Good morning!
Just a few weeks ago, we wrote six-word stories. Then we wrote one-sentence stories. And it seems many of you enjoyed writing those super-short nuggets, as there were lots and lots of stories in the Comments section. So today, we’re gonna go all crazy and write some fifty-word stories. Yee-haw!
From the Archives (edited):
To start us off, here’s a fifty-word story I wrote in response to a fantastic Lydia Davis story called “The Outing.” (The title of my little story is “Homecoming (after Lydia Davis)” as it’s important to acknowledge an homage.) Mine is not a fantastic story, but it IS exactly fifty words. Also, I like it:
A complaint at dinner, a scolding while parking, a reprimand at breakfast, an insult at the party, an apology at the counselor’s, a slap in the bedroom, a bill from the lawyer, a meeting with a realtor, a two plus one with swimming pool, a movie on Netflix no discussion.
Do you see the story there? I hope so!
The thing about writing super short stories, is that they don’t always fit the conventional outlines of a story—the inciting incident, rising action, climax, etc. So, what makes them stories? Good question! We went over some of this territory when we wrote one-sentence stories and analyzed Amy Hempel’s “Housewife.” And what was revealed back then was the notion that very short stories depend a LOT on implication. There simply isn’t time to give all the necessary information in a super short story. So. It’s implied. Which means that often a reader is called upon to do a bit of work in order to really understand a story. Not everyone likes being put to work in this way! But that’s okay. TomAYto, tomAHto and all of that.
In a very short story—a flash fiction or a micro-fiction, or a short-short, or whatever you want to call it—the set-up is usually implied. Instead, we just start right in with the inciting incident. Now, here’s the interesting part (to me, at least). Sometimes, that’s all there is—just an inciting incident on the page and nothing more. The incident is the entire story, and from there, a reader must take things further inside of their own brain. OR sometimes, all we’re given is the rising action. The story just leaps right in, no explanation. That can make us feel dizzy. Like, where am I??? Sometimes, one of these little stories is ONLY the climax, or ONLY the resolution. It’s a crazy thing, I know, but I didn’t make up these rules (or non-rules)! I’m just reporting on all of it. No shooting the reporter.
That’s all I’m going to say because I know you are already thinking of your own fifty-word stories.
TODAY’S PROMPT
Write a story that is exactly fifty words.
Your story can be about anything.
If you want some examples, take a look at this SITE.
Write as many fifty-word stories as you want!
(Title not included in the word count.)
That’s it!
Special Notes:
Our very own Christine Beck has a new book coming out (“Given Time”)! Congratulations, Christine! Here’s a LINK to find out more.
And Charlie Kyle’s story “Moose” is appearing in a new anthology. Yay, Charlie! Find out more HERE.
See you next Monday!
PS I’m on a tiny road trip with PKT, checking in every now and then. Thank you for all the well wishes last week. xo
She enjoyed choosing a house. Up high, water view. Walkbys on MTW confirmed it was empty. Move in easy peasy. Jim moved in too, then Francie and John. They cooked some crack. Some nice spread, and they felt at home. The key in the front door came, eventually, it did.
They built the little houses to resemble the big houses. Then they played Godzilla, only stepping on the houses which had the little plastic dolls inside that they didn’t like. One of them grew up to be a house builder. The other grew up to be Godzilla.