How To…

How To Write A 17 Word Story

You can write a 17 word story any way you want, but this simple advice might help.

  • Start with a good phrase in mind – like “nearly 6 years ago” or “under a large rock.”
  • Choose an interesting actor – like “Old Jeff down at the pub” or just he, she or they.
  • Bring them together – to create a story that says something fun but also encourages thinking and imagining.
  • Strengthen verbs by changing weak ones like “runs” to stronger ones: flees, sprints, rushes, scurries or scampers.
  • Add or remove adjectives to help adjust the word count, always aiming for exactly 17 remarkable words.
  • Publish your new stories wherever you like, then share the link on the popular 17WordStories.com About page.
  • Create a life that orbits around the perfection of seventeen – a mythology you can develop for yourself.

Old Jeff down at the pub saw a UFO under a rock. Regretfully, he helped it escape.
— Gip Plaster