Friday, June 5, 2009

The 39'er: New Story Form?

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I believe I have just invented a new story form: 39 words, 7 lines:

1. I played Powerball, won big jackpot.

2. Won big jackpot, my children sued.

3. My children sued, moved out West.

4. Moved out West, met rich rancher.

5. Met rich rancher, married his brother.

6. I divorced the rich rancher's brother.

7. To be continued.
Characteristics of the 39'er story:

1. Sentences 1-6, six words each

2. Sentence 7, three words

3. Lines 2-5: the last three words of the previous sentence are the first three words.

4. However, line 6 does not repeat the last three words of line five.
A New 39'er based on the first one above:

1. The state divides our martial assets.

2. Our marital assets include Powerball winnings.

3. "Include Powerball winnings??? Are you kidding?"

4. "Are YOU kidding?" said my ex.

5. Said my ex, "You owe me!"

6. I married my ex's rich brother.

7. Bore nine children.
Each 7-line block could build into a larger story, or each block could act as a starting point for a traditional short story or even a novel.

In these two blocks, I have the bare bones of a rich ranching family's saga; those two feuding brothers (of course they're feuding--they have both had a crack at the narrator!) and those nine spawn of the second marriage (likely the third for the narrator) will be jockeying for control of the family riches, some of which have been built from the narrator's lottery winnings. Also, those original children from (presumably) the narrator's first marriage are likely to show up at the ranch with their hands out for a piece of the pie.

The reader knows that there are least 11 children are involved, maybe more, which means a lot of delicious possibilities for various dysfunctions: alcoholism, drug abuse, gambling problems, sociopathy, mental illness, spousal abuse, etc.

Very cool form, perfect for the Twitter platform.
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