When Hemingway wrote the six-word novel "For sale: baby shoes, never worn," he didn’t know he’d inspired one the hottest storytelling trends of the modern age. But with four books and 300,000+ online submissions later, SMITH Magazine's Six-Word Memoirs [sixwordmemoirs.com] have become a part of the national conversation. Larry Smith tells the story of the Six-Word Memoir project.

3. For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.

4. Class clown, class president, town drunk. — Victor Goad Married by Elvis . Divorced by Friday. — G.M. Rouse Catholic girls. Jersey. It’s all true. —Mary Elizabeth Williams One life. Six words. What’s yours?

8. Life has gone to the dogs. —Ted Rheingold, CEO Dogster

9. Eight thousand orgasms, only one baby. —Neal Pollack

10. Found on Craigslist: table, apartment, fiancé. —Becki Lee According to Facebook, we broke up . —Jonathan B. Yes, you can edit my biography. —Jimmy Wales

14. Make it easy.

15. Empower the crowd.

16. … .and set the crowd free.

17. Add a touch of celebrity.

18. Have a Jewish mother.

20. Six is everywhere. (Just look around.) larry@smithmag.net * @smithmag * www.smithmag.net * thank you.