Writing, Small

One of my favorite stories I’ve ever written consists of 80 words, including the title. It was written for a site that I don’t believe is still in existence, but the challenge was could you write a story under a specific word count.

I’ll post it at the end for example purposes, but it was exciting because of the limitations it presented. This is a great exercise to jump start a slow writing day, or deal with writer’s block. It’s also one of those tools to keep in your toolbox in the future.

I would encourage you to try today to tell a story in 80 words. It will be hard at first, but it will stretch your writing. You may find it helps you say more with less when you go back to your main writing project. Writing small can grow into larger writing achievements.

The Anchor

Eric stood at the wheel. The spray washed over his face. He was determined to push through.

The French crew was upon them suddenly. They searched the entire vessel, overlooking nothing.

Finally, they left Eric, a beaten crew, and a wounded ship. It would barely reach the next port.

The crew wanted revenge. A price for their pain, their pride, & their purse. Eric grinned.

“Hoist the anchor, & retrieve what they couldn’t find. Victory carries more weight than revenge!”