Monday, April 14, 2008

My Six-word Memoir

I am not the most word-efficient person around. In conversations, I tend to take 10 minutes to say something that really could have been said in one or two sentences. And I re-phrase things all the time. I'm not ashamed of this...it's just a fact. Some might also call it endearing. And by "some," I mean my husband and my mother. And maybe not even them.

Anyway. When I was tagged by Clueless Cat at Twentysomething and Clueless to write my six-word memoir (an idea originating here at SMITH, a site for writers and storytellers), I had a brief moment of panic.

How could I possibly sum up my life in a short essay, let alone a short sentence? How could that accurately portray anything of substance?! Then I realized that's the point of the six-word memoir. There's beauty and poignancy in simplicity, and I don't need lots of words to justify myself and my life. I have the freedom to sum up my journey in six words, and still know that it is more complex than any description (even a 600-page novel) could ever impart.

So without further ado, here's my six-word memoir:

Left the island for big adventure.

If you haven't written your own six-word memoir, then TAG. Write yours in the comments, or on your own blog. If I can do it, so can you!

16 comments:

Lauren said...

Yours is awesome! I'm all about that book--I think it's a brilliant idea. You should go to the site and submit yours--they're collecting entries for the sequel. I wrote about my experience creating a six word memoir here: http://halfdesertedstreets.blogspot.com/2008/03/yay-me.html
but my favorite ended up being "Part time superhero, full time dreamer."

Andrea said...

That is a good one!

L Sass said...

I went with "She loves to run. Not fast."

Katelin said...

oh larissa i love your memoir!

twentysomethingandclueless said...

I love it! :)

rowena said...

You know, I was reading this in my feeds and it was like dang! what a GREAT idea! For once I'm eager to take on an open tag. Thanks!

Anna said...

Love the memoir! I'll have to try and think of one for myself today...

Rebecca said...

I did this yesterday too.

I love yours.

I feel like I could come up with a million.

magda said...

Dang, this is hard! Great idea, too, and yours is so beautiful.

I'm at work at the moment, and the best I can come up with is "I should have been a stewardess." No, that is NOT my final answer. I'll have to think on it...

kerrianne.org said...

I love this idea, and yours is great.

It would be hard for me to not write at least twenty six-word memoirs, which would be considered cheating, I would guess.

Noel said...

I love your 6 word memoir!

Ernest Hemingway wrote a story in 6 words that broke my heart.

"Baby shoes for sale. Never Used."

nicoleantoinette said...

Ooo, excellent. Mine was/is: fueled by great passion- and wine

Passionista said...

I love your 6 word memoir. I feel overwhelmed at the idea of it though, like you were.

Susie said...

I already got tagged for this but, like you, am not very word-efficient AT ALL!

I love yours though...nice work!

sleepyjane said...

I love this idea! I love yours. :) I may have to do this soon.

chasinglibby said...

there are so many! i posted on my blog: "Adult? Nope, just a kid, overwhelmed"

but i also like: "Carpe Diem: Easier said than done"

i come up with new ones all the time. i'm gonna keep a log of them!

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