I’ve been away from journal writing for a while. I’ve had other things on my mind that made scribbling random thoughts in a Moleskine seem…trivial. Things that make me nervous with worry about what life has in store for me in the coming months.

But this past birthday, I promised myself that I would get back to writing. So, I picked myself up a fresh new Moleskine while a buddy of mine bought me a cool fountain pen and ink as a gift. I now had the tools to write all that was on my mind within the blank pages of this journal. And I have.

It has felt good to write down what I’m thinking. From worries about finding work, to an idea to a murder mystery, to a silly quote I heard on the street. It has help me focus on what I need to do and letting me think about how I can go about my tasks in a positive matter. Writing is therapeutic.

What helps you relax?

Kiss stained lips whisper, “Goodbye lover.”

I was going through some of my old notes and found an odd piece of paper inside my copy of The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler. It was a set of six word sentences I had written down. I glanced at the first two sentences trying to remember what they pertain to and a lightbulb went on in my head. Six Word Stories.

It all started with a bet Ernest Hemingway had with a friend. The bet was he couldn’t write a short story in only six words. He won the bet with

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Over the decades other writers and famous personalities have played with the concept of six word stories and most often they can found in popular magazines.

Earlier this year I had jokingly started trying to make various six word stories within the noir genre. I came up with five before something else grabbed my attention. Namely, me being laid off at work. I put it in a book I was reading that day at work and never looked at them again until just an hour ago.

Now I have an idea brewing in my head. Combine the six word noir stories I’ve created with a photo to help visualized each scene. Each being like an amuse-bouche; a conscised story that needed no further information or exposition. Self-contained but wanting you yearning for more.

Yeah…I think this can work.