Six word stories

[Burt]

Originally Posted by ijdgaf

Something I probably don't do enough on this site is bring in my area(s) of expertise. Zeke's always making math jokes. Kira was always making chemistry jokes. Derek... uh... makes horrible puns. Anyway, I'll be graduating with a double major in psychology and creative writing in December, and I think I've made precisely one joke pertaining to either (see Court Martial).

Anyway, I thought I'd share something nifty that was brought up in my creative writing class today. My professor handed us copies of an article she printed off of Wired Magazine's website.

Here is a link.

Instead of the normally esoteric, little-known and ultimately irrelevant texts I'm used to reading in creative writing class, I was astonished to see just how many names I recognized on this list. Big names in science fiction.

I was also very impressed by how pretty much every piece from a name I recognized was just so damned infused with that author's voice. I mean that in the literary meaning of the term "voice"; Miller's piece reeks of Miller, Atwood's is undeniably hers, etc. etc. It wouldn't be too hard to call to mind authors had names not been listed.

Anyway, I don't intend to ignite a literary discussion on voice, or on how short a story can be and still be called a story, or anything like that (I've spent an hour and a half doing just that already today). But I did think the article was worth posting here and certainly of interest to somebody besides myself.

Edit: The online exclusive stories are significantly crappier as a whole, and somewhat repetitive/obnoxious. In my estimation.

Interesting...

Originally Posted by Infinite Improbability

Okay, first of all those were good. Second of all, I'd define a story as anything with a plot, so those count.

Never really thought of stories as "reeking" with an author's voice before. Maybe "screaming," but not reeking.

So Zeke would be "Life too long. Funnier if shorter."?

Pride and Prejudice: Everyone's snooty. Better off paired off.
Treasure Island: Kid found map. Island very dangerous.
Sense and Sensibility: Everyone's snooty. Better off--um, nevermind.
Much Ado About Nothing: Kids easily duped. Snipers better mated.
Romeo and Juliet: Feuds are stupid. So are kids.
Hamlet: People talk too much before dying.
Robin Hood: Stealing, giving, and arrows are fun.
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Kids easily duped. Snipers better--uh, yeah...
A Christmas Carol: Scrooge boring. Ghosts scary. Giving good.

And TV Shows!

Cheers: Barflies fun. Barmaids like being harpies.
Friends: Friends good. Quips better. Coffee best.
Home Improvement: Power bad. Hugs good. Wilson omniscient.
Star Trek: Boldly going fun. Everything has morals.

hehehehehehehehehehe
hehehehehe

hehe

Originally Posted by ijdgaf

I realize this is a parody website, and I realize that contraction is part of the master plan here, but the topic at hand concerns neither.

The rest of this board is pretty much devoted to discussion of parody and other such silliness. This is the forum where actual discussion of source material occurs.

We have (short but not shortened) stories here from notable sci fi authors here. These are isolated stories. Not six word summaries of pop culture staples.

So all things considered, I'd rather this discussion (if it warrants discussion in the first place) focus on the material and the form -- not to degenerate into our tried and true fallback of derivative contractions. Thanks.

pfft. Wheres the fun? Wheres the love?

Originally Posted by Infinite Improbability

Um, is there actually a claim that these six-word stories come from the actual authors? Original, not rehash?

My intent is to amuse. If there is lack of amusement, then I failed.

I like the funny.

Originally Posted by ijdgaf

Oh, there were some good ones in the rejects. But the ratio of crap to good was significantly higher.

Is genius though.

Nate, these are pieces written by the authors listed under each. The intro says as much. That tends to be what an italicized name with a dash in front under any given quote/excerpt/letter/piece indicates anyway.

I know what your intent was. But it has nothing to do with the thread. And give it at least a few more posts before we introduce some crazy irrelevant tangent that all the threads around here somehow end up with.

Or better yet, start a "six word derivative contractions" thread in misc.

(A grumble that's best left till another time.)
But hey. Human spirit. I'm sure you'll scrap onwards somehow.
I've gotta say sometime I find it...exasperating....that topics sometimes of off in a strange direction. And most the time I've no idea whats being spoken of.
But thats the nature of the beast!

Dawn of the Dead:
Nice mall. Brains... Bang! Brains... Bang!

Halo:
DEATH TO HUMANS! (Chief) Not Today!

The Avengers:
Diabolical! We're needed... Steed! Smash! Bolly?