When Ernest Hemingway was challenged to craft a six word story to win a bet he came up with:

For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn.

He supposedly claimed it was his best ever work.

Whether the story is true is doubtful.

Yet the brilliance and poignancy of those six words means that people around the world have taken up the same challenge and written six word stories that make your imagination run wild!

Here’s a selection of our favourites:

1. Found true love. Married someone else.
2. Goodbye, mission control. Thanks for trying.
3. loop! Help i’m trapped in a
4. Time travellers wanted. Inquire within, yesterday.
5. Trapped in vinegar. What a pickle!!

Six word stories and fundraising

So what’s this got to do with fundraising?

We use the six-word story structure in campaign planning workshops, as an icebreaker on away days and in brainstorming sessions.

It is a fun, creative way to get the mind in gear and focusing on the essence of your message.

It is amazing how much you can tell in six words.

Set it as a challenge in an upcoming team meeting (set it ahead of time to give people chance to think) and see what your colleagues come up with. You may be surprised!

If you do give it a go, do let us know. We’d love to hear your six word stories.

This is just one of the many storytelling techniques we teach on our ‘Copywriting for Fundraising Success’ course – you can sign up at any time.