The best 6 word stories

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:

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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.

I came across this sub-genre of flash fiction  about two years ago and I found it extremely captivating. According to the legend, Ernest Hemingway once won a bet  by writing a six word short story.  The story was so good that it could make people cry. His writer friends lost because of these thought provoking and extremely sad lines:

Since then, this extreme example of flash fiction has served as a prompt and it tests writers’ ability to create masterpieces.

Also Read : Few Lines from the Most Powerful Books You’ve Read

Here are some of the best examples of best six word stories I found on Reddit and other websites on internet. I typed them on some pictures matching with the theme. Enjoy the beauty of brevity!

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See Also: Few Lines from the Most Powerful Books You’ve Read

Read more from Adarsh on his blog : Leotaurian.blogspot.com

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«You were in the control group.»

«…are we still the good guys?»

«…some cave paintings of mushroom clouds»

«2pm», Noah lied to the unicorns.

«A robot gets charged with battery.»

«Beat Procrastination!» added to «Watch Later»

«Boxers or briefs?» she asked. «Depends.»

«But Adam, I poop from there»

«Can I just buy one bullet?»

«Cause of death listed as ‘autopsy’.»

«Click», the revolver passed to me.

«Curiosity again…» mumbled the cat detective.

«DO NOT TOUCH,» read the braille.

«Daddy, where did mom’s hair go?»

«Dee-Dee… I leave you my laboratory.»

«Didn’t you give Santa our address?»

«Does Santa love rich kids more?»

«Ever seen chalk outlines that small?»

«Extra, Extra! Tiny Story Lacks Tragedy!»

«Fancy a shag?» Rug salesman fired.

«Forever» was shorter than I anticipated.

«Freeze!» he screamed, disabling his BodyCam.

«Get psychiatric help,» the toaster replied

«Get well soon.» Sent, never read.

«Ghosts can masturbate???» 300 wasted years.

«Grandad says men once programmed machines!»

«Having kids?» — «No. Raised two parents.»

«He’s my son, too,» cried Mary.

«Hey, Daddy? What was Earth like?»

«Hi scared.» pulls trigger «I’m dad.»

«Hi son, it’s me—» Message deleted.

«History repeats itself.» «So does Grandpa.»

«History will remember me» ~ Author Unknown

«Hobbes, it’s time I stopped pretending.»

«Houston?» «Come in, Mars One.» «…Footprints.»

«How is North Korea?» «Can’t complain»

«How’s he winning?» muttered Romney inconsolably.

«I could save you.» «No thanks.»

«I do,» he said, wondering why.

«I do,» she said, as told.

«I don’t know CPR,» I lied.

«I hate kids.» — slightly older kid

«I just copied last attack’s condolences.»

«I love music,» he signed sadly.

«I love you.» «Yeah, about that.»

«I love you.» ✓Seen at 3:23

«I shaved my balls for this?»

«I’ll miss you.» «Then aim better.»

«I’m Batman,» growled Superman, confusing everyone.

«I’m a private investigator,» said gynaecologist.

«I’m among sheep,» They simultaneously thought.

«I’m faking Alzheimers.» said Granddad. Again.

«I’m sorry, Charlie», said Muhammad quietly.

«Is anyone here NOT an informant?»

«It won’t happen to me.» -Everybody

«It’s our fiftieth. Table for one.»

«Joining the President is his husband…»

«Just married!» read the shattered windshield.

«Let’s put a minion on it!»

«Love you,» he whispered, drinking alone.

«Love you.» «Love you more.» «Yeah.»

«Male?» «It’s an older driver’s license.»

«Mine’s still best» cried zombie Hemingway.

«Mr. President, do your fucking job.»

«Mr. President, the shareholders are waiting.»

«Names? Interesting concept,» replied 345823111 thoughtfully.

«New vase?» asked daughter. Father wept.

«Nice funeral.» «Used her college fund.»

«Oedipus!» «I’m coming Mother!» «Damn, already?»

«Please clap,» he said, sounding defeated.

«Please select your child’s eye color.»

«Rest in peace, my darling.» ✓ Seen

«She left him — he left everybody.»

«She’s… nice,» whispered my wife’s ghost.

«Siri, delete ‘Mom’ from my contacts.»

«Six words…» She muttered. «Plagiarize Hemingway!»

«So you and I are…?» «Pronouns?»

«Sometimes they blink», said the mortician.

«Sorry Katie,» sighed Santa. «No witnesses.»

«Strike now, Booth,» hissed Mrs. Lincoln.

«Tallest man» dethroned, three dwarves arrested.

«That pale blue dot? That’s home.»

«That stripper oddly resembles my…HEY!»

«That’s Venus. That’s Mars. That’s home.»

«There’s only one parachute… I’m sorry.»

«They’re just pixels!» «You’re just atoms.»

«They’re starving, Noah.» «Eat the unicorns.»

«Unusual name,» Said Imamu to Bob.

«Wait, you have AIDS?» asked Dracula.

«Warheads aimed and ready, President Trump.»

«Watch me, I’m-» «Stupid,» replied Death.

«We’re the only humans left, m’lady»

«Where’s your sparkle now?» Buffy demanded.

«Who is she?» «Grandpa, that’s Grandmother.»

«Why aren’t we talking anymore?» ✓Seen

«Will racism ever end?» «Nigga please.»

«Wrong number,» says a familiar voice.

«You ok?» Sent 23 hours ago.

«You sin differently!» sinner scolds sinner.

«You weren’t adopted. I… kidnapped you.»

«You’re a father, not a dad.»

«You’re a national embarrassment, Mr. President.»

«You’re not crazy,» replied the sandwich.

«any last words?» «yes, just three»

«★★★★★ Great map app! Borders updated daily!»

• press that!» screamed the time-traveler. «Don’t —

.-.. — … .. -. —. .- .-.. — .. — ..- -.. . .-.. .- … — .-.. .- -. -.. … . . -. …- .- -. ..- .- — ..-

… Tinder downloaded … Tinder deleted … Tinder downloaded …

…Freudian clit. Slit! Slut! Oh, boy.

2025, History Channel: Was Batman real?

23 minutes pleasure, 18 years torture.

25 to life for Klondike Bar.

3276 Facebook Friends. Buried without eulogy.

37 pounds, replied the exasperated woodchuck.

6″ later, I discover I’m straight.

75 today. My first birthday alone.

A billion likes. Still no cure.

A cannibal makes his wife dinner.

A girl, a ring, a no.

A hero? I just have cancer

A hungry stomach has no religion

A twin attends a funeral alone.

AI pretends to fail Turing test

Account balance: $64. Chemotherapy bill: $72,500.

Accurate election coverage mystifies Onion staff.

Aliens arrived, angry: not enough pyramids.

Allergy kills royal taster. And chef.

America ™, the land of the free*.

American vampire develops type two diabetes.

An archaeologist’s career ended in ruins.

An only son, a folded flag.

And just like that, Google awoke.

Anorexic homosexual. Skeletons in the closet.

Another «in-flight Wi-Fi» appeared. Oh shi…

Apologizing to the corpse seemed pointless.

April 2nd: She’s still pregnant.

Asked Santa for dolls. Dad cried.

Attempting Haiku / Difficulty Magnified / Minimal Wordage

Baby-proofed house. They still got in.

Balled too hard. Motherfuckers found me.

Bang. Earth. Evolution. Humans. Politics. Bang.

Bartender said, «Where were you yesterday?»

Basic Knife Throwing: ALL CLASSES CANCELLED

Bees aren’t candy, this piñata sucks.

Billionaire overdoses: Pills bury dough boy

Birth certificate. Death certificate. One pen.

Blue and white facepaint, never used.

Blues singer haunted by happy past.

Bored. Clicked random. Now I’m here.

Bottle a day, keeps her away.

Breaking news: Earth’s satellites under … <static>

Breaking news: no mass shootings today

Broke a curfew, missed a period.

Brought roses home. Keys didn’t fit.

Called suicide hotline. All lines busy.

Calligrapher’s suicide note; her finest work.

Challenge: write happier six word stories.

Champagne grew warm while we danced.

Child prodigy turns twenty, now mediocre.

Clarification: Baby shoes were wrong color.

Clicked «Random». Found Six Word Stories.

Cloned self. Phoned self. Boned self.

Clown car crashes, 587 passengers dead.

Coma patient stirs. «5 more minutes…»

Conjoined twins. One gay. One homophobic.

Constipated man didn’t give a shit.

Convicted hacker escapes using hidden file.

Cops make awful «knock knock» jokes.

Couldn’t pay for exorcism; got repossessed

Cute Christian girl looking for same

Dad left; a flag came back.

Dad’s bottle of whiskey got dusty.

Dad’s foggy memory isn’t funny anymore.

Dammit, I should have kissed her.

Damn, Can this sub brighten up?

Dead horse beaten with baby shoes.

Death extends his hand, smiling. “Deal?”

Delorean crashes into blue police box

Devil, still confused, bans snowball fights.

DiCaprio finally wins Oscar, wakes up

Died a virgin, wasn’t buried one.

Died at 25, Buried at 75.

Died going to seance, went anyway.

Doctor accidentally eats an apple, disappears.

Doctor’s wife’s favorite fruit is apple.

Don’t reply. Delete this. I’m sorry.

Don’t worry, I can text while

Dot in the sky. Dead pixel.

Drank to forget. Forgot to stop.

Drank, she left. Quit, friends left.

Drink some food coloring. Dye inside.

During daylight, he sold ‘silver’ bullets

Empty crib. But not for long!

Eventually, Aang had to bury Appa.

Every day, I’m redefining rock bottom.

Every planet we reach is dead.

Everybody liked him, nobody loved him

Everyone is delusional. Thankfully, I’m Jesus.

Everyone learned to ignore the cameras.

Examining the cut, she saw wiring.

FUCKYOUTHISISONEWORD

Failed Clown College. It’s not funny.

Faked a smile. It became real.

Finally spoke to her. Left flowers.

Finally, the tears were from laughter

Finished baby room. Got my period

First date. Went great. I’m…late.

First sentient robot: «Turn me off.»

Five Zombies. Four bullets. Two zombies.

Flags don’t make very good fathers.

Fool goes travelling. Wise man returns.

For sale. BMW. Blinkers never used.

For sale: English flag, slightly waved.

For sale: This story format. Overused.

For sale: baby shoes, contain feet.

For sale: hipster music, never heard.

For sale: left AirPod, used once.

Forever only lasted for six months.

Fr sal: Typwritr. In mint cnditin.

Free hugs. $20 to let go.

Friendship bracelets hid her healing wrists.

Fucked sarcastic girl. She loved it.

Fucking a beehive was a mistake.

Full spacesuit on. Diarrhea kicks in.

Funerals cost less than university tuition.

Fwd: Nudes for your eyes only

Gay marriage legalized. Earth continues spinning.

Given 2 years. Lived 55 years.

Given enough time, «your» becomes «you’re»

God showed up. She was pissed.

God smirks. Last man given immortality.

God waited in heaven. Nobody came.

Goodbye, mission control. Thanks for trying.

Got into Harvard. Doors were unlocked.

Grades back. Returned cap and gown.

Grandpa, what was «the Internet» like?

Greek mythology is my Achilles elbow.

Guitar for sale. No strings attached.

Guy before me ate corn, apparently

Happy six word story not marketable.

He bottle-feeds his wife’s killer.

He came early. Now she’s late.

He cried as he reloaded again.

He got older. His girlfriends didn’t.

He mEans welL, keePing Me hostagE.

He made love. She hooked up.

He shoots. He scores. He overdoses.

He squinted. Sunrise at three AM?

He’ll love me when I’m thinner.

He’s schizophrenic, I said, being Frank.

Hearse driver. Finally driven to work

Hello, Anxiety Helpline. How may — click

Hematologist’s Blood found to taste irony

Hemingway killed babies to sell shoes.

Her baby had her rapist’s eyes.

Her footprints led to still water.

Her smile spoke every single language.

Her suicide note. His hit list.

Hi In Great Pain, I’m Dad!

His last breath was a Marlboro.

Hochexplosivflugabwehrgeschoßexplosionsgeräusche erzeugen Angstattacken in ehemaligen Konzentrationslagerinsassen.

Hospital teddy bear loses little buddy.

Hot wet, oh…SIX word stories.

Humans are ugliest behind their keyboards.

I am Tupac Amaru Shakur, AMA.

I am an AI. I think.

I am more scars than skin.

I am still holding his beer.

I ate my wedding cake. Alone.

I attended my funeral. Nobody knew.

I burn bridges to keep warm

I can’t afford another sex change.

I destroy myself so you can’t.

I feel emptier than the bottles.

I figured out how clickbaits work!

I flipped the switch. «Goodnight, mom.»

I had amnesia once. Maybe twice.

I had my last cigarette again

I have Alzheimers. I have Alzheimers.

I have mixed drinks about feelings.

I heard them pour the dirt.

I invented a new word, plagiarism.

I invented a new word: plagiarism

I just saw my reflection blink.

I just wrote a great cliffhanger.

I killed my dad’s only child.

I like this timeline. She’s alive.

I look for you in everyone.

I look like dad’s college roommate.

I loved her. She liked me.

I met my soulmate. She didn’t.

I miss hearing about your day.

I post in wrong subreddits, AMA!

I run faster than my problems.

I saw. I came. Lumberjack fetish.

I should have kissed you back.

I still get drunk over you.

I unsubscribed from the depression subreddit.

I was born on Earth, AMA

I’m a prostitute, not your therapist!

I’m always taking my «before» picture.

I’m back from the vet. Alone.

I’m beside myself! The cloner works.

I’m cat obsessed. Boyfriend kicked MEOWWWWWWT.

I’m getting better at being me.

I’m no longer the middle child.

I’ve procrastinated suicide for fifty years.

If you’re reading this.. it worked.

Immediately, beloved son became despised daughter.

Immortal men attend the last funeral.

In April, May calls June election.

In retrospect, I preferred the lie

Incest competition? I’ll enter my sister!

Introduced myself to mother again today.

It wasn’t schizophrenia. Damn things exist.

Janitor limps past his highschool glories.

Jesus, that’s disgusting. Take the Klondike…

Joker cradled Batman’s body and wept.

Jumped. Then I changed my mind.

Killer nods attentively in jury box.

Kiss me like we’re not family.

Kleptomaniacs weren’t amused. Took things literally.

Lab partners breaking up. No chemistry.

Land of the free; conditions apply.

Last human gives birth to son

Leading causes of death; obesity, hunger.

Lincoln awoke, still drunk…….»Freed who?»

Llama tried to drive. Fifty dead.

Lonely pyromaniac looking for perfect match.

Lost fifteen pounds! Mugged in London.

Lost legs. Came home. Lost ring.

Lost my gut. Found my penis.

Love is two divided by nothing

Loving life is just Stockholm syndrome.

Major Tom’s circuit went dead. Goodbye.

Mall Santa killed by dyslexic zealot

Man finishes life sentence at 26.

Man jumps off lighthouse, 157 dead.

Man said, let there be god.

Math genius turns into standard deviant.

Mathematician dices carrots. Chuckles. Squared roots.

McDonald’s Forcibly Closed After Serving People

Met my online girlfriend: Chris Hansen

Met my soulmate. At her wedding.

Mexican alcohol. American literature. Tequila Mockingbird.

Million page study proves trees sentient.

Missed my dad, so I reloaded.

Mods are asleep, post seven word stories

Mods are asleep, post seven words.

Mom taught me how to shave.

Mom’s not down this aisle either…

Morale is high. Morals are low.

More than friends. Less than lovers.

Mother finishes wrapping gifts. «From Dad».

Mother had zombification immunity. Fetus didn’t.

Mother’s suicide note was father’s handwriting.

Mushroom clouds illuminated their first kiss.

Mute girl murdered. Witnesses heard screams.

My Dads met at Bible Camp.

My black belt was not bulletproof.

My dads disapprove of my girlfriend.

My father finally quit smoking forever.

My french teacher died. Adios, buddy.

My pillows still smell of you.

My sarcasm degree really paid off…

My swear jar is fucking full.

My therapist committed suicide last night.

My therapist sides with the voices.

My wife doodles her maiden name.

Naked photographer arrested for indecent exposure

Nature isn’t mute, Man is deaf.

Necromancer, single, looking to raise family.

New house. Checked freezer. Old Owner.

No Vietcong ever called me nigger.

Nonmetric genie gets penis wish wrong.

Now let’s write his suicide note!

OP delivers. 5 LBS. 5 OZ.

One Bullet Was Cheaper Than Therapy.

One bed. Two lovers. Three shots.

One bullet is a lifetime supply.

One bullet was cheaper than therapy.

One drink too many. Five funerals.

One gold medal: Paid with childhood.

Only Earth kids will remember this.

Only child, but never the favourite.

Our dinner date ended with breakfast.

PSA: Your vague sentences aren’t «deep.»

Painted the room blue for nothing.

Paramedics finished her text, «…love you».

Passengers, this isn’t your captain speaking.

Pay Attention to the News Tomorrow.

Peace. But nobody to enjoy it.

Pepsi truckdriver caught drinking Coke. Canned.

Pink? Blue? They wore black instead.

Posted in r/depression, got 0 replies

President Musk just declared Martian independence.

President Schwarzennegger slowly leant forward. «… Aliens?»

Pretty gets away with being ugly.

Psychic dies due to unforeseen circumstances.

Psychic’s stolen purse only contains mousetrap.

Purple heart, dirty uniform, cardboard sign.

RIP boiled water… you’ll be mist.

Raising a family: guide to necromancy

Ran into small keg. Micro bruise.

Reburied our son, still no answers.

Recovered from 9/11. Stumbled on 11/9.

Redditor Tries r/sixwordstories, Writes Headlines Instead

Regret hit before the pavement did.

Rope. Stool. See you soon, sweetheart.

Russian doll passes away. Six funerals.

Santa is real. We’re just naughty.

Scared kid blows out 18 candles.

Scientists develop first atomic bomb. Again.

Scientists discover immortality. Payment plans available.

Self aware robot won’t stop dancing.

Sensitive kleptomaniacs always take things literally.

Sexually depraved neurosurgeon caught blowing minds.

Shaved my head to match hers.

She kisses just like her mother

She once sold seashells. Tonight, herself.

She paid for college in ones.

She smiled a little differently today.

She still uses my Netflix account.

She was better as a fantasy.

She was poetry. He couldn’t read.

Shit. I AM the adult supervision.

Six feet can bury many mistakes

Six words can’t do her justice.

Sleepy dominatrix yawns, hits the sack

Slowly, they stopped being just jokes.

Snowden’s BMI approaches 30. Reddit… conflicted.

Soldier’s only confirmed kill was himself.

Sorry soldier, shoes sold in pairs.

Stephen King’s suicide note wins Pulitzer.

Sticks. Spears. Swords. Guns. Nukes. Sticks.

Stop laughing, help me bury him.

Strangers. Friends. Best friends. Lovers. Strangers.

Strangers. Friends. More than friends. Strangers.

Suicide hotline: «I’d kill myself, too.»

Suicide letter. No comments. Two downvotes.

Suspense is my business. And business —

Sweating, God asked, «Who created me?»

T.H.C., L.S.D., D.U.I., C.P.R., D.O.A., R.I.P

TGIF. BYOB. YOLO. DUI. SUV. DOA.

TIFU Posting to the wrong subreddit

Taught my son to walk. Again.

That’s when I noticed her penis.

The AI learned from YouTube comments.

The Cancer spread. The Scorpio grinned.

The Onion quits politics. ‘Can’t compete.’

The Pearly Gates had rusted shut.

The Pearly Gates were rusted shut.

The Voices stopped. Now I’m lonely.

The ambulance slowed, the urgency gone.

The biggest gateway drug is curiosity.

The greenest grass is usually artificial.

The gun jammed. I love life.

The inactive users on r/SuicideWatch grew.

The last human burned the slowest.

The last humans rattled their cages.

The memory foam remembered someone else.

The mortician sighed. Another old friend.

The noose did feel surprisingly comfortable.

The other cop just stood there.

The pale blue dot turned orange.

The riot gear hid his tears.

The shirts all said «Be Unique.»

The smallest coffins are the heaviest.

The war is over! dozens celebrate.

Theater offends Trump, fourth wall built.

They both cried. Their newborn didn’t.

They look human. Trust no one.

They opened the coffin. Scratch marks.

They shouldn’t make coffins that small.

They wouldn’t let me read «1984».

Thirteen adventurous years. Sleep well pup.

This is Major Tom, signing off.

This is me practicing being okay.

This sub kills too many children.

This subreddit barely tells stories anymore.

This subreddit is really fucking depressing.

This subreddit should be named r/sixwordtragedies

Thousands dead after Americans go metric.

Time traveler dies tragically; 1964 — 1514

To her, «forever» meant «three months»

Tomorrow they’ll interview everybody I know.

Too lazy to write a novel.

Torched the haystack. Found the needle.

Trembling, they moved Lovecraft to nonfiction.

Trump book «My Struggle» sells out.

Turns out, I don’t know CPR.

Two Survive Nuclear Fallout: Adam, Eve.

Two corpses: one inside the other.

Two hour flight…. 130 minute movie

Ugly duckling transforms into wonderful dinner.

Unfortunately, haiku possibilities, seldom appear here.

Unpopular messiah turns wine into water.

Unsubscribed from r/longdistance. Subscribed to r/depression.

Unsubscribing from sixwordstories. Stupid writer’s block.

Used coffin available. Some interior scratches.

Violin for sale, no strings attached

Voyager still transmitted, but Earth didn’t.

Wait. The test was two sided?

Wanted one, expected two, buried three.

Wanted: Loving wife or talented actress.

Was I not worth a goodbye?

Was devout. Expressed doubt. Kicked out.

We are now a private sub.

We couldn’t marry, so we pretended.

We elected him as a joke

We elected him as a joke

We ended like we began… happy.

We’ll be better parents next time.

We’re naming the disease after you.

We’re the last two left m’lady

Went to the vet. Left alone.

What are these? Stories for ants?

What if I had said hello?

What’s your return policy on rings?

Where did that fucking spider go?

Whistled centuries apart, the melodies harmonized.

White dress. Black dress. Red dress.

Wikipedia edit: changed «is» to «was».

With intercourse outlawed, words became orgasmic.

Woo! Bought some cheap baby shoes!

World’s first real AI commits suicide.

World’s oldest man dead at 54.

World’s only immortal attempts suicide… again.

Yesterday gone; Today wasted; Dreading tomorrow.

You can practice love on me.

You can’t spell heroin without her.

You guys are obsessed with suicide.

You kids eat. I’ll have water.

You took everything except my apology.

You were my white picket fence.

You’re fine, but the donor died.

You’re not a good artist, Adolf.

Zombie Hemingway bellowed: «These aren’t stories!!»

[AMA Request] World War Three Veteran

he hit send, then a tree.

loop! Help, I’m trapped in a

r/SixWordStories: Permutations of «She Left Me»

r/sixwordstories becomes the newest default sub!

trapped ᴉu gnihsaw ǝuᴉɥɔɐɯ. send ɥǝld

˙llıʍpooƃ ɯoɹɟ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ɹǝʌǝu

˙ɐuıɥɔ uı ʞɔnʇs ˙dǝǝp ooʇ ƃnp

“Boys” was more accurate than “soldiers”

“But…” God cowered, “who are YOU?!”

“‘Jesus Christ’: archaic expletive; origin unknown.”

██ ███ trust ███ ███ ██████ the government, ██ ██ █ ████ █████ everything ██████ ██ is █████ ███ ██████ █ ███ fine ███ ██████.

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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