
Ernest Hemingway, on a bet, said that he could write a short story in less than ten words. Here's what he came up with: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
Let's set aside the fact that there's a good chance this anecdote about Hemingway never really happened. What's important is the six-word story's function as the inspiration for a new form called Hint Fiction. A few weeks ago I heard this NPR piece. It's an interview with Robert Swartwood, who compiled a collection of short stories, each 25 words max. Despite my initial skepticism, I was surprised by the emotional punch of a few of the stories Swartwood read. Here's my favorite, Golden Years by Edith Pearlman:
"She: Macular. He: Parkinson's. She pushing, he directing, they get down the ramp, across the grass, through the gate. The wheels roll riverwards."
Ah! It's amazing that that really is a complete story in itself. I don't believe that's the case for every story in the collection. Here's one that sounds like a setup or opening for a really great traditional story or novel. Dickie by Minter Krotzer:
"Everyone in town went to the same gynecologist, Dickie. Even Dickie's sister went to Dickie. No one thought this was strange except for the out-of-towners."
See what I mean? I like it, but I think it's a stretch to call it a story in itself. There are also some that are more like jokes than stories, like David Joseph's Polygamy:
"I miss her more than
the others."
Very clever, but is it really a story?
I'm not gonna lie, these teeny tiny stories intrigue me, and I'd like to read more of them. I've got Swartwood's collection on my wishlist. I haven't talked to anyone about this yet- I've just been stewing in my own thoughts. What do you think?
Is hint fiction a symptom of our internet-age urge for immediate satisfaction? Does it have the potential to contribute to this urge?
Is Hint Fiction a brand new art form, or just a glorified writer's exercise?
How is Hint Fiction not poetry?
A couple of related links:
Robert Swartwood himself wrote about the idea behind Hint Fiction here, and here's his Hint Fiction homepage. If you'd like to try your hand at writing a six-word memoir, you can do so here.
"She: Macular. He: Parkinson's. She pushing, he directing, they get down the ramp, across the grass, through the gate. The wheels roll riverwards."
Ah! It's amazing that that really is a complete story in itself. I don't believe that's the case for every story in the collection. Here's one that sounds like a setup or opening for a really great traditional story or novel. Dickie by Minter Krotzer:
"Everyone in town went to the same gynecologist, Dickie. Even Dickie's sister went to Dickie. No one thought this was strange except for the out-of-towners."
See what I mean? I like it, but I think it's a stretch to call it a story in itself. There are also some that are more like jokes than stories, like David Joseph's Polygamy:
"I miss her more than
the others."
Very clever, but is it really a story?
I'm not gonna lie, these teeny tiny stories intrigue me, and I'd like to read more of them. I've got Swartwood's collection on my wishlist. I haven't talked to anyone about this yet- I've just been stewing in my own thoughts. What do you think?
Is hint fiction a symptom of our internet-age urge for immediate satisfaction? Does it have the potential to contribute to this urge?
Is Hint Fiction a brand new art form, or just a glorified writer's exercise?
How is Hint Fiction not poetry?
A couple of related links:
Robert Swartwood himself wrote about the idea behind Hint Fiction here, and here's his Hint Fiction homepage. If you'd like to try your hand at writing a six-word memoir, you can do so here.
Patti Smith · 762 weeks ago
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago
carol · 762 weeks ago
I do like the one in the photo about the ransom! :)
carol
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago
What Red Read 121p · 762 weeks ago
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago
Lorren · 762 weeks ago
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago
christina · 762 weeks ago
Quite honestly though, I could care less what they're called. I think they're fun and my students agree.
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago
In a similar vein, I remember my AP English teacher having a game where you had to define a word using as few words as possible. Like the party game Taboo, only where the number of words is limited, not which words you can use. Her goal was to get us to write more concisely. I was horrible at it, but it was fun and got the point across.
Bookquoter · 762 weeks ago
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago
meagan · 762 weeks ago
I think if done right, these 'stories' can be very powerful, but I think it's probably more of an exception than a rule.
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago
French Lily · 762 weeks ago
stinavw 80p · 762 weeks ago