Six-Word Memoirs

Smith was founded January 6, 2006, by Larry Smith and Tim Barko.[1] Taking a cue from novelist Ernest Hemingway, who, according to literary legend, was once challenged to write a short story in only six words,[2] Smith Magazine set out to do the same. The six-word story attributed to the famous author read: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

In November 2006, Smith's editors Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser gave the six-word story a personal twist, asking Smith readers to tell their life story in just six words. Smith readers submitted their six-words via www.smithmag.net, and Smith's Twitter account. In early 2007, Smith signed with Harper Perennial to create the Six-Word Memoir book series.

The first in Smith's Six-Word Memoir book series, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs from Writers Famous & Obscure was released in early 2008.[3]

It collected almost 1,000 Six-Word Memoirs, including additions from many celebrities like Richard Ford, Deepak Chopra, and Moby.

It was a New York Times bestseller, featured in many stories in "The New Yorker"[4] , and highlighted on National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation.[5]

Love & Heartbreak cover

As a romantic follow-up to Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs from Writers Famous & Obscure, Smith released Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak in early 2009.[6] It contains hundreds of personal stories about romance. The editors of Smith asked dozens of writers "famous and obscure" to compose six-word memoirs.[7]

SMITH Teens logo

Released September 1, 2009,[8] I Can't Keep My Own Secrets—Six-Word Memoirs by Teens: Famous & Obscure, was the first Six-Word Memoir book devoted entirely to teenagers. Smith launched Smith Teens in June 2008. The book features famous and everyday teens from The United States and abroad.

• Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure was listed on Amazon's Best Books of 2008 list at number 69.
• In April 2009, The Denver Post listed Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak: By Writers Famous and Obscure as the 5th bestselling non-fiction paperback in the Denver area according to sales at the Tattered Cover Book Store, Barnes & Noble in Greenwood Village, the Boulder Book Store , and Border's Books in Lone Tree.
• Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure was listed as a New York Times bestseller in 2008. It was grouped in the paperback section of the "advice, how to and miscellaneous section."

The Six-Word Memoir format has been used as a writing exercise for teachers,[9] ranging from second-grade classrooms[10] to graduate schools. HarperCollins created a teacher's guide to encourage the Six-Word Memoir form as a tool for teaching.[11] Six-Word Memoirs have been employed as tools in hospital wards,[12] appeared in a eulogy,[13] and suggested as a form of prayer by a preacher in North Carolina. Six-Word Memoir videos from individuals ranging from teenager Micahsamaniac (a YouTube user)[14] and bestselling author Daniel Handler[15] have been posted to YouTube. 6 Words Minneapolis,[16] a public art project, employed the form to build community and empathy among citizens living in the same large city.

• Official website