The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

How to Write a Six-Word Memoir with Editor Larry Smith


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Journalist and Founder of the bestselling Six-Word Memoirs series, Larry Smith, spoke to me about his evolution as a journalist, TEDxing the Six-Word Memoir, and famous micro-memoirists.

In the early days of Twitter, with a single tweet in 2006 – “Can you describe your life in six words?" – Larry Smith launched what would go on to become a runaway global phenomenon.

The Six-Word Memoir Project has gone on to become a bestselling series of books, live event programs, a board game, and a popular lesson plan taught by teachers around the world.

The 10th book in the series, A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year: Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic, offers a snapshot of unique viewpoints of kids, parents, and teachers sharing their six-word pandemic stories.

The book also features numerous notable contributors including Piper Kerman (Smith’s wife and author of Orange Is the New Black), W. Kamau Bell (CNN commentator and comedian), Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love), and many others.

Stay calm and write on ...

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If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file Larry Smith and I discussed:

  • Interning with Dave Eggers at SF Weekly and launching Smith Magazine
  • Shortened attention spans and the influence of Ernest Hemingway
  • The power of storytelling for processing complex emotions
  • Why writers need to get outside and take a walk
  • And a lot more
  • Show Notes:

    • A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year: Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic by Six-Word Memoirs [Amazon]
    • sixwordmemoirs.com
    • sixwordsmith.com
    • sixinschools.com
    • Larry Smith on Twitter
    • Kelton Reid on Twitter
    • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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      The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and NeuroscienceBy Kelton Reid

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