The challenge was to write a short story. Like all good stories, it had to be engaging and able to stand alone as a reading experience. There was just one catch: the story’s length had to be 600 words or less.
That's…pretty short.
These weekly Bible reflections can be as long as 1,000 words, and average around 750. Write an interesting story in under 600 words? That would be a challenge. Ernest Hemingway is the undisputed master of the short piece. Legend has it that, when he was challenged to write a story in six words, he produced: "Baby shoes for sale. Never worn." Hemingway sets a very high bar.
A contemporary author who has conquered the short form is Jesse Stanchak. His The Tyranny of Sand and Other Tiny Stories is chock full of what people now call “micro flash fiction.” Another very high bar.
Writing—writing briefly—is a challenge. All writers find it difficult to limit their words. As Mark Twain once wrote: “I apologize for such a long letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one.” It’s also painful to remove words we’ve already written. When Stephen King finished writing The Stand, his publisher told him they would need to cut 150,000 words! Rather than have someone else do the cutting, King took control of the process and performed what he dubbed the “surgery.” It wasn’t easy.
I should probably cut out the entire preceding paragraph. This reflection doesn’t have to have it. But limiting words is never easy for a writer. It’s especially challenging to start writing with a preset limit. Still, I like a challenge. If we never stretch, we never grow. As Robert Browning once wrote, "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" Writing that story was certainly a reach. But I rose to the challenge and wrote my 600 words (or less). The link is below if you wish to read it.
The experience of crafting my very short short story was on my mind as I read this week's Proverbs passage. I was struck with how well that one chapter presents Wisdom.
The chapter opens with a brief description of where you can find Wisdom (“Sophia” in Greek): everywhere, anywhere. What follows is Wisdom’s own first-person account of who she is, her mission, and the work she has been about. Then, in a quick flashback, she describes how God created her and the role He gave her in the creation of all earthly things. Finally, declaring her love for humanity, Wisdom encourages all of us to embrace her ways, to receive the many blessings that will ensue.
It is a masterful piece of writing.
All in under 600 words.
_________________________
PHOTO: Steve Orr
If you have any interest in reading the 600-word (or less) story I wrote, here is the link. Comments and critiques are welcome.
https://steveorr.blogspot.com/search/label/04Shortstory-The%20Call
Link to Jesse Stanchak’s Tyranny of Sand:
https://www.amazon.com/Tyranny-Sand-Other-Tiny-Stories-ebook/dp/B098KDJWMQ
Here’s the Goodreads link to Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure
_________________________
Blessings,
Steve
**Zoom link (Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89947678414
No comments:
Post a Comment