word stories. If you feel up to it, please share yours as well in the comments below, on Facebook, or Tweet it to @whatsyourgrief on Twitter.
Using only 6 words write:
1. A story about your loved one
2. A story about the death
3. A story about you before he/she died
4. A story about you after he/she died
5. A story about a good memory
6. A story about something that makes you mad
7. A story about something that gives you anxiety
8. A story about something that gives you hope
9. A story about how you feel about death
10. A story about your loved one’s best quality
11. Something you wish people knew about your grief.
Want more grief journaling? Check out our 30-day Self-Guided Grief Journaling Intensive, or the following articles:
- 5 Benefits of Grief Journaling
- Continuing Bonds: A Grief Journal Exercise
- Growth from Grief (and a Journaling Exercise)
- Missing Moments & Letter Writing: A Journal Exercise
- Love Your Regret
- Support System Superlatives: A Journaling Exercise
- Wedding Day Advice: A Journal Exercise
You’re probably going to forget about ‘What’s Your Grief’ if you don’t bookmark us now. The most reliable way to follow along is to subscribe to receive e-mails straight to your inbox.
May 3, 2013