{Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure}
Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure is a new book featuring some six word memoirs by, well, famous and obscure people. Larry Smith, the founding editor of Smith magazine, and Rachel Fershleiser (Smith's memoir editor) capture real-life stories in six words — no more, no less. The collection has plenty of six-word insights from everyday folks as well as famous writers, musicians, etc.
Inspired by the idea that Ernest Hemingway was once asked to write a memoir in six words, writing "For sale: baby shoes, never used". The book takes twists on this classic concept of the six-word memoir and highlights a wide range of possibilities (i.e. short short story, autobiography, epitaph, shorter haiku, a meatier one-liner). Try it yourself, it's lotsa fun!
Here's some of my favs from both famous and obscure people...
'Fifteen years since last professional haircut' - Dave Eggers
'Couldn't cope so I wrote songs' - Aimee Mann
'Well, I thought it was funny' - Stephen Colbert
'After Harvard, had baby with crackhead' - Robin Templeton
'Catholic school backfired. Sin is in!' - Nikki Beland
'Savior complex makes for many disappointments' - Alanna Schubach
'Nobody cared, then they did. Why?' - Chuck Klosterman
'She said she was negative. Damn' - Ryan McRae
'A sake mom, not soccer mom' - Shawna Hausman
'Almost a victim of my family' - Chuck Sangster
'The psychic said I'd be richer' - Elizabeth Bernstein
'Grumpy old soundman needs love, too' - Lennie Rosengard
'Mom died, Dad screwed us over' - Lesley Kysely
View the Preview right here...
Six-Word Memoir book preview from SMITHmag on Vimeo.
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