Just 6 Words

Ernest Hemingway's writing is forthright and simple. There are no superfluous words or punctuation, and his sentences tend to be short and blunt. His distinctive style is typically attributed to his brief stint at the Kansas City Star, whose style manual states: "Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative."

Taking this directive to the extreme, Hemingway famously created a powerful story in just six words:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

I love this concept, but I've never had much of a knack for creative writing, so I'm afraid I've don't have any examples of my own. There is however, a pretty neat blog that collects user entries, so if you've got a story that can be told in half a dozen words, then I suggest you submit it. In fact, send it to me too!

Also, check out Wired Magazine's collection of six word stories from dozens of famous writers including Margaret Atwood, Stan Lee and Kevin Smith.

And what made me think about Hemingway this afternoon? Baby shoes of course. WTF? Probably not what Hemingway had in mind.