Today I learned about and was given the book Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs By Famous and Obscure Writers. Based on the idea that when Hemingway famously wrote, “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn,” he proved that an entire story could be told in half a dozen words. So the online storytelling magazine SMITH in 2006 asked their readers to submit six-word memoirs they proved that a whole, real life could be told in the same way. They received an enormous response and created a book of one thousand responses to the six word memoir challenge. A few of my favorites found in the book so far are:
"Educated too much, lived too little.” – Dan Vance (p. 115)
“Not quite what I was planning . . . “ – Summer Grimes (p. 140)
It sounded like such a neat idea that I just had to try to write out my own. So here it is (remember it is a work in progress):
Teachers, Students
Technology, World
I will probably use this assignment in the near future with one of my classes, possibly my 10th grade students because they just got done writing normal length memoirs anyway. However, I would encourage you to write your own six-word memoir. What would it say?
