The Shortest Short Stories: Tiny Stories

February 27, 2012 — 32 Comments

Whilst traveling, my wife and I ran into a friend who had this book:

Tiny Stories

It’s a fascinating (tiny) book of idea generators, saucy illustrations and super teeny-tiny stories. Coupled with this post of writing prompts I read yesterday, I thought I’d try my hand at a few tiny stories as well.

Please leave your own tiny story in the comments so we can all enjoy your creativity.

Tiny Story #1

She didn’t like it when Janice talked that way.

But then again, Janice didn’t like the way she listened either.

Tiny Story #2

When in doubt, stop doubting.

Tiny Story #3

He liked watching people draw, but his favorite was brush on canvas. That sent him reeling.

The sound of the bristles dabbing color onto the stretched cloth made him feel like he’d just drank one too many. And no hangover the next morning.

Tiny Story #4

“Whoever said ‘the best things in life aren’t things’ must’ve been a nudist,” Glen pondered aloud while doing his morning crossword puzzle.

“Why are you telling me this after 35 years of marriage Glen?”

Linda felt they may be moving to warmer climates soon.

Tiny Story #5

Clearly stacked against her, the evidence seemed insurmountable.

With no other way to prove her innocence, she took out a tape measure and allowed the baliff to measure her hips.

Leave your tiny story in the comments. 

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Andrew Zahn

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I'm an actor who spends some time as a Public Relations Manager. On this blog, I pave a highway for creative growth by providing food, water, and shelter for those wishing to live, work, and play with creative zest.
  • http://thebeardedidealist.com Stephen Haggerty

    This is great, man. Loving all the above shorts. Let me try:

    An eternal optimist, Jack took the half-full glass and filled it with water.

    Jill complained of the flavor.

    • Andrew Zahn

      Read this one to my wife. We love it.

  • http://www.mchellewoodman.com Michelle Woodman

    That sounds like a book I’ll have to check out! (Amazon, here I come. . .)

    Here’s my attempt:

    Annie shook out the newspaper as she padded back to the kitchen. “Huh,” she said as she skimmed the front page. Her soon-to-be ex-husband was facing charges of arson.

    This was going to throw a wrench into her plans for world travel. But that was Bill — he was always keeping her from doing what she wanted to do.

    • Andrew Zahn

      I love the last line! What a great start to a story… “he was always keeping her from doing what she wanted to do.”

      Man, that would make me want to read more. Nice work!

  • http://www.chadgibbs.com Chad Gibbs

    “I’m pregnant.”

    “But you’re a dude.”

    “It was a figure of speech.”

    “It was a weird one.”

    • Andrew Zahn

      Fan. Tas. Tic.

  • http://andyswordsandpictures.wordpress.com Andy

    It’s not as easy as it looks. Here’s my effort:

    It rattled to a stop. The label said Pepsi but it could have as easily been Coke or Budweiser. Arron gave the battered can another kick sending it skittering along the pebbled asphalt shoulder.

    This is how he dealt with all of his tough decisions.

  • http://AspiringCreativity.com Dannon Loveland

    This is lots of fun. I have one:

    If Ezra was going to get success, he first needed to get some sleep.

    • Andrew Zahn

      Poor Ezra.

  • http://actuallyadamlauver.tumblr.com Adam Lauver

    Nice! Glad you enjoyed it… and glad to see the inspiration spread!

    I wrote a little something years ago that I’ve never known what to do with, but I think it might work as a Tiny Story… maybe I should submit it for the next volume… hmmm.

    • Sarah Z.

      Yes, you SHOULD! Maybe that’s what it’s been waiting for all along.

  • Ken Stewart

    He stood motionless before the locked closet door. In all his years living in that house, he had never found the key, so he never knew what lay behind it. In an hour he would be moving out.

  • Ken Stewart

    I’ve been wanting to get into creative writing but it seemed too daunting. But man, I could do this all day!

    • Andrew Zahn

      Some people made a book out of it! They DID do it all day… probably many days.

      Join ‘em ;)

  • Ken Stewart

    This reminds me of Hemingway’s challenge of writing a complete story using only six words. His submission: For Sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.

  • Sarah Z.

    After the performance a tiny woman with a cane approached the singer in the sparkly dress. Raising a single eyebrow she looked the sparkly singer up and down and said, “You came on stage and looked so lovely in that dress, but then I looked at your legs…and what a disappointment.”

  • http://danblackonleadership.com Dan Black

    Great short story’s 2 and 4.

    The person of influence gets up early, gets to work in a strategic and intentional way, and goes to bed late.

  • http://www.indueseason.net skottydog

    As Joel briskly walked through the labyrinth of ropes at the DMV where the lines of people SHOULD have been, he thought to himself, “This is the first time I’ve seen this place so empty. Not wearing pants today was a smart move after all.”

  • http://Yukimisongstudio.com Songy

    I am loving this book, Andrew……..my silly attempt (took me 4 days, my confession):

    As I was teaching my 4-year-old piano student the note values, she points out each musical note on the page and says, “ok Miss Y, this is (a) whole (note), (a) quarter (note), and another quarter, and….”, she looks up with a grim and says, “it’s a dime!” I claim myself I’m the best piano teacher in NYC.

    • Andrew Zahn

      Adorable story. Thanks for sharing it.

      So glad you like the book. It’s quite a fun little concept isn’t it?

  • http://michaelrcarter.blogspot.com/ Michael

    My tiny story-

    The traveler never noticed the piece that fell from his puzzle box.

    • Andrew Zahn

      Roped me right in…. makes me want to know more!

  • http://snapshotofthewhole.wordpress.com/ Pamela Williamson

    Great post! How fun! I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to share your tiny story idea on my blog. :)

    • http://www.zahndrew.com/ Andrew Zahn

      Please do Pamela! I’d just ask that you’d put a link your post back to this one!

      I can’t wait to read it!

      • http://snapshotofthewhole.wordpress.com/ Pamela Williamson

        Will do Andrew. Thanks! :)

  • Pingback: Are My Shorts Too Tiny For You? | Snap Shot of the Whole

  • http://www.facebook.com/BernardoDSerna Ben Serna

    I looked at the pictures on the wall, each one with relished memories…. each one gone as I pass on to the kitchen to make breakfast. So much time has passed, and I’m still here.

    • http://www.zahndrew.com/ Andrew Zahn

      Ah…. that ropes me right in Ben! Thanks for sharing!

  • http://twitter.com/JeremyMDoan Jeremy Doan

    My favorite is one from Hemingway:

    For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.

    • http://www.zahndrew.com/ Andrew Zahn

      That’s so very rich.

      And sad?

      And wonderful.

  • http://www.411mania.com/user_profile.php?user_id=451 Mathew Sforcina

    I’ve just started a blog where I do one 100 word story a day. But let’s see if I can’t shave some words off that…

    1: I swore I’d never change for a woman. And I was right. It was a man.

    2: So it turns out that you can teach an old dog a new trick. Might not want to though…

    3: “And for my third wish, I wish the cannibalistic women and Fort Knox’s guards were off my lawn please.”

    • http://www.zahndrew.com/ Andrew Zahn

      Those are ripe! I want to hear more ;)

      Heading over to your blog now.