Six-Word Stories

I recently read about an interesting and creative idea, one that has been around quite a long time, and is gaining traction again on social media sites like Reddit and Tumblr. Can you tell a story in six words? Supposedly, legend has is, that Ernest Hemingway wagered that he could do just that, while with friends over lunch. Here’s what he came up with to collect on the bet,

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” – Ernest Hemingway (maybe?)

I find this whole thing fascinating really, as it is a lot like photography, telling a whole story in a very succinct tidbit. It is kind of like a single photograph, telling a story through one visual instance in time, a 1/125 of a second, or six words. So, over a birthday dinner the other night – Happy Birthday, Mom! – I told my mom and husband about this idea and we starting telling six-word stories. How might you describe your story (you know, the story of you), right now, in six words?

“Creative life, blows my hair back.” – AVC
“Contented, needs a swift ass kick.” – AVC

You get the picture, and they both apply! So, Mom said, why not try to tell a six-word story about some of your photographs. Okay, challenge accepted. If you’ve read my earlier blog posts, you might recognize one image posted here, and if you’ve perused my husband’s excavating site (shameless plug…Spotted Dog Excavating), you’ve seen another. And, finally, the third one is a new photo!

Rescued - Digital Sketch“Rough paws, sickly skin, soft heart.” – AVC

Maggie“Growls. Rescued. Loves pats. Groans contently.” AVC

Curious Maggie“Once timid, shy. Today bold, brave.” – AVC

I’ve now read so many of these wonderful six-word stories. Some are very witty, and funny as hell, others very sad and heartbreaking. But, that’s true for photographs, too. Oftentimes a single photo will stop you in your tracks, make you smile and belt out a laugh, or bring you to tears. That’s the magic of photography, but I have to say these six-word stories really get me fired up and using my imagination to fill in the blanks, or even tell the story of my life. So, think about it, your life…in six words!

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