Say Less is about the art of short-form storytelling as a tool to get to the essence of who you are and what matters most. A newsletter from Larry Smith and The Six-Word Memoir® ProjectSay Less, features community six-word storytelling challenges, interviews with writers and artists who are masters of economy, and reports from people and places changing the world six words — and one story — at a time. We hope you will subscribe to our newsletter and join a community of people who believe in the power of “saying less” and doing more.

The free version of the newsletter includes all the features of the Six-Word Memoir newsletter many of you have been receiving each month.

Now, paid subscribers (just $6/month) get full access to the newsletter as well as additional newsletters that feature:

• Tips for writing your own story/memoir (more than six words!)

• Access to ALA, or “Ask Larry Anything” – a column about writing, journalism, the art of elevator pitching, and anything else you want to ask.

• Free, downloadable guides that take you through six-word storytelling prompts for your next company meeting, your child’s classroom (teachers love Six-Word Memoirs), your fundraising event, and even your dinner table. Get people talking and connecting with the help of six-words.

• Interviews with writers and artists that have mastered the art of economy.

• Above all, by becoming a paid subscriber, you support what The Six-Word Memoir Project has turned from a passion project to a life’s work – helping people tell and share their stories. As a paid subscriber, you can also become a founding member ($166) and receive all of the above benefits as well as a personal Six-Word Memoir or Six-Word birthday tribute for you or the person of your choosing.

Join our storied world

To see what’s happening at the hub of The Six-Word Memoir® Project, visit sixwordmemoirs.com. To learn about my work with companies, nonprofits, and schools, check out my speaking and workshop offerings at sixwordsmith.com. To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

Who I am and what’s the story of Six Words?
I tell that story in this short TEDx talk.

Kind words from teachers, company leaders, and Oprah…

“Larry Smith is on a quest to spark creativity in aspiring writers.”
—Oprah Magazine (read the full story in O Mag)

“It’s incredible what Larry Smith can do to connect and energize a team in just a few hours. Larry’s six-word tool helped us get to know each in new, surprising, and inspiring ways. His unique approach had us buzzing, laughing, and bonded.”
—Allison Dew, Chief Marketing Officer, Dell Technologies ‘

“The day I taught Six-Word Memoirs was the day my students came alive. Finally, being free to not only write long narratives helped them to discover the essence of themselves and the heart of their writing.”

—Candra McKenzie, English and ESL NYC public school teacher and host of the podcast, HallPassBreak

“Perhaps the greatest gift Larry imparted during his time with our school was that students felt their stories were important. He not only gave hundreds of kids a voice that day, he also gave them an ear. He listened to them. He celebrated them. He had photos taken of them with their memoirs. He published their writing. He gave students a way to be heard, and readers a chance to hear.”
—Sarah Bunger, Latin School of Chicago, IL

“Six-Word Memoirs bring out the best in my students. They are able to showcase their creativity and personal experience in a humorous, fun-loving way, but may also choose to display deeper, more complex emotions if they so choose.”
—Sarah Nguyen, Sixth grade English teacher, High Point Academy in Pasadena, California

Subscribe to Say Less by Larry Smith & The Six-Word Memoir Project

The art of short-form storytelling for self-expression, focus, and connection.

People

Larry Smith is co-founder Six-Word Memoirs and co-writer of “The Joy of Cannabis: The Science and Magic of Cannabis.” His essays have appeared in The New York Times, L.A. Times, Edutopia, Popular Science, Men’s Health, and a bunch of anthologies.