Drabble

History

The concept is said to have originated in UK science fiction fandom in the 1980s; the 100-word format was established by the Birmingham University SF Society, taking a term from Monty Python's 1971 Big Red Book. In the book, "Drabble" was described as a word game where the first participant to write a novel was the winner. In order to make the game possible in the real world, it was agreed that 100 words would suffice. French writer Félix Fénéon may be considered as a precursor with his nouvelles en trois lignes (three-line short stories), inspired by news items.

In drabble contests, participants are given a theme and a certain amount of time to write. (For example, Wilfrid Laurier University conducted a "100 Words Centennial Drabble Contest" in commemoration of its 100th anniversary in 2011, in which contestants were asked to write about "inspiration, leadership or purpose".) Drabble contests, and drabbles in general, are popular in science fiction fandom and in fan fiction. Beccon Publications published three volumes, The Drabble Project (1988) and Drabble II: Double Century (1990), both edited by Rob Meades and David Wake, and Drabble Who (1993), edited by David J. Howe and David Wake.

Examples

Published science fiction writers who have written drabbles include Brian Aldiss and Gene Wolfe (both of whom contributed to The Drabble Project), and Jake Bible (whose novel Dead Mech was written entirely in drabble format).

100 Word Story is an online literary journal that was co-founded in 2011 by Grant Faulkner and Lynn Mundell. It publishes stories that are exactly 100 words long.

The web has also enabled a rapid spread of the genre, with publishers such as The Third Word Press using the web to collect drabble stories.

55 Fiction

A similar concept is 55 Fiction, which is a form of microfiction that refers to the works of fiction that are either limited to a maximum of 55 words or have a requirement of exactly 55 words. The origin of 55 Fiction can be traced to a short story writing contest organized by New Times, an independent alternative weekly in San Luis Obispo, California, in 1987. The idea was proposed by New Times founder and publisher Steve Moss.

Criteria

A literary work will be considered 55 Fiction if it has:

1. 55 words or fewer, however some publishers actually require exactly 55 words – no more and no less;
2. A setting;
3. One or more characters;
4. Some conflict; and
5. A resolution. (Not limited to the moral of the story) The title of the story is not part of the overall word count, but cannot exceed seven words.

References

References

1. [http://www.therecord.com/print/article/602546 "Winners named in WLU drabble competition"] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-05-15 , ''[[Waterloo Region Record]]'', October 1, 2011.)
2. "Flash fiction: 'Intense, urgent and a little explosive'", ''[[The Irish Times]]'', October 26, 2011, copy available [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924192229/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-29941178.html here].
3. Sarah Womer, [https://archive.today/20130210041029/http://www.yumasun.com/news/story-75397-place-staff.html "AWC professor impressed by short story entries"], ''[[Yuma Sun]]'', December 21, 2011.
4. (21 December 2011). "Flash Fiction".
5. Liz Smith, [http://thecord.ca/articles/47813 "Laurier launches literary competition to commemorate Centennial year"]{{dead link. (December 2016)
6. T K Kenyon. (22 September 2011). "REVIEW: 'Cryoburn (A Miles Vorkosigan Novel)' by Lois McMaster Bujold". SF Signal.
7. Fred Cleaver. (21 November 2010). "Science fiction books". [[Denver Post]].
8. (2010-01-10). "What's A Drabble?". Jake Bible Fiction.
9. "Flash! Fiction! - The Review Review".
10. "The Third Word Press".
11. Ron Wiggins. (October 11, 2001). "PAPER CHALLENGES WRITERS TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT". Palm Beach Post.
12. (June 27, 2011). "Mini- és maxiregények". Nyelv és Tudomány.
13. (May 17, 2005). "NEW TIMES PUBLISHER DIED OF EPILEPSY". The Tribune.