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.
Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure.
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: Grief can be lonely. Create space for your community to share memories and tributes with a free online memorial from Cake.
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: An online memorial is a perfect ending to honor and celebrate someone’s life. Create one for free.
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.
Back when I was quite the lazy storyteller who believed my one short story would pave the way to my greatness, I stumbled upon tumblr where people write short, easy little paragraphs that sound pretty and made me feel deep and interesting. I felt very comfortable in this area because I could slay away on one sentence until it was perfect and then people would comment on my talents and I would try to appear very modest like it just came to me naturally.
In a way it was much akin to our modern selfie. In fact, writing in general is a lot like taking a selfie. It takes many takes to get it right, but once you do, you make it look easy and hide all the effort behind it so that people think these things come naturally to you.
Selfies aside, given the tumblr world I lived in for most of my teenage years, everything I wrote was «great» because it was three sentences long and secretly took me an hour to write. Sure, I wasn’t writing anything more than a page — I would get there — but I was doing something I loved and that happened to be writing very short paragraphs that would do little for my great novel I hoped to one day write.
It should come as no surprise then that over time I stumbled upon the famous «six word story» in my pursuit of tiny literature and I was ecstatic. Everything I had been working for had been legitimized! It was totally okay to write tiny stories, and even famous people were writing them, so it had to be a real art!
For those of you who might have missed out, the six-word story is exactly what it sounds like: a six-word sentence that is written to tell a story. This story later evolved into the «tiny story» as well, something Joseph Gordon Levitt’s coined on his website hitRECord.org, where he compiles books of tiny stories. As you might have guessed, these stories are also very popular on tumblr due to their conciseness. But what you might not have guessed is that I am a published tiny story writer.
Yes. That’s right. My one and only publication as a writer (thus far!) is that one of my own tiny — somewhat pretentious — stories is featured in Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Tiny Stories Vol. 3. If you’re looking for it, you can find my story on page 48, though I did not draw the accompanying illustration. It certainly is nothing to boast about, though I cannot deny the angsty tumblr girl of my teenage years did not jump with excitement upon finding my story in a real book.
However, the thing is, despite all of my self-mockery earlier in this article, these tiny stories are actually quite delightful because they manage to tell beautiful stories in just a few words. This in turn teaches many young writers — like my teenage self — how to tell a story in a quick way without subjecting them to years of failed draft torture.
It should not surprise you that the most famous six word story is attributed to Hemingway himself, though history suggests that these stories existed long before he did. However, reality aside, who better to teach us the craft of simplicity than the guru himself? After all, even if he didn’t originate the type of story, he certainly embodies it with his reverence for concise, clean sentences.
For those who are unfamiliar, here is his famous six word story:
«For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.»
Maybe if you read this six word story really fast, you’ll miss how poignant it is. I encourage you to read it again — slowly — be it out loud or in your head, so you can fully absorb the story. Truthfully, to me this is one of the saddest stories I’ve ever heard — and it’s only six words long! And since it’s so short, we can look at it closer without committing too much time like we would for a novel.
A Tiny Analysis
The first two words of this six word story set you up to think it’s just another item for sale. Think of how you react when you read a sign that starts with «for sale.» Maybe you become curious, or maybe you shy away because you don’t like being sold something. Or maybe you’re so used to signs selling things that you don’t even bat an eye. No matter how you react, it’s likely a very different reaction than how you’ll feel by the end of this very brief story.
Next there are the middle two words which catch you off guard. Baby shoes aren’t usually the top thing we’d think of when we hear someone is trying to sell something. Regular shoes, maybe, but baby shoes? Well that almost seems funny, doesn’t it? And if the story ended here, there would be no story, just an advertisement selling shoes, likely for future mothers to buy.
But then we get to those last two words and suddenly we feel nothing short of sadness. All the words before it have a new meaning, perhaps bringing to mind images of a sullen family weeping over an empty space in their home. It’s so depressing, and yet you managed to feel that way just in six words. And that’s pretty amazing.
A Tiny Structure
You’ll notice that much like epics scaling 1,000 pages, this story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It is just as much a story as Moby Dick is in that way, and therefore should be taken equally as seriously. That does not mean we therefore disregard all the work and the magnitude of Moby Dick, but instead appreciate why both stories are stories at all.
To get a better feel fort the tiny story structure, here is another six word story I love:
«Mom taught me how to shave.»
Much like Hemingway’s, this six word story hits you in its final two words, though it is a bit more ambiguous because it is from a first person perspective. I tend to read it from a boy’s perspective because it tells more of a story in that way than if it were by a girl, in which it would feel more like a statement to me, though just like any story, it’s up to the reader’s interpretation.
But that’s what’s great about six word stories. They teach us writers to think more deeply about what our syntax actually does and to play with it like poets do. We stop thinking just about the words said, but also those that are left unsaid. After all, with only six words or a sentence or two, there is a lot being left out.
Look at this famous horror story by Frederic Brown. You’ll notice it’s longer than the six words we’ve been working with, making it more of a tiny story.
«The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door.»
This story is more of a cliff-hanger, like all good horror stories in my opinion, but this time the beginning, middle and end are divided by the sentences. The beginning and middle fill the first sentence and then the period afterwards is a sort of «climax» if you will, followed by the ending which still to this day causes me to shiver in fear. In fact, I have seen horror films filled with far more words than these two sentences that struck far less fear in me, a testament to how powerful just a few words can be.
How to Use the Six Word Story
The real trick with tiny stories or six word stories is the beginning, middle and end like I’ve mentioned. Like any real story out there, tiny stories include them too, but a micro version of them. As a result, you can crank out a ton of stories without putting in the effort of writing a full novel and see how you like the arcs of each story. They’ll teach you how to feel out the key parts of your story as well and also help you understand if your own story is a story at all or just a statement because it’s missing a piece.
As for how to go about it, there is no right or wrong way to use the six word story — just give it a shot! You can use it to hone in on your prose and make it more purposeful, or to look at the broad scope of storytelling without diving into the project. Or, you can switch it up and find a tiny story you love and write a lengthier version out for writing practice! The sky’s the limit with tiny stories, and that’s just what makes them so great.
Furthermore, these tiny stories help young storytellers become okay with the notion of giving away their best ideas, something not many of us are comfortable with. The reality with most tiny and six word stories is that the authors rarely receive credit. My own tiny story is a great example as the editors of the book mistyped my username, discrediting my work to some extent.
But that’s okay, because no idea is really original and given that your sentence is so short, it’s likely it’s already been said! As a storyteller, it’s nearly impossible to have a completely original idea. Instead, it’s what you do with that idea that makes you unique, and the more comfortable you are with that idea the more inclined you’ll feel to share ideas with other people, something I think all artists should be comfortable doing.
After all, you can’t sell these six words for much, if anything at all, nor can you really put one story all by its lonesome in a portfolio. Instead, use these stories more as a form of practice for you to be selective with your words, blending poetry with prose in a simple, brief exercise. Though who knows? Maybe you’ll write a six word story so great it’ll be featured in a collection of tiny stories like Not Quite What I Was Planning or a future Tiny Stories compilation by hitRECord!
Do you have your own six word stories or tiny stories to tell? Comment below!
Last Update: Jan 03, 2023
This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!
Asked by: Ms. Reyna Conroy
Score: 4.4/5
(12 votes)
A six-word story is an entire story told in six words. … While these quick stories don’t have the classic beginning, middle, and end of a traditional storyline, they have a subject and verb that give the reader a sense of what’s happened and a bit of conflict.
Can a writer express a story in six words?
According to Hemingway, that is perfectly possible in no more than six words. … The inception of the ‘six-word-story’ legend has been debated profusely for years, but frankly, it doesn’t matter. According to lore, it finds indeed its origins with the famous writer Ernest Hemingway.
What is a 6 word story called?
A six-word story regarding a pair of baby shoes is considered an extreme example of flash fiction.
What is a six word story challenge?
According to legend, Ernest Hemingway once accepted a challenge to tell a story using just six words. He wrote: «For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.» For the next GurneyJourney challenge, I invite you to invent a six word story and combine it with a drawing or painting.
What is the purpose of 6 word story?
A Six-Word Story should provide a movement of conflict, action, and resolution that gives the sense of a complete story transpiring in a moment’s reading.
29 related questions found
How long is a 6 word story?
What Is a Six-Word Story? A six-word story is an entire story told in six words. It is a short narrative that can have all of the emotional themes of longer stories—from funny to dramatic, sad to scary.
Can you tell your life story in exactly six words?
Once asked to write a full story in six words, legend has it that novelist Ernest Hemingway responded: «For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.» In this spirit, Smith Magazine invited writers «famous and obscure» to distill their own life stories into exactly six words.
What is a 6 word essay?
It’s a unique genre of writing that focuses on sharing a meaningful story or idea in just six words. … Six-word essays recently came to my attention and I thought it would a great way to celebrate the environment. Today at EPA, we are launching the Six Words for the Planet project in partnership with SMITH Magazine.
What is your six-word memoir?
What is the six-word memoir, exactly? It’s a story told in only six words, of course! This activity requires writers to boil a story down to its core, then summarize it in half a dozen words. Most writers home in on a deep topic or pivotal experience, but existential themes aren’t a requirement.
What is a 3 word story?
Three Word Story is a popular internet forum game that served as the basis for the creation of the 3WSR Story Universe. In Three Word story, multiple people tell a story. The catch is, they can only tell it three words at a time per turn.
What is the longest story ever written?
A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust contains an estimated 9,609,000 characters (each letter counts as one character. Spaces are also counted, as one character each).
What is the shortest novel ever written?
The Dinosaur by Augusto Monterroso
Google The Dinosaur and you’ll be informed that no less an authority than novelist and literary critic Umberto Eco crowned it the world’s shortest novel.
What is short word story?
: an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot. Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About short story.
How do you tell a story in a few words?
5 Steps To Tell Your Story In A Few Words
- Simplify What You Do. Your business probably does a ton of different things. …
- Make It Revolve Around Your Audience (Not You) Our business makes explainer videos. …
- Get To The Why. …
- Simplify It Some More. …
- Make It Action Oriented.
What are the three characteristics of flash fiction?
3 Characteristics of Flash Fiction
- Brevity. Flash fiction compresses an entire story into the space of a few paragraphs. …
- A complete plot. A flash fiction story is indeed a story, with a beginning, middle, and end. …
- Surprise.
How do I add a story to word?
Putting it into words
- TIP #1: SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE. …
- TIP #2: ESTABLISH A CLEAR STRUCTURE. …
- TIP #3: THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM (OR READER’S ATTENTION IN THIS CASE…) …
- TIP #4: RE-HOOK THE READER WITH KEY SNIPPETS. …
- TIP #5: KEEP THE NARRATIVE FOCUSED. …
- TIP #6: BE FLEXIBLE TO CHANGE.
What is an example of memoir?
Common Examples of Memoir
Here are some of the most famous memoir examples that have become part of cultural consciousness: Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Elie Wiesel’s Night. Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love.
How do you start a memoir?
10 Tips for Starting a Memoir
- Engage the reader from the first word. A great memoir draws the reader in from the start. …
- Build trust with the reader. …
- Bring emotions out of the reader. …
- Lead with a laugh. …
- Think like a fiction writer. …
- Keep it relevant. …
- Write for the reader as well as yourself. …
- Be honest.
How do I write a short story?
The Top 10 Tips For Writing Great Short Stories
- Understand that a short story is not the same as a novel. …
- Start as close to the end as possible. …
- Keep up the pace. …
- Keep the number of characters small. …
- Give the reader someone to root for. …
- Create conflict! …
- Suggest a backstory but don’t elaborate. …
- Appeal to the five senses.
What are the example of six word flash fiction?
Enter: the six-word story, an extreme offshoot of flash fiction, which does exactly what it says on the tin. The most famous example is probably: «For sale: baby shoes, never worn,» which is often attributed (many believe wrongly) to Ernest Hemingway.
How do you write a memoir book?
How to write a memoir
- Narrow your focus. …
- Include more than just your story. …
- Tell the truth. …
- Put your readers in your shoes. …
- Employ elements of fiction to bring your story to life. …
- Create an emotional journey. …
- Showcase your personal growth.
What are the important guidelines to consider in selecting a topic for memoir writing?
Memoir Topics
- Your favorite place.
- Your best or worst day(s)
- Your most memorable teacher(s)
- Your most prized possession.
- Someone you will always remember.
- Something about your life or yourself you wish you could change.
- Your proudest moment.
- Winter/summer/fall.
What is a six-word sentence?
For those of you who might have missed out, the six-word story is exactly what it sounds like: a six-word sentence that is written to tell a story. This story later evolved into the «tiny story» as well, something Joseph Gordon Levitt’s coined on his website hitRECord.org, where he compiles books of tiny stories.
How to Write a Six-Word Story
- Have a basic story structure. This short story format should contain conflict—or rather, a teaser of a conflict conveyed with vivid words.
- Have a small narrative arc.
- Entice the reader to fill in the blanks.
- Choose your words carefully.
- Write your own story.
- Submit your story.
What is your six-word life story?
Once asked to write a full story in six words, legend has it that novelist Ernest Hemingway responded: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” In this spirit, Smith Magazine invited writers “famous and obscure” to distill their own life stories into exactly six words.
What is a six-word essay?
Have you heard of six-word essays or flash fiction? It’s a unique genre of writing that focuses on sharing a meaningful story or idea in just six words. The idea of very short stories began before the digital age, but has begun to thrive recently as people share their stories via social networks.
How would you describe yourself in 6 words?
Good Words to Describe Yourself (Plus Examples)
- Diligent / Loyal / Reliable. I am always the first person that my friends call because they know I am always there for them.
- Creative / Innovative / Visionary.
- Motivated / Ambitious / Leader.
- Honest / Ethical / Conscientious.
- Friendly / Personable / Extrovert.
What is love in single word?
It is time to change the meaning of the word “love.” The word is mostly used according to the first definition given in the dictionary: “an intense feeling of deep affection.” In other words, love is what one feels.
What is a fancy word for life?
What is another word for life?
| existence | survival |
|---|---|
| being | consciousness |
| sentience | continuance |
| essence | aliveness |
| animateness | animation |
What rhymes with life and wife?
| Word | Rhyme rating | Meter |
|---|---|---|
| life | 100 | [/] |
| knife | 100 | [/] |
| strife | 100 | [/] |
| rife | 100 | [/] |
What word rhymes with blessing?
| Word | Rhyme rating | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| guessing | 100 | Noun |
| confessing | 100 | Verb |
| caressing | 100 | Noun, Adjective |
| messing | 100 | Verb, Noun |
What’s another word for blessing?
Blessing Synonyms – WordHippo Thesaurus….What is another word for blessing?
| benefit | boon |
|---|---|
| godsend | windfall |
| gain | gift |
How do you describe a blessing?
Here are some adjectives for blessings: down plentiful, noblest temporal, many and impartial, wordy and incoherent, unenigmatical, miraculous temporal, mystical and great, incalculable and imperishable, whole-heartedly divine, merciful unbounded, sure divine, fervently unprecedented, continually abundant, spiritual and …
Is blessing a religious word?
A blessing is a prayer asking for God’s protection, or a little gift from the heavens. Outside a religious context, blessings are less formal. “I give you my blessing” simply means “It’s OK with me.” People give their blessings to ideas and actions when they agree with them.
Why religion is a blessing?
Religions have been a blessing to mankind in myriad ways. Religions have created standards of behavior and morality, the foundation for an orderly society. Religion provides social contact and gives meaning to life. It also promotes empathy for the less fortunate, encouraging acts of kindness and support.
How do you respond to being blessed?
In this case you would reply, “Thank you.” If someone says “God bless you” as a greeting, you can say many things, such as “thank you,” “and you,” or even just smile.
How do you say I’m blessed with a boy?
We have been blessed with a son/daughter to love. At one glance we loved you with a thousand hearts. You are the perfect finishing touch to our family! We have been blessed with a child to love…
Is blessed with a baby boy?
Depending on who says the sentence, it would be better to write “You have been blessed with a baby boy” (said when the speaker is the person doing the blessing) or “You have blessed me/us/him/her/them with a baby boy.” (said when the speaker isn’t the blesser, making sure to select the best pronoun for the situation).
How do you wish a blessing to a baby boy?
What to Write in a New Baby Card: Best Messages
- Welcoming your new baby with wishes of health, happiness and plenty of sleep.
- Wishing you many congratulations on your new bundle of joy.
- Congratulations on your beautiful new baby!
- Congratulations on your new arrival.
- Really happy for you both.
How do you wish a newborn baby?
Examples
- “So happy for you two!
- “Ahhh!
- “You two deserve every bit of happiness this baby is going to bring you.”
- “So many happy and wonder-filled times ahead for you…congratulations.”
- “Warmest congratulations on the birth of your sweet baby girl!”
- “Love just got real.
- “Welcome to the world, little one!
What to say to expecting parents?
Baby Shower Congratulations Messages
- So many happy and wonder-filled times ahead for you… congratulations!
- Hip, hip, hurrah! You two are going to make such amazing parents.
- Ahhh!
- Here’s to smiles, laughter, patience, and joy.
- Congratulations!
- Congratulations on making a miracle!
- Congrats and hats off to you two.
How do you wish a newborn baby in Islam?
Islamic Wishes For New Born Baby SMS
- “O Allah, make him (a baby) a good, cautious and intelligent person.
- “May Allah bless this child for you and make him a good man of the righteous”. (
- “May Allah make it good for you and for the people of Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam” (At-Thabrani)
What do you say to someone going into labor?
10 Things to Say During Labor
- Hang in There! This phrase provides a note of support without a lot of pressure.
- You’re Doing a Great Job. She may not believe you, even if it’s true.
- I Love You.
- Think of the Baby.
- You’re Going to Be a Great Mother.
- Awesome!
- Keep Going.
- Just a Bit More.
I’m fascinated by six-word stories. Telling an entire tale in so few words… it’s magical what we can do with language. They’re fun to write and satisfying to read. So I decided to explore these mini marvels in more detail, and see if I could pick up some tips along the way.
Six-word stories at their best
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
– Ernest Hemingway
The above is possibly the most famous example of a six-word story. Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway wrote this story in response to a bet (although it appears the bet was a work of fiction itself, by Hemingway’s agent). To me, this example shows the six-word story form at its best. So, what does it take to create a tiny tale like this?
Conflict, action and resolution…
Narrative Magazine tells us that six-word stories should provide: ‘a movement of conflict, action, and resolution that gives the sense of a complete story transpiring in a moment’s reading’. This makes sense. Just as with a longer story, there needs to be tension; there needs to be a beginning, middle and end. In the six-word story’s case, of course, they won’t all be made explicit.
So to kick-start my own story, I put the word count to one side temporarily and thought about storylines that intrigued me. I needed to capture that sense of movement in my mind, from tension to resolution. For these early drafts, it didn’t matter how many words I used.
At the time, I was travelling home from London on a train. I gazed out of the window. A busy high street dominated by a local pub, cars waiting at traffic lights, a cemetery… my mind began conjuring up scenarios. I chose three and mapped out their conflict, action and resolution in my notebook. It was a start.
…In a moment’s reading
I had some story ideas. Now I needed to condense my tales down to ‘a moment’s reading’.
Hemingway’s story starts with the phrase ‘for sale’ – an advert, immediately recognisable, and bringing with it plenty of associations. Adverts are public, they require effort. They can be very final, once the transaction is complete. So there’s plenty of food for thought in just those two words. In turn, using the symbol of ‘baby shoes’ is highly evocative. Tiny toes, tiny feet, all those steps ahead of them… Hemingway could have used many other phrases here (‘baby clothes’, for example), but how many would have been so clear, so easy to visualise, and so laden with meaning?
Using these symbols allowed Hemingway to say a huge amount in a very short space of time. Well-known symbols and sayings used by other authors in their six-word stories include:
- A DNA test (Helen Fielding) – a concept which is loaded with potential angst
- A shadow (Jim Crace) – an ominous symbol of fear and danger
- The phrase ‘mind the gap’ (Hilary Mantel) – a familiar warning with serious consequences
What symbols or sayings could I use for my own stories in order to convey big concepts in just one or two words? I jotted down ideas. Then I reduced my various storylines to just a handful of strong words and phrases.
Now, there was one final ingredient to weave in.
The punchline
As I was digging for info on six-word stories, an article in the Denver Post caught my eye. It includes an interview with author and professor Jeff Lockwood. He says that good six-word stories have “something in common with a joke. There’s a moment of, ‘Ah ha, I get it.’”
Lockwood is talking about the punchline. The twist. The ‘big reveal’ at the end. Hemingway’s story does this beautifully with the line ‘never worn’. As we realise the implication of these words, that’s when everything comes together.
I looked back over some of my favourite six-word stories by other writers to see how they deal with this big reveal. Some of them mirror Hemingway’s format of three parts, with the first two providing context and the third offering the twist. Others do a similar thing in two parts, and yet others in six – each individual word standing alone (whether separated by full stops, commas or other punctuation marks).
Returning to my notebook, I asked myself: What’s the most poignant part of my story? What’s going to make the reader go ‘Ah ha!’? Whatever it was, it needed to go in that final section.
The end result
So here they are, the two six-word stories that came out of my train journey home:
One drink. She never drove again.
Here lies John’s only friend: Woof.
Have you written a six-word story of your own? Do share it in the comments below, or get in touch via social media. I’d love to read your stories.
Originally written by Nicola Auckland, and reproduced with kind permission:
Anyone who follows my blog will know that I publish a weekly ‘just for fun’ Six Word Story Challenge. For some, this type of micro fiction is a familiar concept even if their stories had never been released into the world. For others, the discovery of my challenge is a new and exciting way to practice the art of condensing a plot and theme to just six words.
‘Just six words? Is that even possible?’ is a question I get asked quite often and my answer is always a resounding ‘yes!’. I also get a number of detractors who will argue that six words is not a story at all, it is a sentence, a construct, an idea. If you are one of them, let me see if I can convince you otherwise.
The perfect start to any story of evolution is generally the beginning, in this case, the origin of the six word story. It’s a tale oft recounted that the originator of the six word story medium was Ernest Hemingway. He is said to have offered his table of writerly compatriots a wager of ten dollars each that he could write a fully crafted story in just six words. They readily accepted his bet so with the pot having been thus assembled, Hemingway wrote the now famous six word story on his napkin:
For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.
The story goes that his companions could not deny he had written a fully formed story and Hemingway collected his winnings. Now, there is some debate as to whether this is any more than urban legend since there are several sources of similarly themed tales, albeit of more than Hemingway’s six words, but whether substantiated or not, it’s still a good yarn.
Other famous authors and novelists have turned to six word stories over their careers, here’s a selection:
Mind what gap … … …? Hillary Mantel
Megan’s baby: John’s surname, Jim’s eyes. Simon Armitage
Served the pie, watched him die. Maggie O’Farrell
The pillow smelled like my brother. Patrick Neate
Funeral followed honeymoon. He was 90. Graham Swift
So what makes a good six word story? I have given this much thought and I shall let you into the secret of what Ithink goes into creating the stories that really reach inside your head, grab your imagination by the scruff of the neck and lead it to the promised land.
- Be concise. Be precise.
Be concise – Every word counts when you’ve only got six words to get your plot, theme, conflict and characters across! Don’t use three words where one will do the job. There’s no room for verbosity, connectives or adverbs in these stories. Write a longer story, choose the best six words and put them in the best order.
Be precise– writing micro fiction is great for writers who need to practice selecting words to pack a punch. Just like in your longer prose, don’t use ‘tree’, use Oak, Cedar or Pine. Use words that promote your theme, onomatopoeia is your friend, as are contractions, homophones, double entendres and any manner of linguistic magic tricks you can lay your hands on. Your job is to create a picture in your reader’s mind, choose your words wisely.
- Promote Participation
For me, this is the most important aspect of a successful six word story. The best examples give the reader enough information to spark their own imagination into filling in the gaps themselves. In Hemingway’s story, we read, we gasp, we instantly conclude a baby was lost and the heartbroken parents are selling reminders of the child they’ll never see grow up. We imagine we see their demeanour, the sorrowful looks passing between them and the pain as they pass the items onto new owners looking forward to their new arrivals. We’ve written the rest of the story based on real life experiences and our own memories of books we’ve read, films we’ve watched and people we’ve known.
Read through the below examples of other heartbreaking six word stories and see if you don’t do the same with each one:
- Goodbye Mission Control. Thanks for trying.
- The smallest coffins are the heaviest.
- Introduced myself to mother again today.
- He hit send, then a tree.
- I once called him my brother.
- Include theme and genre
This one may sound impossible when you only have six words but you’ll be surprised at just how easy it is when you choose the right word combination or even make references to well known stories or characters.
These are some examples of entries to my challenge, see if you can see tell what genre they belong to and what the theme of the story is:
- Today would have been his birthday
- Blood splattered shoes in neighbours bin.
- Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary
- Movement. Conflict. Resolution
This is the hardest to achieve. Your job is to tell the reader what the conflict in the story is, move it along (either explicitly or by suggestion) and provide an ending. Tough isn’t it? What you want to avoid is writing six words that just make a statement, as Truman Capote once said about the work of fellow author Jack Kerouac, ‘That’s not writing, that’s typing.‘
Here’s a couple of examples:
- His obsession. Her mistake. Their funeral.
- An only son. A folded flag.
I often get asked for examples of bad stories. I would never label any story as bad, only as not meeting the above stipulations. I’ve crafted a few below to demonstrate what I mean, they don’t quite hit the mark and I’ve given you my opinion as to why:
- When your child takes first steps.
This is not a story, it’s a statement, a memory, an opinion. It has no conflict, no movement and all it does is make me think of a baby walking and falling.
- She looked at him and smiled.
This is a point in time observation. I don’t know what the story is about (other than someone smiling about something). It’s just a sentence from a longer piece. My mind constructs nothing in response.
- The grass needs mowing again today.
Whilst this could be used as a story to demonstration monotony, I don’t feel any connection to it as a reader. I see no storyline emerging, I only see a person looking at their grass. It feels like there’s more there, I just don’t know what it is, the author isn’t leading me anywhere.
So there you have it, my thoughts on what makes a good six word story and I hope you will craft stunning micro fiction in response.
Happy writing!