When, Hemingway made a wager with somebody that he could compose a story comprising of only four words which would have the capacity to touch the heart of any individual who read it. He succeeded:
’’For sale: baby shoes, never used’’. Hemingway’s example is something that has inspired many professional and amateur writers. Many people have tried over the years to come up with six-word stories which are able to touch, surprise, and delight the reader in equal measure.
Getzkick presents some of the more successful examples written by ordinary people here, which first appeared on a dedicated blog.

# Strangers. Friends. Best friends. Lovers. Strangers.

# «Wrong number,» says a familiar voice.

# This is not your captain speaking.

# We’re lying in bed. She’s lying.

# Selling Parachute: never opened, slightly stained.

# Indoor cat: a life half-lived.

# Voyager still transmitted, but Earth didn’t.

# Brought roses home. Keys didn’t fit.

# My mother taught me to shave.

# Our bedroom. Two voices. I knock.

# Drunk. Home late. Locked Door. Divorce.

# Rule the night. Rue the morning.

# Won the World. Lost the Girl.

# My reflection just winked at me.

# Sorry soldier, shoes sold in pairs.

# He bottle-feeds his wife’s killer.

# Imagined adulthood. Gained adulthood. Lost Imagination.

# Surgeon saves patient. Patient thanks God.


Proficient scholars have likewise attempted their hand at Hemingway’s test. The magazine Wired completed a challenge to compose a story utilizing only six words among arranged fiction, frightfulness, dream and sci-fi journalists. These were a percentage of the outcomes:

# Longed for him. Got him. Sh*t. (Margaret Atwood)

# Computer, did we bring batteries? Computer? (Eileen Gunn)

# We kissed. She melted. Mop please! (James Patrick Kelly)

# I’m your future, child. Don’t cry. (Stephen Baxter)

# I saw, darling, but do lie. (Orson Scott Card)

# Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time. (Alan Moore).

# Failed SAT. Lost scholarship. Invented rocket. (William Shatner)

# He read his obituary with confusion. (Steven Meretzky)

# Vacuum collision. Orbits diverge. Farewell, love. (David Brin)

# I’m dead. I’ve missed you. Kiss…? (Neil Gaiman)

# Wasted day. Wasted life. Dessert, please. (Steven Meretzky)