Have students create six word memoirs for characters int he books six word. They might even write sixword memoirs from these characters at different points in the story, showing their perspective as it changes or doesnt over time. A short, fun video with tips for writing great six word memoirs from smith magazine, the creators of the six word memoir project and bestselling book series. You will be writing a series of six word memoirs, designed around different topics. Whenever im listening to music i always feel the need to move. Sixword memoirs as an introduction to narrative writing. In this book, students can write sixword memoirs from the perspectives of rump, red, opal, king barf, the aunts, the trolls, pixies, frederick and bruno, and the miller. The sixword memoir format has been used as a writing exercise for teachers, ranging from secondgrade classrooms to graduate schools. This book kept my mind thinking and analyzing each six word memoirs. Any of our sixword memoirs collections are bound to be a good fit. Getting to know mesixword memoirs teaching authors6. The latest addition to the series, things dont have to be complicated. In this spirit, smith magazine invited writers famous and obscure to distill their own life stories into exactly six words. In 2008, a book entitled not quite what i was planning.
The group who sponsors the 6 word memoir books and site was interviewed on npr. Six words is a bestselling books series, live events program, board game, and form. How to write your memoir in 30 days, a new book from readers digest. Katie sluiter is currently an 8th english teacher in west michigan. Great tips on how to write your memoir readers digest. Inspired by the book not quite what i was planning. The editors of smith asked dozens of writers famous and obscure. If you havent seen any of the books, there are multiple six word memoirs that smith magazine has compiled. You may have already figured this out by the blog title.
Larry smith is the founder and editor of smith magazine, best known for launching the sixword memoir project. Teachers started using the sixword memoir as a writing exercise for their students and discovered that children are brilliant and these memoirs made classmates feel closer to one another. The editors of smith asked dozens of writers famous and. It is hard to encapsulate all that is going on and that i am feeling in writing, and i appreciate the way you parsed it. Writers famous and obscure on love, sex, money, friendship, family, work, and much more six word memoir. Was planning is a collection of sixword memoirs by famous and notsofamous writers. Legend has it that hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six. Once asked to write a full story in six words, legend has it that novelist ernest hemingway responded. Capture your life in six words with a six word memoir. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Six words is a bestselling books series, live events program, board game, and form of selfexpression employed to spark selfexpression and hone missions in classrooms, boardrooms and corporate retreats. Some entries include cartoons, selfportraits taken with a camera, or other artwork. With tips for writing great sixword memoirs from smith magazine, the creators of the sixword memoir project and bestselling book series.
According to s mith magazines sixword memoirs website. Six word memoirs from writers famous and obscure, edited by penn alumni larry smith and rachel fershleiser, the hub decided to write their own sixword. Sixword memoirs are a masterful way to tell a story. You will also need to present your six word memoir. Writing about your life in six words is a challenge but it really makes you focus on the most significant, profound, amusing, sad, poignant, influential, life changing etc.
Sixword memoirs is a simple way to engage and inspire anyone and everyone to get to the essence of who they are and what matters most. She has taught middle school, high school, and community college and has her masters degree and is currently working on her doctoral degree in teaching english. Illustrated six word memoirs by students making sense of the world, comes from tedbooks and collects dozens of visual six word. You dont need to have had a hardscrabble youth in order to write a memoir. Todays tweets im waiting for seasons first pitch chefjim. Writers famous and obscure on love, sex, money, friendship, family, work, and much more sixword memoir larry smith 4.
I love to dance even though i might not be the best but its fun. Sixword memoirs were recently popularized by smith magazine with the publication of their book not quite what i was planning. Larry smith, founding editor of smith magazine, and rachel fershleiser, smith s memoir editor, talk about the experience of capturing reallife stories in six words no more, no less. She has taught middle school, high school, and community. Sixword memoirs by writers famous and obscure fershleiser. Memoir writing writing desk writing prompts 6 word stories six word story 6 word memoirs six words my diary exhibit sixword memoirs from smith presents a fun reel of sixworders by adults and. The book is full of wellknown names from writer dave eggers fifteen years. Six wordmemoir samples this is a list of 6 word memoirs from the book i cant keep my own secrets. The most recent is my favoritei cant keep my own secret. This book is composed of many six word memoirs, written by all different authors.
Writers famous and obscure on love, sex, money, friendship, family, work, and much more sixword memoir by larry smith nov 3, 2015 4. It is hard to encapsulate all that is going on and that i am feeling in writing, and i appreciate the way you parsed it down and got to the heart of the frustration and distress and longing, but also some of the positives. If youre not yet familiar with this concept, you should read the books or visit his site to join a community of storytellers. My students love getting to look through these memoirs. Six word memoirs o magazine mini memoirs this 6 word memoir is great for me. Sixword memoir assignment you will be writing your own six word memoir to display on the bulletin board in mrs. I am by no means an expert, but here is my best and most basic advice for those who want to write memoir this goes for breaking into the publishing world as well because if your book isnt at its best, you wont break in.
Today you need to illustrate your six word memoir and write a paragraph explaining its significance. I use 6 word memoirs as part of a longer unit on memoir. Illustrated sixword memoirs by students from grade school. As a romantic followup to not quite what i was planning. Memoirs of a goldfish read aloud books for children duration. Not quite what i was planning remained on the new york times best seller list for six. Sixword memoirs writing for kids while raising them. The book is a compilation of hundreds of 6 word memoirs that were submitted to the book s publisher. I recently had my students write their own six word memoirs.
In settings such as in boardrooms, classrooms, staff retreats, and conferences, sixword memoirs is a simple concept thats become an effective tool to spark. Not all of them will be masterpieces, though i do expect you to do your best and always use the. Can you pare the story of your life into just six words. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Six word memoirs so simple, yet so profound read write. Write about an important or favorite memory, something that is important to you, how you want others to remember you or what you think is unique about you. Two years ago i won a six word momoir contest from smith magazine, and now another one of my momoirs is featured in their new book it all changed in an instant. Nprs 12minute talk of the nation segment on the book was the no. The students will describe something about themselves in exactly six words. This lesson is a great one to do after students have begun to make lists and write.