A short short is an extreme version of the short defined in many ways.

1. A moment rendered in its wink of immediacy. – Iving Howe,  2. The opening or closing of a window, a moment of insight. – William Perden,  3. Must leave the reader anxious in a particularly satisfying way. – Russell Banks.

For more information on this workshop, contact Cynthia.

The short short can be three words or a hundred. It’s a particularly effective tool to teach structure for both children and adults. Following are a few examples of three word stories.

Students at a Schoodic Arts for All writing workshop at the Dorcas Library in Prospect Harbor

Corpse parts missing. Doctor buys yacht.                                                                                 Margaret Atwood

He read his obituary with confusion.                                                                                         Steven Meretzky

Steve ignores editor’s word limit and                                                                                         Steven Meretzky

Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) and is said to have called it his best work.