There's a book that caught my attention, called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs By Famous and Obscure Writers. It's from the editors of Smith Magazine, and it's exactly what it says it is -- a collection of memoirs, each just six words long. which led me onto a website dedicated to the whole thing.
http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords/
The idea stems from a literary legend. The story goes, that in the Twenties, Ernest Hemingway was sitting at the famous 'round table' with several literati at the Alonquin Hotel, New York, when he accepted a $10 bet to write a story in six words. He quickly wrote six words on a napkin and passed it round..: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." It had a beginning, a middle and an end and it won him the bet
The editors of Smiths Magazine challenged writers to craft their own six-word memoirs, and got some interesting results.
"Shy Jersey kid, overcompensating ever since." --Ariel Kaminer
"Being a monk stunk. Better gay." --Bob Redman
"Couldn't cope so I wrote songs." --Aimee Mann
Some of them are funny, others are pretty poignant. There's one that says, "Was father. Boys died. Still sad." That's from Ronald Zalewski.
'Dad called, DNA back: He Isn't' -- Helen Fielding
Womb, bloom,groom, gloom, rheum, tomb -- Blake Morrison
Seventy years, few tears, hairy ears -- Bill Overengesser
So all you KMSA out there.... step up to the plate....No need to write us a blog...and we want to hear yours. Sum up your life in six words -- no more, no less. For best results, don't overthink it. And remember, it's supposed to be a memoir, not a fortune cookie.
Me? ummm ......... "Fiftyfour; haven't even begun to start"
Sir Dayvd of Notenoughhoursintheday-shire
9 comments:
Six attempts at six word memoirs (seven if you count that one)
(eight if you count one) (stop!)
1. Never enough words to write all...
2. Born. Breathed. Ate. Urinated. Shit. Slept.
3. Blink. Where did the years go?
4. Blink. Years gone. Must Carpe diem.
5. (with apologies to Elvis Costello) Don't bury me; ain't dead yet!
And, I discovered:
6. The secret to eternal life is...
Sir Bowie "took the blue highways of life" of Greenbriar
1. daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother, lover
2. reading, writing, playing, dreaming, smiling, laughing
3. searching, finding, losing, searching, finding, keeping
4. woman, just beginning to live again
5. great mental exercise, let it flow
Lady S
more later!
six words are not enough words
Anxiety causes sorrow, hopes for better
Good Time Wasted having Good Times
Sir D ( the Animal ) of Ox
- Frustrated bohemian stuck here in suburbia.
- Wish kids grown. Then they are.
- Learn more,earn enough,yearn less.
Lady T.
Lady Tammy is my lost twin
lives mirrored in so many ways
and
new job, new opportunities, new beginnings
Lady Suzanne,
who is beginning a new job this week - then taking a vacation to see Sir D!
'Nothing ever ends, there's only beginnings'
Sir Dayvd ( who for no real reason is as happy as a full-bladdered dog in a lamp-post factory ) of Oxfordshire
Too busy to think, comments later!
Sir Hook The Head Rat in the Rat Race Right Now of Warrick
Awaken Spirit Follows the Sun's Path.
Music Lights My Soul's Flame Tonight.
Taking In Information, Shitting Out Waste.
My Longing Spirit Drowns In Beer
Sir Hook Who Is Becoming Less of A Rat and More of A Man Tonight of Warrick
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