Mini Memoirs

posers

Lately I’ve been coveting Donald Miller’s new DVD series about the art of story. Here is a short clip of the presentation from Miller’s blog. I love the thought that story is what guides us, that story is what drives the Biblical narrative and stirs us to believe in something bigger than ourselves.

Then, remember how much fun we had playing the Seven Word Wisdom game? At least, I’ve been having fun! (And actually getting so pretty good advice.)

So what happens when I combine my new love of word games and the art of story? Mini memoirs!

Smith Magazine started a project called the Six Word Memoir. Their tagline is: “Everyone has a story. What’s yours?” (Get it? Six words. You can read this coverage in The New Yorker that is written entirely in six-word sentences!) Their most recent collection of these memoirs is titled Not Quite What I Was Expecting. One of my favorites was from comedian Stephen Colbert: “Well, I thought it was funny.” Or how about Food Network chef Mario Batali: “Brought it to a boil, often.” This one doesn’t have a named author: “Artsy married Fartsy had two kids.”

You can see there aren’t any rules beyond using six words to describe your life in a nutshell. Easy, right?

Alright then, EVERYONE play!

My entry: “Named Happy and stayed that way.”

13 Responses to “Mini Memoirs”

  1. Cheri White April 17, 2009 at 7:10 am #

    Have discovered the heart is resilient!

  2. Kathy Nickerson April 17, 2009 at 8:25 am #

    Oh, my gosh! I love yours. Especially since I’m married to the man who named you :) You could also call yourself: Named Happy and passed it on. Because you do.

    Now I have to think about mine.

  3. Katie April 17, 2009 at 11:28 am #

    Texan Anglophile, reads and writes madly.

  4. Carol York April 17, 2009 at 12:40 pm #

    I’d like to change this, but right now, I’d have to say:

    “Worries too much; tries too hard.”

  5. Bonnelle Pagel April 17, 2009 at 6:07 pm #

    This has been a roller-coaster ride!

  6. Serenity April 17, 2009 at 6:34 pm #

    Well, you know I hate trying to put things in a nutshell – where’s Sarah Dunn? She’s awesome at that! Along your theme I’d say, “Named peaceful and so was not.” I’ve settled on this one for now though.

    Truly lived and wrote about it.

  7. Felicity April 17, 2009 at 6:39 pm #

    Hurray! I love them all! Keep ‘em coming, Friends!

  8. Don White April 17, 2009 at 8:36 pm #

    Love God, Cheri, Kids, and grandchildren!

  9. Tracy April 18, 2009 at 10:33 am #

    Good and bad, loving the journey.

  10. Sarah April 18, 2009 at 7:02 pm #

    Feared abandonment, Jesus found, joy unspeakable!

  11. Andrea April 19, 2009 at 5:19 am #

    Only six words? Are you kidding? :)

  12. Molly April 19, 2009 at 5:27 pm #

    Once Lost. Now found. Who’s next?

  13. Eliza April 19, 2009 at 9:55 pm #

    Raised many children. Loved them all.

Leave a Reply:

Gravatar Image