Six Word Stories: Tucson Edition

On March tenth and eleventh, I appeared at the Tucson Festival of Books. One of the highlights was presenting to a group of talented up-and-coming writers from local high schools at the C.A.T.S. (Creative Arts Teen Summit) on Friday. During a writing exercise, I introduced students to the Six Word Story exercise, the most famous example of which is:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

After my presentation on story structure, I asked students to compose their own six word story. Here’s what they came up with. I’m very proud of their results!

  • Ready set hike catch hit wheelchair.
  • The wolf was actually a sheep.
  • She ran until she couldn’t anymore.
  • Another beating heart can stop yours.
  • Loved me; where are you now?
  • Last person on earth hears ringing.
  • Alexia: Student, Bullied, Activist, Teacher, Author.
  • Used armour: requires some extra repairs.
  • Adventure, slaying monsters, obtaining treasure, kingdom.
  • Be careful looking behind the curtain.
  • Got married; three years, falling apart.
  • Don’t fear death, fear life failure.
  • A love story begins the downfall.
  • Titanic: The unsinkable ship, thousands killed.
  • Last goodbye still in the air.
  • A miserable life turning into hope.
  • Four year, crash land, ancient evil?
  • Crazy girl, dead hamster, hamster funeral.
  • No more food in the fridge.
  • Bad dream, light, hand already there.
  • Writer’s block, Harry Potter, cool books.
  • Every day, bright early, great day. –Jimmy Foppe
  • Wanting console: buys one; regrets it.
  • Once great / now forsaken / forever forgotten.
  • The snake hissed, sounded very human.
  • He jumped into the dark pit.
  • Step back jumpers against tall defenders.
  • Stranded man says, “I’ll miss you.”
  • Man saves his humanity, saving daughter.
  • God makes life / God now rests. – Luis Robles
  • A life lost, never fully lived.
  • Light and darkness create a balance.
  • Fat man, he loses, wife happy. –Nathan Leigh
  • The cat runs away from home.
  • Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. –Braden Gerrard
  • Parent murdered; revenge, cause and effect.
  • Travel where the people don’t go.
  • Sunken dreams collapsed by teens. Howl.
  • Feeling can grow, feels do die.
  • Don’t tell, the human, and I.
  • Red eye / Dead sky / Gone Goodbye
  • Worst birthday; family gone, get revenge.
  • An abandoned house there for centuries.
  • Winter wind, dare enter? Forever warm.
  • Some girl fell off a cliff.
  • My love, never given, always wanted.
  • Sunlight, guiding my way, but blinding.
  • King dies, son takes over legacy.
  • It makes tacos wonderfully delicious.
  • I am gonna eat some pizza.
  • The bright wings get him far.
  • The moon created beautiful shadows.
  • Stephen Curry made a buzzer beater.

sixwordstory, tfob, tucsonfestivalofbooks


Jeff Garvin

Author of SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN and THE LIGHTNESS OF HANDS. Cohost of THE HERO'S JOURNEY podcast. Rock musician, D&D geek, aspiring revolutionary.

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