Sunday, February 11, 2007

Got an idea. Let's try it...
Wired magazine ran a contest recently. The idea came from one of Hemingway's stories that was just six words long: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
To get the creative juices flowing for would-be contestants they asked famous writers to submit their own. The following submissions are six-word stories written by the aforementioned famous writers (recognize any?).

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

Automobile warranty expires. So does engine.
- Stan Lee

Longed for him. Got him. Shi*.
- Margaret Atwood

We kissed. She melted. Mop please!
- James Patrick Kelly

It’s behind you! Hurry before it
- Rockne S. O’Bannon

Easy. Just touch the match to
- Ursula K. Le Guin

Epitaph: He shouldn't have fed it.
- Brian Herbert

whorl. Help! I'm caught in a time
- Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel

Thought I was right. I wasn't.
- Graeme Gibson

Dinosaurs return. Want their oil back.
- David Brin

Bang postponed. Not Big enough. Reboot.
- David Brin

Deadline postponed. Five words enough...?
- David Brin

Will this do (lazy writer asked)?
- Ken MacLeod

There were only six words left.
- Gregory Maguire

Commas, see, add, like, nada, okay?
- Gregory Maguire

He read his obituary with confusion.
- Steven Meretzky

Steve ignores editor's word limit and
- Steven Meretzky

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Went to school, failed math. Tried contest, too many words. Went back to school, passed math. Went back to contest, even more excessive words.

Anonymous said...

Make wheel drive store buy mammoth.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Drink untreated colorado, have magma poo.

Anonymous said...

Have magma poo, scar brother forever.

The Real Jim Heywood said...

THAT's what I'm talking about. More!

The Real Jim Heywood said...

They were two. Now they're three.

Anonymous said...

Grow old, get fat, lose hair.

The Real Jim Heywood said...

I honestly thought comments to this post would generate a flood of creativity. Surely Eric (great posts, by the way) is not the only one who gets it!?!

The Real Jim Heywood said...

3500 miles. Both buttocks are sore.

The Real Jim Heywood said...

Five down and three to go.

Anonymous said...

Honestly, post so long, didn't read.

The Real Jim Heywood said...

Ascertained problem. Shortened post. Try again.