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Rachel Lehmann-Haupt
Sausalito, CA
United States

Senior Editor, TED Books, TED Books

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Can you define your life in just six words?

This is the challenge Larry Smith presented to his online community, SMITH MAGAZINE, in 2006. His quest was inspired by the legend that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a novel in just six words. His heart-breaking result: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Giving the form a personal twist, Smith reimagined the six-word novel idea as the Six-Word Memoir, challenging contributors to create a half-dozen words of self-reflection. The constraint, it turned out, fueled rather than inhibited creativity: "Sometimes lonely in a crowded bed." Inspired by the form's popularity in schools, Smith recently called for submissions for illustrated Six-Word Memoirs, in which he asked students, whether in grade school or grad school, to create a piece of artwork that enhanced their memoirs. The voices in Things Don't Have to Be Complicated are younger than typical, but no less profound:

"Big Dream, Big Heart, Big Mouth"
"I'm a Muslim. not a terrorist."
"Life is better with headphones on."

At its core, the Six-Word Memoir offers a simple way for anyone of any age to try to answer the question that defines us all: Who am I?

Here's an excerpt of the book in the Washington Post:
http://tinyurl.com/b5zwymq

You can buy it on:

Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/b35x88g

iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/things-dont-have-to-be-complicated/id588129395?ls=1

Nook: http://tinyurl.com/cy8pdae

Author Larry Smith will be joining us for a one hour Q&A January 15th, at Noon Pacific / 3pm Eastern. Mark your calendars!

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Dom Believens
- 0
Jan 15 2013: One Last Question:

Are you going to do more TED Talks?

Thanks again for all that inspiration!

I can't reply anymore.. so I do it that way :P
I think all the 6 word memoirs and the things you found out are a great topic for a TED Talk! :)
- Larry Smith
  - +2
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: I actually haven't done one yet, but would love to if the opportunity comes up.
Richard Efthim
- +3
Jan 15 2013: There is something, somehow positive about this exercise... I was struck by how a gravestone gives the details of the day we are born, and the day we die... but the rest of our live is relegated to a hyphen... 6 words at least fits on our stone and tells everyone something more personal about us.
Rachel Lehmann-Haupt 20+
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TED Staff Host TED Attendee

Jan 15 2013: Can't wait!!
Rachel Lehmann-Haupt 20+
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TED Staff Host TED Attendee

Jan 15 2013: Great idea Larry! Hope you all get to meet again on Smithmag.net!
Francesco Vinci
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Jan 15 2013: Passions, Search, Emotions, Talent, Hope, Future.
Rachel Lehmann-Haupt 20+
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TED Staff Host TED Attendee

Jan 15 2013: Our time is sadly ending soon. Is that six?

Any other questions for Larry out there?

I have one before we part (ha! six!)

What's next for you Larry Smith? (six!)

Thanks for joining everyone!
- Larry Smith
  - +3
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: What's next?
  Six-Word App.
  Finally.
- Larry Smith
  - 0
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: And indeed a lot of conversations in schools and live events in which six-word memoirs are the beginning of longer storytelling. Six-Word Memoirs can be amazing ways to express yourself in a succinct and meaningful way, but also, quite beautifully are often the start of longer storytelling and conversations.
Larry Smith
- +1
TED Books author

Jan 15 2013: I would love to have Friday's featured Six-Word Memoirs on SMITH all come from TED chatters. We feature 10 a day, and one is "memoir of the day" that goes out to twitter, facebook, tumblr). Come on over to smithmag.net/sixwords and you can share these same sixes or write new ones there.
Edward Cramp
- 0
Jan 15 2013: Quiet desperation in reflection without discourse
Nicusor IP
- +1
Jan 15 2013: Finish college, be happy, find love.
Nabeel Kamili
- +2
Jan 15 2013: Jokes apart,who am I really
Rebecca Edgren
- +1
Jan 15 2013: Unique perception and utterly evident confusion.
Rachel Lehmann-Haupt 20+
- 0
TED Staff Host TED Attendee

Jan 15 2013: Larry, based on the number of memoirs here, I would say there is something addictive about playing with this form. Why do you think it has that quality?
- Larry Smith
  - +1
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: For many people, six-word memoirs are very addictive. For starters, once you start writing them you usually want to write more. And then you want to share them, and of course ask your friends and family: "What's your six-word memoir?" Six words are a big hit at dinner parties and weddings. And, not to get too commercial here, but we made a board game that people like as well.
Juan Carlos Bartolomé Ramos
- 0
Jan 15 2013: A Spanish from a global world
Dom Believens
- 0
Jan 15 2013: My six word phrase for today:

Personal Development: How To Say Goodbye
Katie Turnbow
- 0
Jan 15 2013: Opening windows by slamming the doors
- Larry Smith
  - +4
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: That reminds me of one of my all-time favorites, which comes from a teen: "The exits were entrances in disguise."
  - Kathleen Silloway
    
    +1
    Jan 15 2013: That is so much more poetic than one door closes, another opens!
  - Katie Turnbow
    
    +1
    Jan 15 2013: I love that. I feel like my life is a bit more aggressive. I'm purposefully slamming doors and watching the reverberations shatter the windows. Feels good.
    - Kathleen Silloway
      
      0
      
      Jan 15 2013: I read somewhere, one door closes, another opens, but the hallway in between can be a bitch! Trying to boil it down to 6 words...
Kathleen Silloway
- +2
Jan 15 2013: I'm using the six words to define each day, by the way. It's an efficient way to journal!
- Larry Smith
  - 0
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: Lots of people on SMITH, and ever moreso on SMITHteens.com really treat six-word memoirs as their daily journal. Some have done thousands of them. And it's pretty cool to then look back at where you mind/life was (in six words) when you scroll through your earlier mini-memoirs.
  - Kathleen Silloway
    
    0
    Jan 15 2013: It's a crazy mix of minutiae and spiritual development!
Michael Berg
- +2
Jan 15 2013: With no beginning, there's no ending.
Kathleen Silloway
- +1
Jan 15 2013: In looking at the sample via the Washington Post, I was struck by how so many of the older students focused their tales on dreams and breaking free of rules and boundaries, pushing for themselves to be accepted for who they are, whereas the younger ones are very straightforward, dealing with life (afraid of bears, wanting to go to college). Is this typical of book?
- Larry Smith
  - 0
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: That's a great observation. I think the younger kids, especially ones who haven't hit puberty, are in their own way more rational (that's not exactly the right word). But they're very much in the moment. Broadly (very) speaking older kids have more angst but also more dreams. And this is not only typical of this book but very consistent with what we see on SMITHmag and SMITHTeens, and what I hear when I do workshops or go into classrooms.
  
  And I did a project with AARP Magazine a few years ago and the memoirs from older folks tended to be really positive ("Sixty. Single. Rich. Call me collect") and full of life lessons ("When cookies are passed, take one" "Sign the card, eat the cake").
  - Richard Efthim
    
    0
    Jan 15 2013: I suspect that part of the beauty of being a young kid is that you live in the moment. To a certain degree i guess the seniors do to some degree as well. In between we spend maybe too much of our time thinking of the consequences that our choices today might bring...
Holly Hargrove
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Jan 15 2013: Sure thing!
Here's one a student wrote about Hamlet: King's ghost: first dominoe to fall.
Here's one about Polonius: I have too much to say to (the joke was that Polonius, being such a talker, couldn't contain himself to 6 words).

I find this to be incredibly fun while it also challenges the students to distill their knowledge about a topic or character down to its most basic parts. They LOVE this assignment (and I love your book!).
Peter Williams
- +2
Jan 15 2013: Don't settle for less, continually improve.
Richard Efthim
- +1
Jan 15 2013: I learned something new every day.
Filip Fejdi
- +1
TED Translator

Jan 15 2013: Can't compress life into six words.
Nabeel Kamili
- 0
Jan 15 2013: I am the devil societies fight
Dom Believens
- 0
Jan 15 2013: @Larry:

Have you also tried to put the 6 words into other phrases like
"Describe your personal strength and weakness." or "Describe the most awesome moment in your life." or "Dedicate 6 words to the person you love most."
and asked that other people?

If so, with which did you try it and what were the results?
- Larry Smith
  - 0
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: Yes, we've done many prompts, on the site and also in workshop settings, and most work really well. What helps is when you can give a well-defined prompt and also a few examples to get people going,
  
  (And as an aside I edited an anthology about life-changing moments, but the essays weren't answered in six words, they were up to 2,000 words) as that is a great question to ask anyone. It's called THE MOMENT.
  
  We have an ongoing project with To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit that believes self-expression can help with pain and lead one toward hope. You can check it out here: http://www.smithmag.net/twloha
  - Dom Believens
    
    0
    Jan 15 2013: But by giving examples, don't you influence the people?
    If I tell someone describe your life in 6 words, e.g. "This and that, so and so" I steer them into the direction of my example.
    Should this be avoided or is that ok?
    
    Thank you for your inspiration!
    - Larry Smith
      
      0
      
      TED Books author
      
      Jan 15 2013: I can see how that might happen, but I think more than that examples open things up for people, let them know "oh, there are lots of ways to use this form." One thing I have learned is that if you just give examples of the most insanely great sixes it can be intimidating for people (i.e. "I'll never be that smart, witty, nuanced...") so it is important not only to remind people that the form is easy and accessible (and fun!) but that there are no wrong answers. Your six words are yours and carry meaning.
Ilia Seredinski
- 0
Jan 15 2013: Looked easy, resulted complex. And conversely!
Greg Etter
- +1
Jan 15 2013: Find my place in the sun
Rachel Lehmann-Haupt 20+
- 0
TED Staff Host TED Attendee

Jan 15 2013: That's really cool. The thing that has really struck me about this book is that it kinda makes you see that age doesn't matter. ..A 7 year old can be very wise and in a way seem wiser than some adults! Don't you think?
- Larry Smith
  - +2
  TED Books author
  
  Jan 15 2013: For sure, and you really see how "the wisdom of babes" really can be true. At my first "talk" I was at my nephew's third-grade classroom and heard six-word brilliance such as:
  
  “Tried surfing on a calm day."
  "Life is better in soft pajamas."
  "Nine years stacked within my soul."
  
  This kids are eight and nine -- amazing, right?
  - zahra sabir
    
    0
    Jan 15 2013: Piece of work ! These are amazing sentences. Open for interpretation. It shows how simple and yet how complex our existance and decisions in life are! Great project Larry!
zahra sabir
- 0
Jan 15 2013: Laugh and sorrow,light and dark
Ana Goelzer 500+
- 0
TED Attendee TEDx Organizer Associate

Jan 15 2013: my family and my friends defines my life

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