Writing out Microstories - Approaches (06 April 2013)

Set of Rules to apply:

- Has a beginning, middle and an end, however the end should not necessarily be at the end.
- Usually has terse, short paragraphs
- Is more concise that a short story
- Microstories have viral, marketing potential, on social networks
- Microstories can be poetic and emotive
- Microstories are a product of the acceleration of information on the internet, and need to absorb information quickly to make informed decisions.
- Microstories are created for the Twitter generation! (Are there many previous examples before Twitter?)
- Colour code your microstories to understand them
- Microstories are often the subject of writing contests, to test people’s ability to write terse writing.
(idea that pictures are worth a thousand words, if so what is 100 words – a small photo?)
- A Micro Story is a story of predetermined maximum length which still contains the essential elements of narration: one or more characters acting in a more or less settled time and space, according to the traditional idea of introduction, climax and resolution.
- Keep verbs
- Remove joining words
- In super micro-stories (below 10 words), the key info are dates, people, and constructions.
- Reduce duplication. If something has been stated in a sentence. Remove later duplications.

Try 100 words
Try 50 words
Try 25 words
Try 10 words
Try 5 words

Story 1:

William Johnson had patented a tide mill design in 1801. In 1802 he approached Morden college and asked if he could lease a site for ‘a water corn mill’ – a tide mill with a wheel which could be adjusted to the ebb and flow of the tide.
(45w)

William Johnson patented a tide mill design in 1801. In 1802 he approached Morden college to ask to lease a site for ‘a water corn mill’.
(25w)

William Johnson patented a tide mill design in 1801. In 1802 he asked to lease a site for ‘a water corn mill’.
(20w)

William Johnson patented a tide mill design 1801. 1802 he bought a site for ‘water corn mill’.
(15w) - comfortable limit.

Johnson tide mill design 1801. 1802 leased site corn mill.
(10w)

Johnson tide mill 1801. 1802 leased corn mill.(8w)

cut style
1802. Johnson. design tide mill. 1802. lease corn mill.
(9w)
(which opens up to the larger text.)

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The first Telegraph Cables
In 1837 the Enderby brothers were approached by William Cooke, the pioneer inventor of the telegraph, who asked for help in developing a specially insulated rope. This was for the earliest experiments in setting up the electric telegraph in which Cooke wanted to establish an electric telegraph across the Thames. It was possibly this cable that was used in the first trials of the telegraph on the railway up Camden Bank between Euston and Camden Town. If so, this means that the earliest effective telegraph cable was made in Greenwich. Later owners of the site made cables that stretched across the world and in so doing followed on work already done by the Enderby family.
(118w)

The first Telegraph Cables
In 1837 the Enderby brothers were approached by William Cooke. This was for an experiment in which Cooke wanted to establish an telegraph across the Thames. Possibly it was this cable that was used in the first trials of the telegraph on the underground. If so, this means that the earliest effective telegraph cable was made in Greenwich. Later owners of the site made cables that stretched across the world.
(73w)

In 1837 the Enderby brothers were approached by William Cooke. Cooke wanted to establish a telegraph across the Thames. Possibly this cable was for the first trials of the telegraph on the underground. Later owners of the site made cables that stretched across the world.
(45w)

In 1837 Enderby brothers were approached by William Cooke. Cooke wanted to establish a telegraph that could run across the Thames.
(20w)

1837 Enderby brothers approached by William Cooke. Cooke wanted a telegraph that could run across Thames.
(15w)

1837 William Cooke approached Enderby brothers. Cooke wanted telegraph across Thames.
(10w)

cut style
1837. William Cooke approached Enderby brothers. Wanted telegraph across Thames.
(10w)