Writing a story in twenty-six words



Rob, our creative writing tutor, set us an interesting challenge this week. He made each of us write a 26-word story so that the first word began with A, the second with B, etc., and the 26th with Z. Most people got about half way; I managed to complete the task, for which we were allotted exactly 26 minutes. Here’s what I wrote:

Knife-wielding maniac takes umbrage at pollution and dispatches company manager

Adrian Bartholomew Curtis disliked effluvia from Grangemouth. He intruded; just knocked loudly. Manager Nolan opened.

“Perhaps queasy?”

“Right!”

“So?”

“This utensil vents wobbly xiphisternums, you zyzzyva!”

(Note for the lexicographically challenged: the xiphisternum is the flap of cartilage at the bottom of the breast bone; a zyzzyva is a kind of weevil found in South America.)

Rob has now invited each of us to write a 52-word story, the first two words beginning with A…

Anyone out there fancy trying their hand at one challenge or the other?

🙂

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