The best brief just won big! Becker Library librarians challenged the community to write a short story in the shortest month.

The St. Stephen’s community penned its most detailed and compelling story assignment using as few words as possible — six, to be exact. This story would’ve lost. We’ve already written too much. 

Library assistant Hannah True wanted to find a fun way to get through a short — but what can sometimes feel like a long — winter February month before spring break. Like some of history's greatest writers, the librarians wanted to challenge the community to stretch its word brain.

Head Librarian Bethany Williams describes our current culture as a bit of a “language curve that goes up and down,” and she hoped the challenge would inspire brevity.

“In some eras, we are more verbose Dickens, and when texting came into key, it was the letter C, the letter Y and the letter L for ‘see you later.’ I feel like we were not verbose,” said Williams. “But I think since we have speech-to-text, we've gotten a little more verbose again. So forcing people to condense their thoughts and be purposeful with their word choice is a really great exercise.”

The voting process was rather simple. The librarians posted each of the 33 entries on a library window with a number. Small Dixie cups served as the ballot boxes, and the community voted for its favorite by placing a small stone in the corresponding numbered cup. The most stones won.

Happy short story reading the winners: 

1st place
Knowledge corrupts deceit. Truth’s a lie.

2nd place
A pig decided to start flying.

3rd place
I’m existing; never feeling fully present.

Submitted Six-Word Stories:

• Ten years, where are you mom?
• Test scores, open doors, childhood gone.
• We stumbled, failed, and still laughed.
• She laid completely still, eyes dull. 
• Written in cheery pink, Diagnosis.
• I'm still your leftovers, before all.
• Still searching for what you were.
• One Game, One World, Endless Creativity.
• She died yet here she was.
• I thought she would die old.
• The evil man was super evil.
• Kids grow up, wow time flies.
• After all, tomorrow is another day.
• Your life ends minute by minute.
• The things you own own you. 
• They said: "It's impossible." It wasn't. 
• Love the culture, but not you.
• Appearing great, but not quite there.
• A strong voice never quite heard.
• Don't wait, I'm not coming home.
• I loved you and I'm sorry.
• Mom, it's time to get down.
• I'm sorry, who are you again?
• That day, he wept for her. 
• Strike first, strike hard, no mercy.
• Swimming to win the top trophy.
• A word. A page. The world.
• Shared an earbud, never a word.
• AI told me to do it.
• A window to a higher salary.

The winners took home a puzzle book with two perfectly sharpened pencils for their next writing challenge.