Text Message Stories: 160 Characters or less

As a person who has committed to writing as a career, I am always looking for ways to challenge myself and hone my skills. Over the weekend, I exchanged text messages with friends and I realized that many of my friends break the character limit (160 characters) during their messages. I thought about how I text and how often I break the character limit. Quite often.

This got me thinking about how to tell a story, and how much space is necessary. Many people, writers especially, know the (tall) tale of Hemingway writing a novel in six words. While "For sale: baby shoes, never worn" has passed into legendary status, I'm looking for something a little more manageable. I present to you "Text Message Stories: 160 Characters or less." Let me know what you think.

I'm running late. It's 3:55pm. The bank closes at 4pm, and I'm 3 minutes away.

The light changes to green. I'm off down side streets.

3:57pm. Will I get there??

My head nods as my eyes close. I'm jarred awake by the motion.

The computer screen slowly fades into focus.

Project Development Budget.

I sigh. I need coffee.

I press send, now I'm waiting. Will she respond? How long will it take?

Is she expecting me to text?

My phone buzzes in my hand. A smile dances across my face.

Perhaps now it is your turn, dear reader. Try your hand at this type of "Flash Fiction," but remember the rules. Your story must not be longer than 160 characters (including spaces). Use the text message function on your phone to check yourself. Feel free to leave your stories as comments. I look forward to seeing what you create!