In 2006, a few friends in Argentina started sending each other stories by text message: 160 characters, the length of one SMS, typed with their thumbs on old Nokias. Before long, stories were arriving from unknown numbers, and the only way to reply was with a story of your own.

The rules

1. 160 characters, spaces and punctuation included.
2. No abbreviations, unless they’re the point.
3. Never answer a Thumb with thanks. Texts cost money back then, and thanks was a wasted one. Answer it with your own Thumb Story.

How it works here

One Thumb arrives each day, unsigned. You never get the same one twice. If it sparks something, write your own: it always goes to a stranger, never to whoever wrote the first. A person reads every Thumb before it goes out. No names on them, no likes, no followers.

Also from us

• Want a word to write to every month? Join Unsolicited Musings.
• The best writing from each month goes into the Magazine. Read the Magazine.