Legend has it that author Ernest Hemingway was once asked how many words would it take him to write his story.
His response, in typical Hemingway fashion, he could do it in six words. “For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.”
Who knows if that’s true, but in 2006, Larry Smith, SMITH Magazine founder, took the concept of a six-word memoir and made it famous.
Since then, more than 1.5 million people have described their lives in exactly six words and posted them on SixWordMemoirs.com.
That’s my challenge for you–write one six-word memoir every day for the month of July and post it in the comments section below.
It can be about any aspect of your life, but it must be exactly six words, no more, no less, and all words count, even the little ones.
Tell us about your day, memories, thoughts, pains, joys, etc. Make them funny or serious. Write what you want to say, but do it using only six words.
So, are you up for the six-word memoir challenge? I bet you are. Write your first one and post it in the comments section below.
Here are some of my favorites from SMITH‘s first book, Not Quite What I Was Planning:
“Seventy years, few tears, hairy ears.”
“Followed rules, not dreams. Never again.”
“Afraid of everything, did it anyway.”
“I wrote it all down somewhere.”
“Cursed with cancer; blessed with friends.”
“Wasn’t born a redhead. Fixed that.”
“I still make coffee for two.”
I wrote a few of my own this morning.
Sunny days, four o’clock storms—Florida
My car is smarter than me.
Some commercials, I play on repeat.
Georgio, the peanut-butter box is here.
I’m a bear, best nap, roar.
If you’d like to listen to a TEDx Talk by Larry Smith about the phenomenon of six-word memoirs, click here.
Now, it’s your turn. Write your six-word memoir each day of July and post it in the comments section below.
Hitting Author Platform with a vengeance.
New light fixtures, fan. Amazing husband.
My cold is really COVID. Ugh!
Nooooooooooo! The good news is you won’t be doing anything for a while, so you’ll have more time to write!
that sucks, Patricia. I hope you are alright. Are you home yet?
August 1 –
What am I gonna do today?
7/31
Great Zoom meeting with Pittsburgh friends.
High humidity makes for creaky joints.
Weed is legal tomorrow. Uh-oh,Minnesota
July 31 –
(We’ve come to the last day)
Drum roll, please?
What would Psychologist say about this?
Solitude is a writer’ s best friend.
I saw a phrase in a song lyric that I really like “Silent lucidity” There’s a place I like to hide A doorway that I run through in the night Relax child, you were there But only didn’t realize and you were scared It’s a place where you will learn To face your fears, retrace the years And ride the whims of your mind Commanding in another world Suddenly you hear and see this magic new dimension I will be watching over you (I) am gonna help you see it through (I) will protect you in the night (I) am… Read more »
apparently the formatting isn’t preserved in a copy/paste, even though it looked good before I posted.
Actually, vodka is. Since I can’t drink any more, I’ll have to settle for solitude.
Vodka is the best when frozen. (Six words)
Vodka’ s the best, I agree. But I settled for solitude since childhood!
July 31 – Let’s celebrate my daughter Holly’s birthday!
Happy Birthday Holly. Joy to mama.
July 31: London sightseeing, sunny morning, then, RAIN.
July 30, 20230—Flowers are happy; It’s raining buckets.
Phone growing out of my ear.
Watered my garden, went to church
delicious Mexican cuisine for late lunch
Painting my Acadian Heritage, early morning.
7/30
Wish I had better organizational skills.
You and me both
July 30 –
Sing to the tune from “ANNIE.”
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! We’ll be done Tomorrow.
I’m singing it with you John
A fawn ran by the house
Fifty pages written in fifty days.
7/29
Saw fantastic rocket launch last night!
Missed it after staying up past midnight the night it was scrubbed.
Three weeks on ship, no seasickness.
Fifteen minutes in car, so sick.
Walked ninety minutes to hotel instead.
Staying in Hyde Park hotel, London.
Company from Germany is coming soon. Getting my house in spotless order.Never met my fifty-year old cousin.
July 29– wow, Another glorious day in paradise.
July 26—interesting discussion at book club today
July 27—A special conversation with my niece
July 28—My older brother is 80 today
Paradise is always nice.
July 28 –
The high temps got to me.
You can hide inside.
As good an excuse as any
July 27 –
Oh my god, I’m so embarrassed.
You embarrassed? Hard to believe. He he
July 29 –
Forgot Six Words last three days.
A square inch window on poetry.
That is wonderful! I can go to so many places with this one.
Company coming, be gone a week.
Posting remaining days earlier than late:
25 Venomous verbosity spills violent volumes voluntarily
26 “Are we there yet?” said I.
27 Let me show you, my love
28 Wonderful wet walrus wiggle wide whiskers
29 Balloons billow beautifully beyond brown boxes
30 Pondering powerful poetry pries phosphorescent praises
31 Sloths savor similar time so differently
#30 Love
7/28
Getting good editing done today. Yay!
Jake is a great alarm clock
My coffee mug. My morning friend,
The feeling is mutual
I hold on to mine as if it held the elixir of life.
Doesn’t it?
My dachshunds’ peaceful snooze brings joy. Little creatures are old and fragile.
I need to catch up on my six-word memoirs.
July 24: Two-hour boat tour along Norway’s fjords.
July 25: Flowers are gorgeous everywhere we go.
July 26: Missed a port, seas too rough. My stomach gratefully approved that decision.
July 27: Beautiful, sunny, Oslo day spent outdoors.
July 28: I found a cold somewhere, ugh!
I feel your pain with the cold. Just now on the road to recovery
Even Google doesn’t understand my caption?
Does your thinking make it so?
It depends
July 27 Too hot for man or beast.
July 27: Another hot one, even in Minnesota
For Sure! Any rain? We received .3″ the other night.
Writing, feedbacking, contemplating, genuinely enjoying life.
Etya, Just like you, glad you’re enjoying life
Happy happy
7/26 Enjoyed last night’s Writers Cafe Feedback
7/27 Will check out new Japanese Restaurant
Kumos?
Yes, Kumos. I haven’t tried it yet. Maybe this week.
new Japanese restaurant?
Yes David, its in Deaton Plaza past Rohan Rec Center. I want to try it this week. I’ll let you know.
Drat! I have a summer cold
They are the worst!
Lots of fluid to get well.
Bourbon or chicken soup. Easy choice!
Best remedy.
Hope you’re bettrt. Already!
Sorry, Better came out wrong.
July 26: UPS Strike Averted, Retirement Still Intact.
Glad it worked out.
Thanks.
Left sheeps at the lake, Kit.
Idyllic scene between pines and mountain. Beside still waters, restoreth my soul.
Even Google doesn’t understand your caption. Only Kit and you, I suppose.
Only picking up on Kit’s reply to my July 23 posting, Vernon; ” Another agitated night in insomnia’s arms.”
Kit commented: ”keep counting blessings rather than sheep.” I replied ”Left sheeps at the lake, Kit.”
Sheep does not take an s at the end, I noticed it once posted. Language barrier legitimate error I suppose!
Thanks. Sorry about the insomnia. A more common occurrence in my life too, once I turned seventy.
7 25-23 Granddaughter’ going into surgery yet again.
Didn’t get the stubborn stone yet again.
Got first green beans from garden.
Hot, humid. Here we go again.
Sounds of an aerial sprayer overhead
You have a lot going on. Wish doctors produced like your garden. My prayers for both of you. Where are the LifeWriters this day.
I don’t understand your question about the Life Writers
Just questioning why only three LifeWriters shared “six words” on 7/26. Maybe it’s too hot for words.
Got that right! Phew it’s hot!
7 25 2023: Two days of staying on plan. Decisiveness and discipline, maybe, all week.
2 day escapade at brother’ s lakeside.
Sunny Morning, rainy Afternoon, humid evening
Ignorance is always our Achilles heel. Joy-See good in all encounters. (Hot air. Cold feet. Warm heart). We always receive when we give.
All on point, Norma. Thanks 4 the reminders
7/24 Looked at new model open house
7/25 Doing homework for Writers Cafe tonight
My choices define who I am.
July 25 –
Nothing to say ‘til CAFE session.
July 25–Longing for my daughter in California.
7/24/2023: 4-hour roundtrip for a 3-hour lunch. Every 5 years for childhood friends. As we age, it becomes important.
So glad you treasure that connection.
Thanks, Raffaela