Six Word Memoirs
https://www.sixwordmemoirs.com/life/
Everyone has a story—what’s yours?
When Dan Rather first discovered Six-Word Memoirs, he asked “Why six words? Why not five or seven?” Great question. There’s a legend that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. As the story goes, he wrote:
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Six-Word Memoirs founder Larry Smith was inspired by this story and November 2006 posted a simple challenge in partnership with a then little-known company called Twitter: Can you describe your life in six words?
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Six-Word Memoirs founder Larry Smith was inspired by this story and November 2006 posted a simple challenge in partnership with a then little-known company called Twitter: Can you describe your life in six words?
What’s the difference between a story and a memoir? Why do we tell stories? Why is storytelling important? How
often can your story change? Who knows your story best?
“For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
The success of Ernest Hemingway’s story lies in the multiple questions and possible meanings that lie between the lines. For example: Why is the narrator selling the shoes? Is the baby grown? Did she die? Did she simply go barefoot or was she never able to walk? Is the narrator the mother? The father? The sibling? The former baby? Is the story about the end of childhood? The end of parenthood?
The end of innocence or justice or happiness or all of the above?
The questions are endless and the possible meanings are many. Try to write your own six-word story with multiple meanings. How difficult is this? What questions does your story leave the reader?
The success of Ernest Hemingway’s story lies in the multiple questions and possible meanings that lie between the lines. For example: Why is the narrator selling the shoes? Is the baby grown? Did she die? Did she simply go barefoot or was she never able to walk? Is the narrator the mother? The father? The sibling? The former baby? Is the story about the end of childhood? The end of parenthood?
The end of innocence or justice or happiness or all of the above?
The questions are endless and the possible meanings are many. Try to write your own six-word story with multiple meanings. How difficult is this? What questions does your story leave the reader?
What to Create:
1 - An inquiry page that includes your six word memoir (visual journal)
2- A page documenting revision, practice & investigation - how will you translate your memoir into a visual format? (visual journal)
3- The final piece (any material and style)
T.E.S.T. P.A.C.E.
T - Topic/thought/theme - Brainstorm a list of ideas and select one or more.
E - Expand topic - Expand on your idea by asking yourself 20 questions. Then research on your own to answer those questions. (Can I _____ with my artwork? Who are other artists working with this idea or media, etc.)
S - Select question - Select your main question to help you further develop an original artwork.
T - Thumbnail sketches - Sketch at least 3-5 compositions that are about 3”x5”
P - Practice - Practice and explore with a variety of media and exhaust all options
A - Artwork - Begin executing your idea and sketches on final surface with final materials
C - Critique - Critique and reflect upon your work thoughtfully and without bias
E - Explore more - Explore more options to further complete and finish artwork.
2- A page documenting revision, practice & investigation - how will you translate your memoir into a visual format? (visual journal)
3- The final piece (any material and style)
T.E.S.T. P.A.C.E.
T - Topic/thought/theme - Brainstorm a list of ideas and select one or more.
E - Expand topic - Expand on your idea by asking yourself 20 questions. Then research on your own to answer those questions. (Can I _____ with my artwork? Who are other artists working with this idea or media, etc.)
S - Select question - Select your main question to help you further develop an original artwork.
T - Thumbnail sketches - Sketch at least 3-5 compositions that are about 3”x5”
P - Practice - Practice and explore with a variety of media and exhaust all options
A - Artwork - Begin executing your idea and sketches on final surface with final materials
C - Critique - Critique and reflect upon your work thoughtfully and without bias
E - Explore more - Explore more options to further complete and finish artwork.