Before we begin this section of writing exercises, a few caveats.
Don’t worry if you go over the fifty-five-word limit during the first draft. Let the creative juices flow. Let your imagination run rampant and make your story curl right up to its inevitable and surprising end. If you want to set a timer, feel free. Set the timer for whatever time limit you’re comfortable with, but like Goldilocks, not too long and not too short. You want to get your thoughts down as quickly as you can. I usually write these short pieces by hand on legal tablets as I find the words flow better for me this way than on a computer. But that’s up to you.
We’ll talk about revising your drafts to fit the fifty-five-word restriction at the end of this section. Write as many 55ers as you like. Just remember to ha
