What is a 50-Word Story?
A 50-word story is a piece of fiction written in exactly 50 words. That doesn’t mean “roughly” 50 words; it doesn’t mean “as close to 50 words as possible”; it doesn’t mean 50 words or fewer. It means exactly 50 words.
As with any other form of fiction, a 50-word story should have a beginning and an end, a plot and character development (even if they are only implied), and a theme, meaning, or purpose of some sort. Many 50-word stories are built around twists or climactic moments.
What is This Site?
Right now, 50WS posts two reader-submitted stories every weekday. To submit your stories for possible publication, see the Submissions page. A $10 prize is available for the best submission each month: see the Top Stories page for more information.
How Did This Site Start?
The original goal of 50WS was for me, Tim Sevenhuysen, to post one new, original 50-word story every day for a year. Between February 22, 2009, and February 21, 2010, I completed that goal, with a bit of help from a few reader submissions.
I started Year Two on July 5, 2010, then came back for more with Year Three, which began on August 1, 2011. During Year Three I shared stories from guest writers on Mondays, and posted my own stories from Tuesday to Friday.
Since the conclusion of Year Three, the site has been dedicated to publishing stories from other authors around the world.
Questions or Comments
You can email tim@fiftywordstories.com to get in touch with me if you have any comments or questions about the site.
I think this is such a great idea! I look forward to hearing more great stories. It’s like bite-sized entertainment.
I once took part in a 50 word story writing challenge by the dailypost.wordpress.com. I took on an immediate liking towards this concept. Having the entire plot and emotions contained in 50 words can be quite a challenge. I am glad to have found your site. Sometimes I’m hooked for hours together – reading and re-reading the stories !
Hi Tim,
Do you offer any payment for the stories if they’re not weekly winners?
Thanks.
Love this concept. It lets the creative juices flow and challenges the mind.
A lie never again
The lie never again
We used to lie and believe bad ideas about our self’s. We have to love ourselves, like we are. With our strengths and weaknesses. We have to invert in your strengths, to be better persons. If we are better persons we’re going to have a happy life.
If we only thing in our bad ideas, negativism, weaknesses, imperfections, we are never going to grow as a person.
As soon was we start changing that, we are going to have a happy life of grow, love and meaning.
Today is a new day to start lying to ourselves that we can’t do anything we purpose to us. Never lie again to yourself that you can do anything you want in your life. We only have to work it, hard work pays off.
Kelly Salinas
I just started writing stories a couple of months ago; therefore, I really appreciate the challenge. It’s helped a lot! Thank you!
Love to finally find this site. Hello Tim!
Is the 50 word story contest still active?
You ask to return as yesterday because you are sorry, but whoever lies once, repeats again.
It is not easy to forget deceit and betrayal, and even if you want to forgive, your heart resists.
The distance will be better to think better, calm the cravings a little and make a decision.
But remember… Always.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET AROUND THE NEED FOR A WEBSITE TO ENTER THE COMPETITION?
The Lie Never Again
When I was a child, I liked to lie frequently, so once I decided to lie to my mother about some pills I should take for a throat infection, but I didn’t really take them because I didn’t like them, quickly the infection and the lies grew strongly and that almost cost me my life.
THE TAKEOVER
As I cross the square, I greet, as always, the old bronze man who occupies the third bank. I cheerfully take a seat next to him and joke about the benefits of being alone.
Only when I begin to feel stiff hands, face, the old man stands up and leaves; not without wishing me luck first.
Are there any themes for each month?
I love the stories presented here! In order to think outside the box, you first have to get into one. 50-Word Stories presents that opportunity, challenging writers to use their best words to open up a wider world outside of ourselves.
The Lie Never Again
She had relieved that painful experience, rereading once more the promises of those letters, but at the same time, she missed that man, she longed to hear his voice. He had broken and disappointed her heart with his lies. She was tearing up the letters. She was relaxing after that.
Hi Tim, are you still having issues with receiving emails from Hotmail accounts as I haven’t received a response for two months now? Thanks, Andrea
Hi, I’ve just found this site. It appeals to me. One-day soon, I will get in touch. M
Tim; in the past I have been able to access pieces by the author’s name. Is that still possible? Wondering….Jackie
Hi Jackie. It should be possible. Look for the “tag” on a story with the author’s name, and click on it. Or enter the author’s name into the Search area (click the magnifying glass in the top right of the page).
Are there prompts on which the stories have to be written?
Thanks for the question, Alana.
No, there are no prompts; you may stories about any subject you wish, as long as it meets the guidelines on the Submissions page!
This is a great example of the site that can be good ranking in Google even though they have short articlrs.
Hi everyone, does the 50 words include the title or is is 50 + title?
I love this idea! Assume that a hyphenated word counts as multiple words? e.g. father-in-law = three?
Hi Joanna. A compound (hyphenated) word counts as a single word.