Came across something pretty cool today while browsing blogs: hint fiction. So hint fiction is where you tell a story of 25 words or less that gives hints at a larger and more complex storyline. Apparently this idea comes from an upcoming book called…well…Hint Fiction lol.
I read a few and one from flashfiction.net really stood out for me, it’s fiction but it probably tells the story of a million real people out there:
My Son’s Fifth Grade Journal
This boy catches balls, divides fractions, won’t die if he drinks milk, grabs flags off the other team’s players. My dad loves this other boy.
Good huh? I think this is a really interesting concept and it got me wanting to write some myself.
One problem though, I’m not very good at writing fiction. I mainly like to look at situations or people or whatever and find the stories in them (does that make sense?), with extra points if the story is something that most people would never have seen on their own. This applies to stories in my own life too, many which I missed or didn’t fully understand the first time around.
Never one to let lack of talent stop me from doing something fun, I thought it would be cool to try something like hint fiction but with memoirs instead. Here’s my first try it’s the story of something that happened to Jennifer and I when we were teenagers on a drive from Fairbanks to Anchorage:
Kind Of Stolen
Owner of the car we’re in coming toward us in opposing lane. Panic! Swerve car hard into turnoff. “Turnoff” drops to deep river, oh shit.
What do you think? It was fun to think back on things from my life that could be told in a way that hinted at a bigger story. I mean there’s tons! I’ll try to post one every day…we’ll see if I can keep up with it. Feel free to post your own hint memoirs in the comments too if you want I’d love to read em.
He was near the Victoria Station toilets, penning bad poems in green ink. “My pain’s a burning flame; I’ll jump in front of the train.”
Not my best effort. I do read your other stuff now. Although I am obviously fascinated with The Man, The Legend and find myself checking up on his antics far too often.
Monmouth,
I like it! Definitely makes me want to know more about the story, which is the sign of a good hint memoir imo :)
As far as Sir Patrick’s antics…I have a feeling there will always be more lol.
test test please work test
Thank you so much Darling for fixing my blog…you’re awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. I’m counting the test comment as a hint memoir ;).
Potato Bugs,
Crunch, crunch, crunch up the stairwell. Three elevators working not working. I’m on the third floor, but why here? And what am I stepping on?
– Does a contraction count as one or two words? If two, delete one “crunch”. Wow – this was a fun experiment. It really helped me be more concise with my thoughts – I editted 3 times to get to 25 words.
Crap! Should read:
Crunch, crunch, crunch up the stairwell. Three elevators not working. I’m on the third floor, but why here? And what am I stepping on?
Now you can count the contraction as 2 words.
☺
Krudler,
It only counts if you want it to count ;). It’s fun isn’t it? I really like yours, nice job with that!
The sound produced brought to mind electrocuted bacon. Inspired, we were up for the rest of the night.
BuchOfFives,
That’s a good one! So…my guess is…making music? Also makes me want to hear the sound now lol.
Good guess Anita!
Crazy new fuzz pedal. Maybe I’ll put up a clip when I get less shy haha..
BunchOfFives,
I look forward to hearing it! Electrocuted Bacon sounds like a great band name lol, not as great as Vultures Of Lucifer ™ though ;).
I love it! Yours is definitely better than the one you came across and I never thought to look at it that way. I too like to write about everyday ‘nonfiction’ which is odd because I always thought fiction would be much easier to write than it is, for me anyways. Thanks again!
Thanks Jaquelyn I appreciate that :). I’d love to read some of your stuff someday!