Six-Word Memoir Contest

Shirley Showalter | Jan 14, 2010 | , |

Have you tried to tell your life story in just six words?  Smith magazine discovered a gold mine with this concept a few years ago and now has published several popular books listing these short narratives.

The whole concept derives from a single story. Supposedly Ernest Hemingway was challenged to tell a story in six words and chose these:

For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.

The fact that six words can punch you in the gut or make you laugh out loud has led to many book and magazine sales and many conversations around the dinner table and at work. Here is a video that offers more illustrations.

Now for the fun part. A contest. Please offer your own six-word memoir below. I will send to the winner a copy of a lovely hardcover book, The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food,  a book I reviewed here on a previous blog post.

Here are the rules: tell a truth about your life in six words. No more. No less. I will pick the one I find funniest or most profound. If more than one bowls me over, I reserve the right to dish out more prizes of recently published books. If the winner doesn’t want to read the memoir of Julia Child’s editor (pictured on the left), I’ll offer some other tasty book morsel.

You can enter as often as you wish between now and Sunday January 17 at 5 p.m. Go!

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Shirley Showalter

30 Comments

  1. Adam on January 15, 2010 at 1:40 am

    Gratitude. And five words to spare.

    Reply
  2. lanietankard on January 15, 2010 at 3:58 am

    There I was. Here I am.

    Reply
  3. Lanie Tankard on January 15, 2010 at 4:05 am

    Ohio roots. Alabama soil. Texas bloom.

    Reply
  4. Gutsywriter on January 15, 2010 at 4:22 am

    No fear, live gutsy, no regrets.

    Reply
  5. clifh on January 15, 2010 at 8:16 pm

    Ideas, material, experience; Still no clue.

    Reply
  6. Lanie Tankard on January 15, 2010 at 11:38 pm

    Voted “Most Dependable.” Curse or blessing?

    Reply
  7. Lyn on January 15, 2010 at 11:49 pm

    I did. I did. I do.

    Reply
  8. Donna on January 16, 2010 at 2:35 am

    I'd like to do it again.

    Reply
  9. Betty on January 16, 2010 at 12:59 pm

    white knuckles. faith. release. embrace mystery!

    Reply
  10. clifh on January 16, 2010 at 1:15 pm

    Conservative design, liberal arts, moderate style

    Reply
  11. Lanie Tankard on January 16, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    I am still that little girl.

    Reply
  12. Sally Rogers on January 16, 2010 at 10:22 pm

    Nearly all is said and done . . .

    Reply
  13. Barbara Josenhans on January 16, 2010 at 10:47 pm

    Strong lips, busy arms, comforting food.

    Reply
  14. Lanie Tankard on January 17, 2010 at 12:34 am

    Weary woman whimpers while war wanders.

    Reply
  15. Richard A. Kauffman on January 17, 2010 at 1:19 am

    In search of the perfect pen.

    Reply
  16. Richard A. Kauffman on January 17, 2010 at 1:20 am

    Here today, gone tomorrow, God bless!

    Reply
  17. Adam on January 17, 2010 at 1:44 am

    There's always something more to say.

    Reply
  18. Barbara Josenhans on January 17, 2010 at 2:30 am

    Mennonite musician living life passionately. Cheers.

    Reply
  19. Sandi Dodson on January 17, 2010 at 3:23 am

    So much to do, no time.

    Reply
  20. Connie L. on January 17, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    Lived with and loved by family.

    Reply
  21. Connie L. on January 17, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    Shared open heart and loving hands.

    Reply
  22. margot on January 17, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    Gumby, Nixon, Disco, 9-11, Narcos, Faith.

    Reply
  23. Announcing the Winner of the Six-Word Memoir Contest | 100 Memoirs on January 17, 2010 at 6:47 pm

    […] were posted on Facebook  and added into the comments section of the original post by me. Click here if you want to see all […]

    Reply
  24. grandpa1 on January 17, 2010 at 9:13 pm

    Still looking for my pivotal event!

    Reply
  25. grandpa1 on January 17, 2010 at 9:14 pm

    Answers to life's persistent questions? Nada

    Reply
  26. Adam on January 17, 2010 at 9:49 pm

    I crawled, I walked, I ran.

    Reply
  27. shirleyhs on January 17, 2010 at 10:40 pm

    Chin Pheng Oh Live, laugh, and smell the roses.From Facebook: Fri at 7:23am · Chin Pheng Oh Watching her grow, I see myself!Fri at 12:20pm · Karen K Frenchhall wander whipped into the great upliftment

    Reply
  28. shirleyhs on January 18, 2010 at 3:45 pm

    Donna and grandpa1, since you are new to me on this blog, please know that you are winners. See the pingback link below. Come claim your prizes!

    Reply
  29. edweineloureiro on March 7, 2010 at 2:37 pm

    Before writing this, I was dead.

    Reply
  30. Mark on March 15, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    Her's a quarter, call some else.

    Reply

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