A life in six words? Fantastic!

[Lancisto]

Smith's magazine has an interesting wee thingy wherein it invited its readers to submit their own six-word memoirs, that is a precisely six word story of their life. Some examples are given below, but I wondered how you would tell the story of your life (or indeed for someone else on the site) in such a concise form.

Personally I toyed with "I'm still learning to count" but in the end went for "Mostly grew up. Haven't died yet".

Examples:

"Chainsmoking Scot, made living from death" - Andrew McKie, Telegraph obituaries editor

"Five novels; two kids; insufficient sex" - Louise Doughty, novelist

"Everyone who loved me is dead" - Ellen Fanning

"Fifteen years since last professional haircut" - Dave Eggers, novelist

"I like big butts; can't lie" - Dave Russ

"They attacked, we survived; let's eat" - Charles Hollander

"Can that really be the time?" - Alex Clark, deputy editor, Granta

"We're bound to meet again soon" - Christopher Howse, Sacred Mysteries columnist

"Bad brakes discovered at high speed" - Johan Baumeister

"Foetus, son, brother, husband, father, vegetable" - Dick Hadfield

"Liars! Hysterectomy didn't improve sex life" - Joan Rivers, comedienne

"I am trying, in every regard" - Lionel Shriver, novelist

"Fancied self as haiku. Was clerihew" - Sam Leith, Telegraph literary editor

"Still breathing, too early to tell" - Simon Heffer, Telegraph columnist

"Bad reputation, such a good girl" - Erin Oldroyd

"I still make coffee for two" - Zak Nelson

"Fourteen years old; story still untold" - David Gidwani

"Wasn't born a redhead; fixed that" - Andie Grace

"Kissed the boys, made them cry" - Bryony Gordon, Telegraph columnist

"Scored way too many own goals" - Jim White, Telegraph writer