Six Word Memoir

June 10, 2008 by Carolyn Poulter

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a short story in 6 words. His response was this: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

In 2006, the editors of Smith magazine asked readers to describe their own lives in exactly six words. Since then, a collection of these responses, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure, has been published. Here are some examples taken from the Smith Magazine website:

Wish I’d had a different mother.

Lisa Hendrix

Wasted many days worrying about tomorrow.

Joseph Vega

Quietly left a few footprints behind.

Sara Sitar

Yesterday’s weather does not concern me.

tkjell

Turns out that God was right.

Eliza Jo

Here are some examples of celebrity responses from the book:

Fifteen years since last professional haircut.

Dave Eggers

Couldn’t cope so I wrote songs.

Aimee Mann

Well I thought it was funny.

Stephen Colbert

Provide your new classmates a tiny window into your own life by posting a six word memoir.

Posted in Uncategorized | 29 Comments

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29 Responses to “Six Word Memoir”

on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:19 am1 Brittany

I wish I had a better name.
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:20 am2 devin carlisle

I wish I was at home!
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:21 am3 Shaquiin

I wish I wouldn’t have failed
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:22 am4 james

i like bikes especially hoop ds
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:23 am5 kymberlie

I ♥ u Shad Gregory Moss! I ♥ my BEST FRIEND Jennifer!
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:24 am6 jennifer

I wish I had a different dad. I ♥ my BEST FRIEND kymberlie! ♥te amo mucho♥
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:24 am7 andrea

I really want to go to college and i want to go to school to be a nurse and a lawyer.

A.Antoine
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:25 am8 Devon lample

I love my life very much
on 11 Jun 2008 at 7:26 am9 andrea

I want to go to College

I want to go to school for Nursing and Criminal Justice
on 11 Jun 2008 at 9:26 am10 Eriberto Delgado

I wish I had a car
on 11 Jun 2008 at 9:30 am11 samantha

{Cr@ZY}

gO0fY

L0v3InG

R@nD0m

ChIll

FuNnY
on 11 Jun 2008 at 9:42 am12 marshall

wishing i was a little taller.
on 11 Jun 2008 at 9:46 am13 eli

fat ok nise pridey jey eyes
on 11 Jun 2008 at 9:51 am14 mariah

sweet

crazy

smrat

funny

silly

happy
on 12 Jun 2008 at 7:10 am15 andrea

your comments are kool [ *_*]

(^_^)

{$_$}

(0_0)

your komments are nice ok

(x_x)

{v_v}

[c_c]
have funn next year!!
on 12 Jun 2008 at 7:25 am16 jennifer

♥hEY GuYs ! l!k3 @Ll 0F Y@Lls cOmM3nT♥ M0sT Of Y@Ll M!gHT KnO M3 !M @M J3nN!F3R S@L!N@S My F@VOR!T3 T3@cH3R !S ♥MrS.POuLtE3R♥ N mY B3St fR!3Nd !S ♥KyMB3Rl!E♥sH3 !S L!K3 @ S!S tO M3 SH3 !S @LW@YS DER fOr M3 hoP3 ! S33 H3R n3XT Y3@R W3Ll Y@Ll B3TT@ HoP3 U H@V3 Mrz. pOUlT3R n3XT Y3@R sH3 !S R3@LlY KOol,FuNnY ,OuT gO!nG N R3@LlY FuN tO B3 @rOUnD:)♥ mY F@vOR!T3 hOM3bOY !S jU@N H3S rE@LlY KOoL !N FUNnY ! lOV3 H!M L!K3 @ BrOtH@ W3Ll !M W!Ll M!zz @Ll Of U gUyS N3Xt Y3@R CuZ ! @!NT GuN@ B3 H3R3 !LL B3 @L.b.m.S ♥T3 @mO MuChO♥
on 12 Jun 2008 at 7:30 am17 jennifer

! ♥ my class ALOT I ♥ ALL MY CLASSMATES
on 12 Jun 2008 at 7:30 am18 jennifer

! ♥ my class ALOT I ♥ ALL MY ♥CLASSMATES♥
on 12 Jun 2008 at 9:12 am19 S@m@NtH@ BrY@nT

summer school rocks out loud lol j/p
on 12 Jun 2008 at 9:12 am20 jericka

h3y ya11 my favorite color is p1nk and i love to crank dat batman
on 12 Jun 2008 at 5:29 pm21 kimpierce

High school is a NEWWONDERFULWEIRDSCARYNECESSARYFREAKYFUNPUZZLING world.

Life is an ongoing final exam.

Think with your mind AND heart.

Love yourself and you’ll go far.

Caring about others makes a difference.

I could do this all day.
It is SUPER fun and relaxing.
on 13 Jun 2008 at 7:11 am22 andrea

COLE’S PROBLEMS (THE BABY-FACED CON)

Cole never trusted anyone ,but he didnt have a choice if he wanted to get accepted in THE CIRCLE OF JUSTICE. Edwin tells him about THE SPIRIT BEAR.At the end he burns the house down.
on 13 Jun 2008 at 9:22 am23 Samantha Bryant

I @m h@vInG a fUn tIm3 In thI$ Cl@$$

B00 y3@h

RIghT 0n l0l

Y0u r0cK[~ *^`{!(Ms.Poulter)!}`^*~]
on 13 Jun 2008 at 9:27 am24 jericka

H3Y YA11 MRS.POULTER 1S OF TH3
CHA1N

TIGHT

LOVING
AND SH3 LOVE TO

WA1K 1T OUT L1KE A

USHERRRRRRRRRRRR

P3AC3 UP A TOWN DOWN S33 U WH3N 1 S33 BYE ♥
on 13 Jun 2008 at 9:30 am25 Samantha Bryant

$UMM3R $CH00L R0CK$ MY $OCKX @ND F1P$ MY F0P$

♥MS.♥

*POULTER*

^1S TH3 B3ST^

LOL

!!!!I♥YOU!!!!
on 18 Jun 2008 at 6:49 am26 jennifer

H3y w@ts all my b-towns girls and boys how yall bein? me im been good kinda i ♥ luv yall well peace yahhhhhhhhhhhh========) lol wel yall can add me on myspace ok (bad_gurl_hottie192@yahoo.com) look for me bye much ♥
on 18 Jun 2008 at 7:11 am27 Devon lample

Summer school
on 18 Jun 2008 at 7:12 am28 Devon lample

listining to my mom will make me better in the future i guess
on 18 Jun 2008 at 7:20 am29 kymberlie

Hey you guyz itz me kymberlie jus stop n by 2 say thst i ♥ yaln n miss everybodiy from lake belton but u can call me @ 254-231-**** or hit me up on my myspace ( send me a friend request ) my email is Tremayne_trevino@yahoo.com. well i aint really got much 2 say so holla @ ya gurl. byyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeee