6 Words

Life is funny. Tonight, as I sit in a hotel room alone, I have a huge stretch of uninterrupted writing time … and I’m uninspired. (Which is, frankly, just ridiculous given that I was privileged to be invited to listen to Cynthia Tobias speak a few hours ago.)

Many would say, “Meh, just pack it in and don’t worry about it.” I must admit that I thought about it. A lot. But, this is one of those times when you have to find a challenge and make yourself write.

As I was working up the intestinal fortitude to buck up and write something brilliant (OK, brilliant might be an exaggeration in the extreme), I found myself staring at an iTunes playlist. I was stuck there staring at the running times of the songs listed.

My mind started to wrap itself around the gift that composers and lyricists have been given. The ability to tell a whole story in 3 or 4 minutes is just cool. It was then that I remembered a book that came out a while ago … and a writing challenge that I’d never gotten around to.

Ahhh … inspiration.

As the story goes, Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only 6 words. He did. Smith Magazine published a book (Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure) of what others would do if given just 6 words and has been challenging folks to compose 6-word memoirs for their next volume. 

So, what 6 words would I choose and what would I say? Here’s what I’ve come up with so far. My guess is that I’ll revisit this again…

I was driven so I drove.

Hmmm … I think that sums up most of my life and my experience of living so far. So, what would your 6 words be?