Saturday, March 1, 2008

6-Word Writing Challenge

I got this idea from another writer's website. She writes:

"Legend has it that Earnest Hemingway once entered a bet to write a short story in six words.

By now, it must hold the world record for Story Most Often Quoted in Its Entirety. Hemingway's story: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

A six-word memoir, though. Quite a challenge! I can tell a story in six words (not necessarily a good one)...but can I tell a story of my life in six words?"

Here is my attempt:

Bookworm, ink-slinging, shutterbug nurturer; adrift ipseity.

Now it's YOUR turn!! Put your 6-word memoir in the comment section of this post or link to your blog where you posted your own. It's a lot of fun and really telling...and a dictionary and a thesaurus are very helpful to have around while completing this. Ready, set, GO!!

36 comments:

Kel said...

"Life: days between birth and death."

You're right. That IS tough. Luckily, short stories are actually not that short!

Rhea said...

It is challenging but fun! Hemingway's was a short story, but mine is a memoir. See if you can do both!

Thanks for contributing!

Jan said...
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Jan said...
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Leslie: said...

Hi Rhea, thanks for popping by and asking me to participate in this. In my quest to avoid prepositions, it turned out to be alliterative. Here it is:

Passionate pedagogue pursues peaceful, permanent presence.

For those who know me well, it makes perfect sense.

Chatterness said...

this sums up my life in six words:

Entwined hearts, my son and me.

Anonymous said...

wow, this is a challenge. but I'm a complete word-geek. I love Leslie's p-ful pontification. I have too many hobbies so I have to stay general. How about:

Eternal seeker of satisfying fulfillment, finished.

Jan said...
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geewits said...

Not to sling ink at you or anything, but I'm pretty sure yours is seven words. I like the challenge, though.

Anonymous said...

Two towers fall down; nation mourns.

Anonymous said...

Coffee, toast, newspaper, knock at door.

Anonymous said...

Baby, toddler, schoolboy, how time flies.

Rhea said...

Kim, you certainly got the hang of it fast!

Leslie, I love your P alliteration! It's fun to say.

Chatti Patti, how touching!

I like yours also Uberburber and Jan. Thanks for sharing! Uberburber's was very neat and Jan, I like the solid feel I got from yours.

Geewits, I was waiting for someone to notice I used too many words! But, being a memoir, that says even more about me...I usually obey rules, but every now and then I cheat a little, when I think it's ok.

thanks for participating everyone!

Lynn said...

Rubenesque effervescent terpsichorean chocoholic peripatetic tricoteuse?

Thanks for your comment on my blog; I'm bloglining yours as soon as I hit "send" on this.

caramama said...

Okay, I've been thinking about it and finally came up with my perfect 6-word memoir:

Each year even better than previous.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and asking me to play along! That was fun! I'll put this meme up on my site later this week with a link to your post!

Rhea said...

Lynn, I'm going to have to pull out the dictionary on yours. Wow.

Nice, Caramama, I love it!

Beq said...

Tireless traveler in an unfixed quest.

Misty DawnS said...

Struggles: I overcame and became proud.

Misty DawnS said...

Thanks for inviting me to participate.

Marie said...

Hi Rhea - Thanks for visiting my blog and inviting me to participate in this meme.

Josephine Damian said...

Rhea, I love your avatar.

I gotta look up "ipseity" to figure out your memoir, though.

Annoying neighbors? Let's just say my neighborhood wasn't big enough for us both. They're now gone. :-)

I love my other neighbors, expect on 12/31 and 7/4 when they go crazy with fireworks and shoot bottle rockets onto my roof.

Congrats on the story coming out!

Jan said...
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Jan said...
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Lorri said...

How about this:

Walking through cancer, holding God's hand.

Great challenge - thanks for the invitation! Lorri Steer

Jo said...

Well, my memoir is my motto:

"Do what Deborah Kerr would do."

Rhea said...

Great contributions, everyone! I've really enjoyed them. Thanks.

CrystalChick said...

I'll give you credit on my page, just to say where I got the idea, when I post mine.... I'm playing with a picture in the photo program to put with it too.
It was hard, but FUN!

Pat said...

Exultant, altered orbit, abysmal formative years.

Rhea said...

Thanks, Crystalchick. Have you got one posted yet?

Nice, Pat, I like it.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the invite. It's taken me a couple of days to stew on this. Here what I've come up with:

Rooted and laughing amidst life's storms.
Finished something once, cannot do again.

CrystalChick said...

Gosh, I finally got one up there, but was having trouble with the pictures. I wanted to be able to click on them and be able to see at full size... the bookshelf one I used in another post and it opened okay there, but not on these. I don't know why.
It was a fun meme. :)

Rhea said...

Lil Kate, those are great! I like how both of yours work together. good job.

Thanks, Crystalchick. I sometimes have trouble with pictures posting as well. Weird little glitches.

Kori Ellien-Tyler said...

Born, wayward, challenged, loved, lost, here.


Yes, sweet and simple...that is my life in six words :)

Rhea said...

That's really nice, Kori! Thanks for contributing!

Tez Miller said...

I have no idea what ipseity means - me dim.

Have a lovely day! :-)

Rhea said...

Hey, Tez, thanks for coming by! Ipseity means "individuality" or "identity."