Larry smith, founder of smith magazine, gave the sixword novel a personal twist by. Once asked to write a full story in six words, legend has it that novelist ernest hemingway responded. Not quite what i was planning is a collection of sixword memoirs by famous and notso. Sixword memoirs, the book six tips for writing sixword memoirs test the word matrix student interactive and make sure that you have the appropriate software installed for it to run effectively. Not all of them will be masterpieces, though i do expect you to do your best and always use the. The six word memoirs project has collaborated with abcs fresh off the boat to collect sixword memoirs about what its like to be an immigrant in america, with contributions from several writers including junot diaz, viet thanh nguyen, gary shteyngart, and chimamanda ngozi adichie. Now create a final sixwordmemoir by using these steps. From speed dating to parlor games, to conferences and staff retreats, sixword memoirs have become a powerful tool to inspire conversation around a big idea, and a simple way for individuals to break the ice. Writing in six words is a simple, creative way to get to the essence of. Writing sixword memoirs interactive workbooks education. Introduce the idea of sixword memoirs by projecting six word memoirs by teens or sixword memoirs, the book. The twenty top tips for writing memoir marion roach. I had a scientific career and wrote books in biomedical discipline.
Creating a 6word story stretches your writing muscle and forces you to be spare and concise with your words. See more ideas about 6 word memoirs, six words and six word memoirs. In 2008, a book entitled not quite what i was planning. Illustrated sixword memoirs by students from grade school to grad. Two years ago i won a sixword momoir contest from smith magazine, and. I hope tomorrow is one of the good connecting days.
But before we get to the tips, lets clear up some big questions. 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. Funny and bittersweet, witty and wild, or downright tragic, these addictive life stories are both monumental and miniscule. A short, fun video with tips for writing great sixword memoirs from smith magazine, the creators of the sixword memoir project and.
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 stories. Writing memoir is not the same as writing my memoirs. My students love getting to look through these memoirs and are often inspired by what other teens have written. In settings such as in boardrooms, classrooms, staff retreats, and conferences, sixword memoirs is a simple concept thats become an effective tool to spark. Spark your students sixword memoirs is an easy, inspirational entry point for all students. Six word memoirs from writers famous and obscure, edited by penn alumni larry smith and rachel fershleiser, the hub decided to write their own six word stories. 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. You will be writing a series of sixword memoirs, designed around different topics. The first in smiths sixword memoir book series, not quite what i was planning. Life stories distilled can you pare the story of your life into just six words. All you need are your memories, a pen or pencil, and 4 6 sheets of paper. Microsoft word is universally recognized, and youre probably already familiar with it. Six word memoirs as an introduction to narrative writing september 24, 2017 six word memoirs are not a new thing.
The first in smiths six word memoir book series, not quite what i was planning. Sixword memoirs as an introduction to narrative writing. Follow these instructions tocomplete a six word memoir. Three topnotch books about writing memoir the writing. I love this book, if only because it makes me want to write a sixword memoir for my life. Or consider it a pie, where your life represents the whole pie, and you are writing a book about a teenytiny sliver. You will need computers with internet access for each student to use this interactive. Use a thesaurus to change one or two of your average words. Locate an image online, in a magazine, or one from home that represents your memoir. I use 6 word memoirs as part of a longer unit on memoir. At the bottom of the page, write the rough draft of your six word memoir. You will be writing a series of six word memoirs, designed around different topics.
Drew pinsky, marc ecko, robert hass, janice dickinson, elizabeth gilbert, armistead maupin, and more. Every time i have used this activity, creativity has flowed and students. At the bottom of the page, write the rough draft of your sixword memoir. Aug 25, 2014 i read your 6 tips for writing ones memoirs with great interest and really appreciated the suggestions. So when i saw this compilation of 6word stories for a bargain price, i. If youre good at writing your life stories but having trouble getting all your vignettes to connect and hang together as a book, you may be having trouble with theme and message. Learning how to write a memoir is like studying to be an archeologist. Writing memoir is not the same as writing my memoirs, at least not if you are working with this memoir coach and writing teacher or, apparently, if you are being taught by albert. Explain to students that they are going to be writing memoirs of their lives, but theres a catchthey only have six words to portray themselves however they wish and to get a message across. I use 6word memoirs as part of a longer unit on memoir. Using one single word document, we compiled all the memoirs from every. 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. Bring the visual and completed handout to class tomorrow.
The students will describe something about themselves in exactly six words. Writing a memoir means youre author and subject, researcher and storyteller, narrator and audience. Two years ago i won a sixword momoir contest from smith magazine, and now another one of my momoirs is featured in their new book it all changed in an instant. Six word memoir samples this is a list of 6 word memoirs from the book i cant keep my own secrets. The sixword memoir exemplifies the best of smith magazines storytelling mission. Not quite what i was planning is a collection of sixword memoirs by famous and notsofamous. Six word memoirs inspired by the book not quite what i was planning. This is a fun creative writing activity, based on the 6word memoir contests at tap into creativity by getting students to brainstorm and write 6word memoirs.
Mar 23, 2017 ive since realized that writing memoir well is just as hard, if not harder, as writing fiction. It is a nonfiction book based on the experiences of the writer. This is a fun creative writing activity, based on the 6 word memoir contests at tap into creativity by getting students to brainstorm and write 6 word memoirs. The following steps will show you how to write memoirs, the personal stories about your life experiences. The six word memoirs project has collaborated with abcs fresh off the boat to collect sixword memoirs about what its like to be an immigrant in america, with contributions from several writers. Building upon the sixword concept spawned from earnest hemingways famous novel about baby shoes, the publishers developed interactive workbooks that educators can use to help improve student writing skills, encourage creativity and inspire storytelling. That is all i did to piece together something that i thought would work well with my 8th graders. Sixwordmemoir samples this is a list of 6word memoirs from the book i cant keep my own secrets. Because this memoir is only six words, the words you choose must be powerful. Thats a lot to ask of any writer, though a good way to begin the challenge of writing a memoir is to start a list of the most memorable events of your life. The coronavirus not only kills people but is in our brain almost all the time. In order to narrow down a life intosix words, a writer needs to beginwith many words and ideas.
My junior american studies students wrote their own. Not only do you have to dig deep and sift through the sands for fragments on the past, you then have to piece it all. Having all the memoirs in one location allowed us to easily download the writing into one document for publishing. Sixword immigrant memoirs, book doulas, and more poets. Not all of them will be masterpieces, though i do expect you to do your best and always use the amazing brain. Sep 08, 2010 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 may have already figured this out by the blog title. Your memoir should be written as if the entire book is a snapshot of one theme of your life. Inspired by the book not quite what i was planning. Sixword memoirs by writers famous and obscure fershleiser. Six word memoirs from writers famous and obscure, edited by penn alumni larry smith and rachel fershleiser, the hub decided to write their own.
Have students create six word memoirs for characters int he books six word. The editors of smith asked dozens of writers famous and obscure. If youre good at writing your life stories but having trouble getting all your vignettes to connect and hang. The question, inspired by the legend that hemingway was once challenged to write an entire novel in just six words, spurred a flurry of. 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. Here are three books about the craft of writing memoir that i have found useful. Memoir project has become a global phenomenon and a bestselling book series. Using one single word document, we compiled all the memoirs from every student taking care to check for spelling and appropriateness and crediting each memoir with the childs first name. If you want to write a book, you need word processing software thats up to the task. You need to learn the ropes, as you do for any other kind of writing. In settings such as in boardrooms, classrooms, staff retreats, and conferences, sixword memoirs is a simple concept thats become an effective tool to spark conversation, crystalize goals, and boil anything down to its core.
Exploring the power of language with sixword memoirs. With the support of our publisher, harper perennial, weve created two free sixword memoir lesson plans, one for our first book, not quite what i was planning. It collected almost 1,000 six word memoirs, including additions from many celebrities like richard ford, deepak chopra, and moby. Memoirs and autobiographies are usually found in the same section of a book store or library, but they arent exactly the same. Quarantine edition pia alliende march 28, 2020 at 9. This lesson is a great one to do after students have begun to make lists and write about what interests them. Sixword memoirs as an introduction to narrative writing september 24, 2017 sixword memoirs are not a new thing. The book is a compilation of hundreds of 6word memoirs. 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. Sixword memoirs writing for kids while raising them. Building upon the sixword concept spawned from earnest hemingways famous novel about baby shoes, the publishers developed interactive workbooks that educators can use to help improve student. With a few customizations, it can make writing your book easy.