Forgot the spy novel I was reading at home today and was looking up short stories online to print and read on my 10-min ride home when I found this gem:http://espressostories.com
In the words of the website's founders' Chris Worth and R.P. Bird: "It explores a literary form for today's frothed-up, on-the-hoof, want-it-all-now consumer lifestyle: complete stories that take no longer to read than an espresso takes to slurp."
The stories are certainly short. Max. of 25 words, to be precise but I was intrigued to see that neither plot nor narrative was compromised for brevity. Some stories were a little too vague for my liking, but most of them are beautifully composed. Here are a couple of my favorites:
Winning State
It was hard. We worked our asses off, in the rain, sleet, and snow. But it cannot compare to winning you. Damn, that was hard!
Tongue in Cheek
His tongue slipped when he talked. It lisped when he sang. It hung out when he ate.Thats a dumb tongue in cheek.
14 comments:
Short indeed :-)
Short and sweet!!
Radha and Yoda,
Yup, it is! Short but complete:)
brevity is the soul of wit!!! :)
love that cover.....
Moi,
Thank you!! Yes, it is..it's quite a challenge to stay within such a small word count!
One of the saddest ones I've ever read ...
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
- by Hemingway
Vinit,
Wow...that one does hit directly..sad but quite lovely. Thanks for sharing it!
a 25 word story, thats so interesting and so hard to write.
Oooh, Megs, love your blog's new look! Mine looks so tired perhaps I should spice it up a little.
lol, those stories are really short, but if written cleverly they can pack quite a punch, can't they?
I love the short fiction in the "New Yorker", OK, so they are more like 2,500 words long instead of 25 words, but many of them are truly worth the time!
Your post reminded me of a book I read some time ago called The World's Shortest Stories of Love and Death by Steve Moss and John M. Daniel. It is a collection of stories under 55 words.
You might be interested in the book, bearing in mind (of course), that the short, short, short story is an exercise, a gimmick, a conceit, a bit of literary hocus-pocus. It is not the way to create enduring works of art.
Nevertheless, a few stories were actually wonderful - fully realized, astonishing in the power their authors managed to convey in so few words.
The idea of a 25-word story is new to me; I think I'll try to write one.
Lotus,
Thank you! I was bored of the old look, but wasn't sure how the new one worked- so its good to have ure feedback:)
I like the New Yorker very much too, esp. their fiction special..
Annulla,
Hello and welcome to WC! And thank you for the book recommendation- it sounds most interesting.
I find the short story format a bit of a challenge, and one that requires a lot of focus. I'd be happy to read what you write, so feel free to send it my way..
Love the graphic, makes me want to have tea .. but i can't, as i am at an airport waiting for my delayed flight.
Nabeel,
Thanks for stopping by WC:) Unfortunately, I didn't create the gaphic- found it on google and I hope the artist doesn't mind me using it..
Hope you had a nice trip!
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