Friday, July 16, 2010

Six Word Memoir

Just when I'm bemoaning the fact that everyone seems to be communicating in 29 words or less, and confidently declaring that nothing can adequately be transmitted in so few words, I come across a project called the Six Word Memoir.

SMITH MAGAZINE

They are based on certain subject matter. For example you could write a memoir summing up your life. Sounds easy, but it's harder than it appears.

One of the subjects was "cheating death". This is a terrifically descriptive Six Word Memoir that an 80-year old wrote:

House on fire.
Pool below.
Jumped.

Would you like to try? Pick a subject matter. Write a memoir. Leave it in my comments section. Here are the subjects:

My life.
Cheating death.
Worst mistake.
Regret.


I'll start.

My life -

High IQ.
Low amibition.
Lifetime underachiever.

Cheating death.

Snowmobile passenger.
Going 95.
Screaming STOP.

Worst mistake.

Didn't seek help.
Crashed and burned.

Regret

Life's first half.
Wasted in fear.


Your turn......



12 comments:

chocolatechci said...

Impulsive.

Sleeping in bed I've made.

Steph said...

Too shy.
Missed out on things.

Anonymous said...

Life/Regret:

Life so far
nothing of worth

StitchinByTheLake said...

My life: Saved by grace. Waiting for Rapture.

Cheating death: Too old to ride ATV uphill.

Worst mistake: Weight loss will be easier later.

Regret: Three children enough for my family.

coffeemuses said...

My Life

Once a dream,
became what is.

coffeemuses said...

Regret

The dream
I failed
To live.

Bill and Liz said...

These topics are too sad, and a little depressing! I choose to leave a 6-word memoir about something positive:

Living the dream because I persevered.

Vee said...

My life.
Such a cheat.
Stealing first one.

Okay, I have no ambition so this is way too hard for me. :D

Anonymous said...

My life:
Abandoned, adopted.
Married, divorced.
Finally, LIFE!

Cheating death:
Austrian whitewater mistake.
Bubbles, dark, returned.

Worst mistake:
Love me, please love me, damnit.

Regret.
Why didn't I join PeaceCorps?

Leslie Avon Miller said...

Celebrate

I woke up
Time to live

life in red shoes said...

The same one for all 4.

She took one

for the team.

alyssa said...

Hi Suzanne,

This is Alyssa from SMITH Magazine. It makes me smile to find another reader inspired to write six-word memoirs! If you haven't already, we'd love it if you and your community joined us at smithmag.net/sixwords to submit your memoirs.

Thanks for the mention too!

-Alyssa, SMITH intern