Six Word Sentences

"It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book." 

--Friedrich Nietzsche 

How about telling a story using only six words?

According to science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, Ernest Hemingway used to bet friend and fellow writers ten dollars each that he could craft an entire story in six words. After collecting bets, this is what Hemingway supposedly wrote: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn" on a napkin."

Inspired by Hemingway's challenge, Peter Berg started Six Word Stories(http://www.sixwordstories.net/)

Here are some of my favorites:

You're not a good artist, Adolf.

My Dads met at Bible camp.

Sorry soldier, shoes sold in pairs.

Single shy zombie seeks terminal necrophiliac.

Born a twin, graduated only child.

In these examples, it only takes one sentence to do what the best stories do when they work; make us laugh, make us wonder, make us cry.

As with music, a memorable sentence is a matter of selecting the right words, in the right order.
Since I love writing and want to write well, I collect the sentences I admire, in part for the pleasure of words, the music of language and the satisfaction of a story, a mood, an image distilled, palpable. I I also study sentences looking for patterns. Painters learned how to paint, by imitating the masters. It makes sense to me that to write well, one should start by imitating sentences one admires. At least, that is my project here.