The Story of Six-Word Memoirs

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description

When Hemingway wrote the six-word novel "For sale: baby shoes, never worn," he didn’t know he’d inspired one the hottest storytelling trends of the modern age. But with four books and 300,000+ online submissions later, SMITH Magazine's Six-Word Memoirs [sixwordmemoirs.com] have become a part of the national conversation. Larry Smith tells the story of the Six-Word Memoir project.

Transcript of The Story of Six-Word Memoirs

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For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.

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Class clown, class president, town drunk.—Victor Goad

Married by Elvis. Divorced by Friday.—G.M. Rouse

Catholic girls. Jersey. It’s all true.—Mary Elizabeth Williams

One life. Six words. What’s yours?

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Down for maintenance,

be back soon.—Greylond Sherman

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After Harvard, had baby with crackhead. —Robin Templeton

Being a monk stunk. Better gay.—Bob Redman

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Life has gone to the dogs. —Ted Rheingold, CEO Dogster

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Eight thousand orgasms, only one baby. —Neal Pollack

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Found on Craigslist: table, apartment, fiancé.—Becki Lee

According to Facebook, we broke up.

—Jonathan B.

Yes, you can edit my biography.—Jimmy Wales

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Nine years stacked within my soul. —Laura S., age 9

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300,000+ Six-Word Memoirs!

“You could spend a lifetime brainstorming.” —The New Yorker

“Let’s dub this American Haiku.”

— St. Louis Post Dispatch

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Make it easy.

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Empower the crowd.

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….and set the crowd free.

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Add a touch of celebrity.

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Have a Jewish mother.

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The exits were entrances in disguise.—Shannon B., from SMITHTeens.com

Keep moving.

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Six is everywhere. (Just look around.)

[email protected] * @smithmag * www.smithmag.net * thank you.