As SMITH and Shutterfly’s Six-Word caption contest cruises into the holiday season, I can’t help but think of some of the messes I made a a boy around this time of year. When I was two, to name one of many incidents, I unplugged the refrigerator the night before Thanksgiving. But enough about me. Let’s [...]

SMITH and Shutterfly’s Six-Word caption contest roars into Autumn. Each Monday morning we post a photo from Shutterfly on the Six-Word Memoir project and you have until Friday at 5pm EST to write a caption in exactly six words. One savvy six-word scribe will win a gift certificate for $50 for Shutterfly. Leave [...]

SMITH and Shutterfly’s Six-Word caption contest continues. For those just joining us here’s how it works: Each Monday morning we’ll post a photo from Shutterfly on the Six-Word Memoir project and you’ll have until Friday at 5pm EST to submit a caption in exactly six words. One short-form scribe will receive a gift certificate for [...]

We’re hitting the road this fall. On Oct. 4 SMITH Live will be at NYC’s 92YTribeca for “‘Let Me in You Narrative Whore’—a Six-Word Story Show on Creative Life.”
You’ll hear true tales about—
• The creation moment of the smash fiction series and Broadway musical Wicked from its creator, Gregory Maguire;
• What it was like to [...]

The best writers are readers, so it’s no surprise that this week’s featured Six-Word Memoirs are especially bookish. Check out these authors and their literary inspirations.
Most “Modern Love”: “Wife’s Nook is the other man.” - JohnBigJohn
Biggest Leap: “Scuttled chosen profession. Loving new labors.” - L2L3, one of the most commented and favorited memoirs of the [...]

Every Six-Word Memoir book is a different process. They’re all bound by this simple concept—”your life in exactly six words”—but the vibe is never the same. And never has the experience of receiving the submissions been so intense and amazing as it has been for for our upcoming book, Things Don’t Have to be Complicated: [...]

A runner isn’t just an athlete in Nike shoes. Running away or running out of words are universal phenomenon. Hearts run brains, as much as other people often run our lives. Even sentences can stretch out by running-on. People run away from themselves, afraid to confront their fears. As fall begins, and the days of [...]

As summer comes to a close, we at SMITH can’t help but get a little sappy. After all, there’s nothing wrong with a little sentimentality, right? As you read this week’s Six-Word Memoirs, don’t be afraid to let your nostalgic side show.
Most Suggestive: “Not losing hair. Finding it everywhere.” - treehugger
Worst Free Vacation: “I’m [...]

In honor of Shark Week, we’re showcasing Six-Word Memoirs that are as tumultuous as a summer swim in the ocean. Coping with visible and internal obstacles, these writers have managed to survive and emerge with all limbs (and six words!) in tact.
Best Internal Rhyme: “City streets made a concrete girl.” - Wench, with the [...]

This week’s Six-Word Memoirs are full of heart. Some of these writers found love in favorite cities or bands, while others faced new heights and challenges in their relationships.
Most Bittersweet: “My wedding gown lacked a parachute.” - oopsalittle
Best Footwork: “I’m a waltz with flamenco dreams.” - BanjoDan (profile image above)
Best Wordplay: “He proposed on [...]