Six-Word Stories: Speaking Volumes in Only Six Words
Posted: 10/04/2015Six-word stories are just that; stories in six words—not five or seven but exactly six. This potent and simple method of storytelling was pioneered by Earnest Hemmingway who wrote the following poignant six-word story:
For sale, children’s shoes, never worn.
What happened? Why were they never worn? Who knows? A host of stories bloom with misty possibility beneath these six words.
The internet has since spawned countless amazing, funny, bawdy, sad, joyful and moving stories in six words.
Innovative Resources hosted a workshop called Life Tweaking at University College in Melbourne some time ago. The workshop was named after a set of cards of the same name published by Innovative Resources. This card set was produced primarily with life coaches, mentors, supervisors, counsellors and team leaders in mind, and the workshop focussed on ways of using this and other resources for creating conversations that open doorways of possibility and hope with clients.
During the workshop participants were introduced to the GROW model and other solution-focussed, strengths-based techniques, principles and questioning styles.
The facilitators of the workshop, Donna McGrory, a professional life coach and workplace trainer, and Karen Bedford, managing editor at Innovative Resources, explored a range of interactive activities including a creative writing activity called ‘Six-word Stories’.
Here are some of the six-word stories written in the workshop:
- My heart feels pain and joy—Neriman
The grass will grow despite us – John- Fun, sun, beach, little feet, laughter—Claire
- Today I accept what was denied—Mary
- Sailing, wind rising, lost shores, found—Robyn
- Courage cannot exist without fear—Amanda
- Light steps, big eyes, sun rising—Rachel
- Deep sorrow, dark night, diamond light—Mary
- It’s ok to not be ok—Alitia
- Find the courage to let go—Debbie
- Is it ok to just tolerate?—Kim
- Stand alone and grow beside me—Lynne
What is your six-word story?
Share it with us!
She came home much too late.
New Bike? New life. New wife!