THE ART OF DRABBLING
These microfiction stories are complete in one hundred words, from beginning to end. I’m passionate about writing them. A theme usually presents itself first, often followed by pre-named characters. At times, as a story evolves, characters alter their personalities, temperaments, and/or rename themselves. Surprisingly, stories I’ve considered completed have urged me to rewrite them.
An art form, called drabble, was developed in Great Britain in the 1980s. It was inspired by a word game suggested in Monty Python’s Big Red Book. Players were to write a novel on a given theme. The winner was the first to finish. In the same decade, the Birmingham University of Science Fiction and others created the current 100-word version.
As an actual game, Drabble began to catch on. Writers including Isaac Asimov, Arthur Clarke, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman have tried their hand at them.
Because of their brevity, some people unfamiliar with the form assume drabbles are easy to write. This is frequently discovered not to be the case, after attempting to create one. Some people also think that drabbles can be poems, but this is also not the case. See more about poetry vs. prose on Write a Drabble.
How to engage with this book? You can read one of these stories before bed, while drinking your coffee, or, to ease moments spent waiting for someone or something. Or, you can take one to your favorite discussion group! Covering a range of topics and emotions, they provide plenty of food for thought with enough love, hatred, malice, surprise, humor, deception, treachery, or mystery, for all.
Most of all enjoy them!
Arlene Duane Hemingwway
