Ever since she read the book, “Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure,” local librarian and writer Emily Lloyd has been enthralled with the idea of bringing the concept of miniature memoirs closer to home.
After trying it out at the library where she works, the idea of “6 Words Minneapolis” came to her.
It’s a public art project that gets Minneapolitans of all ages and walks of life “to tell their life stories–or something essential about who they are right now–in 6-word memoir form,” the
website reads.
People can contribute to the project virtually or in person at a handful of places.
Right now, a mural of submissions is on exhibit at the
Midtown Global Market, while the
Blue Moon Coffee Café, 2nd Moon Coffee Café,
Anodyne, and
Seward Café are also featuring pieces of the project that invites audience interaction.
Meanwhile, Lloyd is still looking for other neighborhood establishments, such as bookstores, salons, and hospitals, to “host” the project, either in mural form, or in a digital slideshow.
So far, over 500 people, including some area middle- and high-school students, have contributed writings that run the gamut from the funny to the poetic.
Their scribblings are posted on
Flickr, where they’re tagged by neighborhood and age.
“Knowing these are the memoirs of the people we pass on the Greenway or bump into at the library or while grocery shopping gives it a greater depth and resonance,” she says.
She plans to accept submissions through the spring and is considering compiling the work into a free e-book.
“I hope people stop, pause, think, and walk away filled with a deepened love and compassion for (or at least curiosity about) those they share space with, a neighborhood with, a city with.”
Source: Emily Lloyd, 6 Words Minneapolis
Writer: Anna Pratt