My first-hand experience though is with a book she brought home for me, related to some very compelling work installed at the AVM. The book was published in 2005, and there have been a few ‘sequels’ but it was all new to me. The book is PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives by Frank Warren. I’m taking my time perusing and savoring it.

An earlier post of mine showcased a book (and related community) by editors at Smith Magazine whose concept of 6-word memoirs gave rise to poetic and insightful exploration of life within very tight constraints. Frank Warren’s PostSecret project is also restrictive, yet by encouraging the added visual dimension his scheme allows more room for expression and is arguably, ultimately, more accessible than words only.

In a nutshell, Mr. Warren invites you to confess your secret(s) in words and pictures – anonymously – in the form of a postcard, slap on a stamp and mail your intimate creation to him. Many of the thousands he’s collected, and is still collecting – are breathtakingly beautiful in their composition, their craft and their vulnerability. I’m not sure if some are enhanced by the author or not (I sometimes see stylistic similarities across the collection) but it’s the [assumedly] therapeutic, confessional nature of the exercise that is so appealing. I ‘m almost inspired to share a dirty little secret or two with the world – unattributed to me of course. You can see some examples from the constant stream at the PostSecret and the PostSecret community websites.

Again, I’ve started to write before I’ve finished my research, and continue to discover (years late) related information and activity on the web. There’s a pretty healthy PostSecret community out there and also video confessionals, seen at (among other places) the community web site above, are growing in popularity. It’s good to stumble across online video that strives to illuminate the human experience and not just distract us from it.

Even though my own six-word memoir is still ahead of me, I’m familiar with a similar soul-searching process. Being a [lately silent] member of the Startup Nation community of small business owners, I joined in on a particular forum thread last year that challenged business owners to craft an eleven-word “elevator speech.” (The premise of an elevator speech involves finding yourself in an elevator with a potential investor; you had better be able to succinctly communicate the value of your idea before your captive audience steps off at his or her destination.) Before contributions to the thread morphed more into tag lines, I managed to posit my own, followed by a stinging review from a particularly sharp forum member. His words sent me back to my notepad, redoubling my efforts and grinding my pencil and eraser into smoking little nubs from the iterations. But I emerged the wiser for it. I made those eleven words dance; they eloquently carried meaning, but more importantly, very specific meaning.

Strangely, my business focus has changed enough that I don’t actively use that honed elevator speech. You’ll just have to trust me that I did well with the project and that I discovered the power in economy of words.

Back to six-word memoirs. Take the challenge yourself, and invite your friends. I’d like to read what you come up with, in comments here or at the project’s own submissions site. Perhaps first have a look at this video before you explore the site and then (hopefully) share your own, really-short story with the world.

Six-Word Memoir book preview from SMITHmag on Vimeo.