Brevity and storytelling

How long do we really listen? Or read? With shortening attention spans, brevity is a key skill in storytelling. And for that, knowing what not to say, is as important as what to say.

Thankfully, authors have shown us the way through the flash fiction they write. In 6-10 words, they give us a beginning, a middle, an end, and a world of inspiration.

My favourite ones are:

"For sale baby shoes never worn." Ernest Hemingway

"Epitaph: Foolish humans. Never escaped earth." Vernor Vinge

Practical tip: Even if don't strive to be authors who have a penchant for word play, can the constraint of 6-10 words help in bringing brevity to real-life applications? From the tagline of your company to the opening line of your presentation. Try it. See what gets removed and what's really critical to include.