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Storytelling in six words. No, really.

October 23rd, 2009
Author David Pepose

(Boy, I think I rewrote that headline five or six times to get proper grammar as well as the correct number of words in that headline. Stay in school, kids!)

While my laptop is making a trip to the doctor’s office (or the scrap heap), “The Loaner” and I found an interesting post on Wired via Fables writer Bill Willingham on storytelling in six words.

The inspiration? Hemingway’s favorite short story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” So Wired asked tons of writers — including some of the best and the brightest comics storytellers — to give their spin on the six-word story. Here are three of my favorites, from comics and sci-fi luminaries:

Failed SAT. Lost scholarship. Invented rocket.
- William Shatner

Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time
- Alan Moore

With bloody hands, I say good-bye.
- Frank Miller

Considering brevity is a virtue for comics — one description has been writing “newspaper headlines in poetry” — it’s a fun read. For all you writers and artists (aspiring or not) in the house, what would be your favorite six-word story? Let us hear it!

17 Responses to “Storytelling in six words. No, really.”
  1. Kyle Rayner Says:

    It’s an oldie but a goodie. They’re all pretty excellent. I even liked Frank Miller’s work, which no one has said in what, 20 years?

  2. justme Says:

    Here I sit. Thanks Taco Bell.

  3. Lemurion Says:

    Door opens. Her father’s home early.

  4. Richard J. Marcej Says:

    The results are in. Oh damn.

  5. Lan Pitts Says:

    “Drink me” the bottle read. Whoops.

  6. Lan Pitts Says:

    Parent killed. Trained hard. Became vengeance.

  7. Dude Says:

    I lied, sh*t was so cash.

  8. Lan Pitts Says:

    “Sookeh is mahn.” Eric then frowned.

  9. duh Says:

    Nothing left to say but, “goodbye.”

  10. Chris B. Says:

    I can’t think of anything clever.

  11. Toneloak Says:

    Stop screaming now! OK, I’m coming.

  12. Rob Says:

    Silently, pride wounded, he walked away.

  13. quelonio Says:

    From dusk till dawn, I hunt.

  14. Daryll B Says:

    A Goof But A Better Hero

  15. Vinnie Bartilucci Says:

    Forry Ackerman wrote the shortest Sci-Fi story ever – One letter, if you don’t count the title.

    “Cosmic Report Card – Earth”

    F.

  16. Dominique Says:

    “Honey, the rubber broke….”

  17. Thomas Cai Says:

    A soldier dies, a mother cries.

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