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Writer Larry Smith in his office. Smith will be coming to the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio on Sunday, June 3 for a presentation that elaborates on the cultural explosion of his ‘Six Word Memoir’ concept. (sixwordmemoirs.com)

Now I Obsessively Count the Words: Speaking With Writer Larry Smith

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Writer Larry Smith has always believed that the most interesting things are other people. Even before social media made it possible to keep tabs on everything your ex-best friends eat for lunch, Smith was working to find a way to make story telling easy and inviting in the digital age. He found inspiration in the literary legend of Ernest Hemingway being challenged to pen a novel in only six words, to which the iconic writer famously responded ‘For Sale: Baby Shoes. Never worn.’ From that, Smith created the concept of the ‘six word memoir,’ which has become a global phenomenon as it arms people with the ability to express their most important possession: their story. 

WOUB’s Emily Votaw spoke to Smith about his roots as a journalist and writer, the human importance of stories, and his upcoming appearance at the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio in Lancaster on Sunday, June 3. The event will kick off at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 3 at the Decorative Arts Center (145 East Main Street, Lancaster, OH) and feature a presentation by Smith on the explosion of his simple idea, and how everyone can use six small words to describe their life experience.