Six-Word Memoirs

Memoir is a branch of narrative nonfiction focused on personal experiences. Many people find memoir writing cathartic, validating, and enjoyable, even if they would not normally consider themselves writers. The six-word memoir is a (relatively) recent adaptation of the genre that echoes the ways in which brevity and conciseness have become embedded in our day-to-day communication. However, the six-word memoir challenges us to consider that brevity does not preclude depth of meaning. This sub-genre of memoir writing asks authors to consider a single experience, or their life as a whole, and distill it down into six deliberately chosen words. All materials are provided for this “make-and-take” workshop where participants can drop-in and create a piece of writing on their own schedule. Participants may display their work, take it home, or create one to display and one to take away.