Thank you, my good man.

Oh, I don't know...They just...came to me.

We've been getting lots of Hemingways in here lately, it seems. I like it! Let's keep it that way.

My food wants to kill me.

The prison is haunted - by me.

You move in slowly, terrified, determined.

SECOND-PERSON HEMINGWAYS FOR THE WIN!!!

Yeah, they made me think of that, too. I wondered if you would notice.

Cool.

Even cooler.

Oooh. Nice.


Can I expect third person Hemingways next post and fourth person the next?


*laughs* Thank you, Aemi.

Thank ye.

Thanks.


Third-person, yes...Fourth-person, no.

Your gun's empty - your head isn't.

He hates you. Why? You're you.

I reach down, barely catching her.

Attention: The Spiders Hate Disco Music.

Warning: Evil Villain Constructing Diabolic Schemes.

Turn back, turn back, or die.

You know, Hemingway remains the absolute master of the six-word story. I've been watching for a while and very few have managed to tell an actual story in six words. It's really hard, isn't it?

Now, a six-word quote that captures the imagination, those are easier to come up with, and there have been some great ones. Just saying...maybe since people are so into this, we could take a closer look at what actually makes a six word phrase into a story. How does it work?

I was just thinking this earlier as I was trying to write one. It is really hard. I think someone did write one that was completely right at the beginning... Reiyen I think it was.

Yeah, and then there was Aubrey's about the President's orphaned daughter.

Very good point, Matt. There have been a few (some of Jonathan's come to mind) but not many that are full stories. Me being myself, I took your words as something of a challenge... now I'll have to see what I can come up with.

Interesting thoughts there, Mac. *Thinks* I'll try the whole story one in a minute, but first, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person! *Wants to try this*

I feel nothing but cold walls.

You want to escape - Not possible.

The blankets couldn't muffle her voice.

Ok, now whole story... *Thinks really hard*

So hard. Nearly impossible. Not quite.

*Wonders if that one was even a full story*

Let's look at this then.

What is necessary to make a story? A plot, a character, and conflict, basically. What is the plot of Hemingway's six-word story? The loss of a baby, the couple's first child, which they were eagerly anticipating. (Never-used implies that they bought them new, so they're not hand-me-downs from an older child. Who, when buying things for a first child not yet born, would not be eagerly anticipating the birth?) Character? We have two parents and an unborn child. Conflict? There's tons of emotional conflict involved. Even to the point of...will they sell the shoes or not? Can they let go or not? Obviously it's left a little open-ended there, so it's a tragic story.

But notice that none of what I just said is mentioned in the six words. At all. The only thing mentioned is a pair of never-used baby shoes.

Implication is your friend.

That was a great analysis of the story, Matt. I'm going to try and do some from now on that are complete stories. Hard as that may be...

*Agrees with Bushy* Same here. I'm going to keep trying, though.

I don't want to stay here.

Who's the character? You have a good conflict, someone kept against their will, but I'm told nothing about who (the character) and why (the plot).

Hmmm...Thanks for the extra challenge, Mr. L. Uke.

I can't think of one...but I wrote one earlier that might qualify.
I see a character, conflict, and plot there. Do you?

Courtroom transcriber? The trial is getting noisy? Makes me wonder what happened. That's pretty good. Although noisy trials are really common in movies and books. Hehe.

(If you must know, the transcriber is myself. I am working on transcribing a HW podcast, with lots of guests on it.)

I thought of another one, maybe.

That's very intriguing. It would make a VERY good hook sentence.

Epic.

You're good at these, Made! Some of those made me shiver, I got a whole story picture from them. Very good!

Matt, do you think my novel synopsis:

He was murdered over the internet

would count as a story?

*Keeps trying this*

Overheard conversation. Her simple life changed.

I think so. It doesn't hold much emotion but there's an interesting plot, definitely conflict, and character. Only thing is, I have no idea who murdered him and how in the world it was done over the internet. So the resolution of the plot is missing, but I think Hemingway's is the same way, depending on how you look at it. After all, we have no idea how the peope lost their baby, or when...etc.

That's a very good analysis, thanks Matt!

*wonders if she could write one with more emotion*

Thanks, That's what I was aiming for. Your turn!

The gift of food - HW custom.

After she died, he left forever.

Years later, he finally understood why.

In a tempest, the world ended

In shivering wind, you run - terrified.

No! Her blood ran even colder.

Still attempting this full story thing.

I like that, nice work.

Thank you. Do you think it could be a complete story?

The only thing I can think of that it really needs is characters (unless I don't get it and the monitor is the character, which is an interesting artistic move) but on the positive side it begins with expectation - what is the monitor going to do? Then there is tension with the (...) in between the countdown numbers and the countdown itself, leaving us to wonder: what is it counting down to? And is it a good or bad thing? While the ending is somewhat ambiguous, I don't find it weak at all. All in all a nicely constructed short story.

Those are my thoughts on it, the story really interests me.

The child was worth his life.

*pokes Matt* How'd I do?

Aw, I like that. Not a lot to it but it's a good one.

What if I told you that it is a heart monitor?

*Laughs* I am not too good at them. I'll see what I can come up with.

Yes. We need to see some Lady Elanor six word stories.

Oooh, that would make it really cool.

*Chuckles*

Ok, hmmm let me see. I told you I'm not any good at them, but here's a couple I tried.

Once lost, now found, life eternal.

Jesus died so we could live.

Those are good. You should try more.

"Please donate."

"DONATE WHAT YOU FREAK?!"

And also...

"I'm hungry."

"Duh! We are homeless!"

Sorry. Didn't have anything better. Feel free to insult.

Thank you.

Thanks Matt.

He was brokenhearted for wrong reasons.

The hurricane stopped destroying after dawn.

Is love a treasure or curse?

My love, I need you here.

I like the hurricane one.

Hide. Now switch phone to "Video".

The phone camera saw it all.

Time for me to try some more! I'm still trying the full story thing, but I'm not sure how well it's working.

God bless. I won't see you again.

He hunted the baby seal. Viciously.

Thanks. Maybe I will soon!

Good idea, Luke.

Lost at sea: loved orphaned daughter.