Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
It is hosted by Denise.
Each week she provides a prompt word.
We are, all of use, invited to write a story that invokes this word. The only rule requires our stories to count out to having exactly six sentences. No more, no less.
Oh, one other thing, we all read and comment on each others Sixes. (This is me being selfish. A rather substantial aspect of the exercise here involves my effort to improve my writing. When I read Six Sentence Stories, more often than not, I’m all, ‘…how the heck did they manage to convey that‘. Comments are totally valuable and appreciated. ya know?)
This week the prompt word is:
Exhaust
With the labored sincerity of a child resisting bedtime, the young man leaned around the soundproof divider the library provided for each study terminal and whispered, “They say the price of skill is practice.”
“Are you sure you don’t mean ‘practice is the cost of skill’?” The girl continued typing, intent on not encouraging the boy; a lone, rebellious eyebrow struggled to semaphore an early surrender as she continued, “We need to practice to learn.”
“Well, no, I simply don’t agree you are using the appropriate word in this context,” the challenge in his voice, every bit the crumpled-stem bouquet of flowers gathered on impulse, in the service of a far more pervasive motive than either had the experience to appreciate.
“Rather than join the futile effort to exhaust your limitless supply of excuses to avoid the actual work,” her lips joined her eyes in waving her heart’s standard, the beginning of a truce in a battle that has resisted lasting peace since the beginning of human history. On the same impulse that gave rise to civilizations, wars and great art, she relented, and with a softer, tone added,
“Your time and effort in practicing the craft is the cost that you are willing to pay; the price of success as a writer is that, plus whatever it is that keeps you coming back to a blank page.”
About clarkscottroger
You had me at AWB.
… the beginning of a truce in a battle that has resisted lasting peace since the beginning of human history.
Great line.
I really liked the song also.
Thank you.
And so much more work to do. Great six.
Thanks, M
A simple, yet engaging 6.
“Parasentence” 3. Beautiful. Poetic.
ty
I finally got off my lazy behind and wrote a six this week! It’s like this was written just for me – a sign of good stuff. :-)
Seems like this was written just for my non-writing self just lately. A sign of a good piece, when the reader goes “Ah!”
lol… totally!*
*why, yes the depth of my vocabulary surely gives me away as an amateur wordsmith… (hey, that sounds like a title for a series of YA mystery novels!…what’dya say, we should write one)
“I’ve got work to do.” Isn’t that the truth for most of us. Staring at a blank page or screen begs for something to be written. At least we don’t have to recycle quite so much paper now since the advent of computer, if we get those revisions done before printing. LOL
Great story.
I was actually thinking about that, the challenges of being a writer in the days of typewriters (never mind, pencil and paper days)…. how much physical labor must have been involved! ayyiieee!
I just got involved with this and am amazed by the writing talent depicted in six sentences..
I find this bloghop to be the best exercise to improve my own writing, seeing what others manage to do with a word is quite instructive.
Welcome to the Six Sentence Story!
Ya just never know what kind of response you’ll find here. Never a blank page, that’s for sure.
Funny you should say that. I have of late been thinking that as long as I keep putting words down ‘on paper’ in the company of those with greater skill, I have to get better at the craft. If for no other reason than the Law of Contagion. ya know?