Hemingway was once famously challenged to write a short story in six words or less, and he came up with, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Kind of the perfect story- so much there, yet so much left unsaid. It leaves you wondering and wanting more.
Smith Magazine launched a six word memoir contest awhile back, inviting people to submit the story of their life with extreme brevity. It was so successful that they produced a book with submissions from a wide variety of authors both famous and obscure, including Amy Sedaris (Mushrooms. Clowns. Wands. Five. Wig. Thatched), Sebastian Junger (I asked. They answered. I wrote), and Po Bronson (Stole wife. Lost friends. Now happy).
Today, I challenge you to do the same. Here are some of my favorites, culled from their ongoing blog:
- “More fun since moral compass broke.”
- “Write about sex, learn about love.”
- “I thought that I’d be taller.”
- “Committed voluntarily, until tried to leave.”
- “Asked to quiet down. Spoke louder.”
And here’s mine, always a work in progress:
“Loved and lost and loved again.”
So what’s your life been like, in a sextuplet?
Eternal Child; so far so good.
Followed my dreams and attained them.
I always said this would happen.
Dragon Chaser: perpetually scanning the horizon.
Up and down and up again.
Enjoying the process of reinventing myself.
Searching for truth while dreaming dreams.
Read lots. Wrote lots. Sold some.
rode the horse….felt the rush.
[that’s literal…no metaphor intended]
Always loving women with endless romance
These are all fantastic! Can’t wait to see what everyone else comes up with…
From Childhood:
Bullies! I’m weak. Not for long.
Teen Years
They think I am a dork.
Twenties
She’s gorgeous, why she loves me?
and
Gonna be some big business success!
Early Thirties
Failed businessman, but she’s still here.
Late Thirties
New Life, New Goals, This Rocks!
and
Benching 420, Squating 900, Damn Strong!
Early Forties (present)
Joint pain, why’d I lift that?
and
She’s gorgeous and she’s still here.
and
Lucky man, lucky man, lucky man.
And one for the characters in my books,
“Hard day, they’re dead, I’m not”
Those are all genius, everyone- especially Basil. Very touching.
Awoke, contemplated navel: Same surmountable problems.
Secret of happiness: I married well.
Grown up, not old. Forever young.
Terri
I actually just submitted one to be published in a collection of extremely short stories by my German stories…Can’t reveal it yet; you’ll have to accept my word that it’s brilliant.
my German publisher, that is