SHORT STORY SEVENTY SEVEN
There once was a blogger who sought flash fiction challenges.
He tried fifty-fives, but lost the connections.
Then he experimented with others, but most players played alone. It wasn’t a friendly sort of thing, with theme and all.
A hundred? Too long. He wondered how seventy-seven would pan out. It had the alliteration that flash fiction fifty-five enjoyed; yet gave a bit more scope.
So he tried one.
And lived happily ever after?
The above, with title, is exactly seventy-seven words long.
If I set a theme every week, and invite participation, is there any interest out there? It is a wonderful exercise for tightening up one’s writing.
What would be most popular – a competition with voting for the best, or just posting the entries for mutual admiration?
Do consider playing along. As you can see, it doesn’t take a lot of writing. This bit is also exactly seventy-seven words.
© Colonialist February 2014 (WordPress)
Colonialist's Blog 
I’ve been tempted in the past to give it a try. But nah, it’s hard enough without limitations!
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You should try my easy system:
1) Write the story.
2) Do a word count.
3) Prune or add until they come right.
Simple! 🙂
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Simple? Haha!
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What could be simpler than that?
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Step 1 is the hardest, lol! Give me a subject or outline and I’ll write a story, but don’t ask me to just write a story. That’s why I write poetry, haha, easy peasy!
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*cunningly* You can do a pome in 77 words!
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Mmmmmmmmmm…………………… You’re too clever by half, Mr Col!
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Au contraire – at least three-quarters!
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Take care, take care, your brain don’t pop out your ear!
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There, you see? Add another 66 words and you would be home and dry!
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Not sure. Depends on the theme. Competition is fun . . . as long as no one gets their nose out of joint. 😉
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So let’s get it started, and then see about how to do it and still retain jointed noses!
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The cautious response.
Not one to like restrictions in number of words, but I suppose if it’s posed as a challenge, I might tempted to give it a go.
Not much for competitions because often it ends up being a popularity contest, and not so much a true appreciation for the work submitted (no bitterness here!).
And, what do you know; this too is seventy seven words long, or it will be when I finish typing it.
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I am going to start as a mere challenge … after that we shall see.
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I’ll take part in this whenever I get the chance. I think it would be nice if people just did it for fun and not as a competition
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Right; that’s the way I’ll start, anyway.
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I’ll join in Col, challenge rather than competition for me, but I’ll still take part!
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Great! First challenge now up!
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Yea. I would have a try
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*sob* Nobody is telling me whether they want it as a challenge or a competition!
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I’ll have a go.
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Excellent – voted, or published for fun?
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for fun.
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Right!
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I can remain silent no longer — I’m up for this!
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Great – which version?
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Competition: it sharpens the mind
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Noted!
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