“6
word Story ”
Write a Six-Word Story
Flash fiction has been around for a while, but it was
perhaps Ernest Hemingway that dazzled us with the flash-fiction
concept in the 1920’s when his friends bet him that he
couldn’t write a complete story in six words. Whether or not it’s
true, the story goes that his colleagues each dumped 10 bucks
into a pot. If Hemingway’s story wowed them, he’d pocket the
money. Once the money was pooled, he grabbed a napkin off
the table and nonchalantly dashed off six words:
For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.
Then he slid the napkin across the table and collected what was
due to him.
Work: Using Hemingway as an inspiration, write a
story in six words.
Ex. “I just saw my reflection blink”
Ex. “Upon arrival I saw it all.”
Ex. “Joe spilled the beans” she said.
Use a scrap piece of paper and submit your
writing, once your draft is approved you will
rewrite it onto your very own Napkin!!
ERNEST HEMINGWAY
Earl Theisen Collection/Getty
ERNEST HEMINGWAY
“For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
The success of Ernest Hemingway’s story lies in the multiple questions
and possible meanings that lie between the lines. For example: Why is
the narrator selling the shoes? Is the baby grown? Did she die? Did she
simply go barefoot or was she sadly never able to walk? Is the narrator
the mother? The father? The sibling? The former baby? Is the story
about the end of childhood? The end of parenthood? The end of
innocence or justice or happiness or all of the above? The questions are
endless and the possible meanings are many. Try to write your own sixword memoir with multiple meanings. How difficult is this? Where did
you start? What are some of the meanings? What questions does your
memoir leave the reader?
Introduce Hemingway’s six word story “Challenge” by reading the
handout, discussing the story behind his unique novel, and guiding your
students by providing your own examples.
Allow your students some time to let their creative juices flow, by
writing their own lil’ 6 word novels, and allowing them to share the
backstory behind it all!
You’ll be surprised at what they can accomplish!