What can you say with 100 words? Hemingway famously tickled heart strings with six: for sale baby shoes never worn. This works as a story because there’s a beginning, middle and a twisted end.

Often memories arise as a series anecdotes. Anecdotes are not stories. So how do we connect moments through text to make meaning? You might write 1000 words without ever finding your story.

For this workshop we will write in short bursts, light and dark stories. We will think how one moment or thought influences another, and also think what we want to communicate. What makes a twist satisfying?

Warrior Writers invites creative military veterans, families and friends for a generative writing workshop at North Eastern Crossing (https://www.northeastern.edu/crossing/). Nobody is expected to share what they write, but there will be time to read. This is a generative workshop, so remember to bring a pen and pad of paper. We are planning several revision workshops for later in the fall as well.

Here’s a sample 100 word story:

Give It Up
Franz Kafka

It was very early in the morning, the streets clean and deserted, I was walking to the station. As I compared the tower clock with my watch I realized that it was already much later than I had thought, I had to hurry, the shock of this discovery made me unsure of the way, I did not yet know my way very well in this town; luckily, a policeman was nearby, I ran up to him and breathlessly asked him the way. He smiled and said: “From me you want to know the way?” “Yes,” I said, “since I cannot find it myself.” “Give it up! Give it up,” he said, and turned away with a sudden jerk, like people who want to be alone with their laughter.