Photography, Writing Challenge, Six Word Photo Story

The Story Behind 6-Word Photo Story Summer Challenge & Publication

Inspired by Hemingway, Larry, a village & a sleepless night

The first time I heard about six-word stories was when I walking on a treadmill, flipping through a magazine. I came across an ad that was calling for submissions to a six-word memoir contest for Smith Magazine. Selected stories would be published in their 2009 book collection of six-word memoirs, “Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak by Writers Famous & Obscure,” a collection of six-word love memoirs edited by co-creators Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser.

I was thrilled when Smith Magazine chose one of my 6-word memoirs — it became the first story I published. Over a decade later, the content of my story still makes me wonder why the heck they picked that one. But I guess it was my wit or profound message. You can read about it here in Reuben Salsa’s publication, The Bad Influence.

When I dug deeper into the history of the 6-word story, I discovered that the legendary first six-word story ever written was by Ernest Hemingway:

“For Sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.” — Ernest Hemingway

Maybe you’re familiar with the story — it’s a story you won’t forget.

I launched my personal blog in 2019 by creating “six-word photo stories”— stories inspired by photos that I took myself from my own camera or cell phone.

I doubt I’m the first person to connect a six-word story to a photo in this way, but the idea came to me during a sleepless night — so I’ll stick to that.

Six-word photo stories played a big role during the early months of my personal blog — because I knew that if I couldn’t come up with hundreds or thousands of words for my next blog post, I knew I could write at least six. I love taking photos and I have years of archives to draw from.

During the spring of 2020, I invited friends to participate in writing 6-word photo art stories where I asked them, “How has the C-word affected your life?” From their submissions, I created a beautiful collection of stories written by people in my community. The project, “The B.C. Covid 19- Collection: 2020 6-Word Art Stories — inspired hope, creativity, and intimacy through our stories between the writers — something we desperately needed at the start of the pandemic.

I also created a children’s version where I asked kids to talk about how Corona affected their lives by inviting them to write their own 6-word stories inspired by pictures they drew themselves, or by their own thoughts, feelings, and questions about the pandemic. It was called Six Word Time Capsules by our Children.

I loved working on this community project and I wanted to inspire my fellow writers on Medium in a similar way by coming together — writing, and sharing personal 6-word stories and photographs, and supporting each other on the way.

That’s why I created the 6-Word Photo Story Summer Challenge.

I’m happy dancing that this challenge has taken off — your responses through your stories and comments have been thoughtful, wondrous, and inspirational.

Our writing village

You’ve strengthened our writing community— whether it was through self-publishing or through a publication — you told your story, made an impact, and engaged with our writers. You brighten my day each time I read one of your stories — thank you from the bottom of my writer’s heart and for being part of my writing village.

This is why I’m creating my new publication, “Six Word Photo Story Challenge!”

Introducing my new publication, “Six Word Photo Story Challenge”

When I started the 6-Word Photo Story Summer Challenge, I had no idea how popular it would become! I had no intent or desire to start my own publication, but I have been tagged like crazy and I can’t keep up with the linking of all the writer's articles onto my own articles— so here I am.

I’ll be launching my own publication on Medium called “Six Word Photo Story Challenge.” If you were hooked on the summer challenge and need a new challenge— please follow me at Mary Chang Story Writer and/or my publication which will be launched on September 1, 2021.

Update: The publication has launched! If you’d like to be added as a writer and submit a story, please read and follow the submission guidelines.

Note: Feel free to publish your stories on my publication, Six Word Photo Story Challenge, OR self-publish OR you may choose to publish them in SNAPSHOTS, For Awe, or any other Medium publication — as long as they accept this style of story and please read and follow their submission guidelines. The editors at both publications are supportive, a pleasure to work with and I’m grateful to them for publishing my six-word photo stories in the past.

Writers, you have the freedom to publish wherever you choose.

As a new editor and creator of my Six Word Photo Story Challenge publication, I’ll do my best to be supportive, and I’ll hopefully be a pleasure to work with too. Stay tuned — it will be launching on September 1, 2021!

The original 6-Word Photo Story Summer Challenge. I started this on Medium in July with this article. It was a fun challenge that ran from July 1-August 31, 2021, and became the hottest summer addiction for many writers!

We added a new splash we added in August.

July’s hottest stories (2021)

August’s hottest stories (2021)

You can take a quick view of the complete stories in my “Lists” section.

About the Author

Mary Chang is an award-winning short story fiction writer, memoir writer, blogger, editor of the Six Word Photo Story Challenge publication(and creator of the original 6-Word Photo Story Summer Challenge writing prompt on Medium.)

She’s also a parent, fitness enthusiast, and obsessed with 6-word photo stories, and headstands!

Fueled by cartwheels, laughter, and encouraging people to shine. Read her blog at www.marychangstorywriter.com. Follow her new publication Six Word Photo Story Challenge.

Grateful for your reading time, Mary Chang Story Writer.