9 word stories

Hok and Gao discuss narrative brevity…

Hok: He’s one of those people who talk too much. Adds too much detail to stories. Why use ten words when two will do?

Gao: Stories can benefit from detail.

Hok: Ever heard of Smith? A magazine called Smith?

Gao: Six word stories? Like Hemingway’s “For Sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.” I proposed a modification to that. A nine word story. Three lines, each having three words.

Hok: Sounds symmetrical.

Gao: Two axes: X and Y. X axis is Agent, Action, Object. Y axis is Beginning, Middle, End.

Hok: Example?

Gao: OK. Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. Bandits attack village. Villagers hire samurai. Samurai kill bandits.

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Voice-over

Symmetry of the 9 word story matrix.

Six word stories: an interesting challenge.

Like haiku, 5-7-5.

Nine word stories: a little more wiggle room.

Like waka 5-7-5-7-7.

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