“Baby shoes for sale. Never worn.”  Hemingway wrote this six-word tale that has become the ultimate short, short-story.  The reader can fill in the blanks. I wonder how many variations of a theme these few words have inspired.

Grant Faulkner honed his skills to write short, 100-word essays and writes in the August 2015 issue of The Writer magazine:

“A flash writer has to paint characters in deft brushstrokes, with the keenest of images in such limited space. Shorts require immediacy; they’re a flicker of light in the darkness, a prick, a thunderclap . . . Paring down my writing and focusing on what goes unsaid and unexplained help me build suspense.”

Faulkner says, about Hemingway’s six-word story, “The story moves by implication– the empty space around those few words invite the reader to fill them, transforming the reader into a co-author.”

If this type of writing appeals to you, start writing now. Faulkner’s 100 word story will accept submissions after September 15. Hone your short story skills now and be ready to submit.

Just Write!