100 Words
Reno News & Review, a weekly paper, has an annual contest of a 100+ word story. They add a word to the limit every year. Presumably, in 2004 it’ll be a 104 word contest. I remember thinking a 500 word essay was a beast of an assignment, but after trying to write a 100 word story my viewpoint has changed. I used up all my words long before I got to the point.
I’ve suggested to a couple of teacher friends of mine to severely limit the number of words a student can use in an essay, hoping it would teach them about the economy of words. If they would focus less on getting word number 500, they would write less fluff and more meat. On the other hand I know a lot of folks would take advantage of the parameters unless other criteria was stressed. For example, it needs a beginning, middle and an end; a strong opinion has to be expressed; or the reader needs to feel something.
The 100 Words section is my attempt at practicing the key to good communication which of course is brevity.
If you can’t wait until May for the next 100 Word Story Contest, head to 54 Words where they’re accepting 54 word entries all the time.