The novelist Ernest Hemingway was once asked to create a full story in six words or less. Here is what he wrote: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Last year, the online magazine Smith asked readers to take up the same challenge and write the story of their own lives in a single, six-word sentence. The result was the book, Not Quite What I Was Planning. Here are some submissions the magazine received:
Revenge is living well, without you. - Joyce Carol Oats
Well, I thought it was funny. - Stephen Colbert
After Harvard, had baby with crackhead. - Robin Templeton
70 years, few tears, hairy ears. - Bill Querengesser
Catholic school backfired. Sin is in! - Nikki Beland
She said she was negative. Damn. - Ryan McRae
I asked. They answered. I wrote. - Sebastian Junger
Joined Army. Came out. Got booted. - Johan Baumeister
Almost a victim of my family. - Chuck Sangster
The psychic said I’d be richer. - Elizabeth Bernstein
Mom died, Dad screwed us over. - Lesley Kysely
Painful nerd kid, happy nerd adult. - Linda Williamson
Slapped by a nurse; still sore. -Matt Mather
After looking at these examples, I decided to write some six-word memoirs of my own. Here’s what I came up with:
“Hidden strife. Unfaithful wife. New life.”
“I taught them what I know.”
“English mom. Irish dad. Didn’t last.”
“I thought I knew. Not anymore.”
Now it’s your turn. Come on, give it a try!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Had fun. Found one. Now done.
Glass half full and still pouring…
Good food, great company, incredible life.
I make new friends through negotiations.
Contract negotiations – not for the adversarial!
observe, listen, touch, taste, absorb, grow
Born fat. Lived fat. Die fat.
I had rhythm, now it’s gone
Ha, ha, ha, ha, oh my
I’ve changed. But not that much.
Seven times down. Eight times up. –Japanese saying.
I laughed more than I cried.
The story’s how you tell it.
Thnaks, folks! Your insightful six-word memoirs inspired me to write a few more:
“The laughs washed away the tears.”
“I’d rather be good than smart.”
“Love shared makes a life fulfilled.”
“We all seek our lost Eden.”
I taught. I fought. I wrought.