A number of years ago, I remember reading an odd story told entirely in cancelled bank checks. I was inspired and created my own version of it at one time (need to find it) and this week, as part of Digital Writing Month, I thought about how we might use the format of text messaging to tell a story. I had this idea of a girl texting her parents about “losing it” – a phrase that brings up a few different connotations — and letting the message unfold until the meaning becomes clear.
Honestly, I don’t know how successful the story is. I had to add something later to the beginning, which may have ruined the flow of the story as I first told it. I am hoping the late addition added to it. But I did like how I had to think in terms of character, and medium, and the nuance of conversation in this format. It made for a tricky tale, told quickly with lots of narrative gaps. And the text message generator gave me a chance to write and kick out images that look like it really did unfold on a cell phone.
Peace (in the story),
Kevin
Such a great idea – and it really works as a story!
It felt like reading messages on someone else’s phone; you don’t understand everything because you don’t have access to phone calls or face-to-face conversations that took place in-between text messages, and when a message finally gives you the key to understand what those messages are about, it sheds a new light on those and you can’t help re-reading them.
Nice job!
Phew
Glad it worked for a reader.
Kevin
Well done. I thought it flowed fine.
I’m doing some research and am interested in reading more stories told through text msg and social networks. Have you come across any?