Creativity Central [Marty Baker]

Mark Twain famously described the proper proportions of a maxim: a minimum of sound to a maximum of sense. In a text-messaged and 140-character Twitterized world, brevity has enjoyed unprecedented popularity. Writer, and blogger, Seth Godin, has made a living by being both perceptive and brief.

A few months ago, I read the best-seller, "Not Quite What I Was Expecting: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure," by the editors of Smith Magazine. Legend has it that in the 1920's, Ernest Hemingwaybet colleagues that he could write a complete short story in just six words.

The result, "For Sale: Baby Shoes. Never Worn," He reportedly called it his best work.

Here's a sampling:

Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends.

Danced in fields of infinite possibilities. (Deepak Chopra)

Nobody cared. Then they did. Why? (Chuck Klosterman)

Wasted time regretted, so life reinvented. (Vicky Oppus)

I use the 6-word technique in Innovation Workshops because it's a creative way to distill an idea to its essence. For example, Melville's Moby Dick: White whale. Missing Leg. Unknowable God.Twitter: What are you doing? 140 characters.

Can you sum up your business idea or company mission in 6 words? If you can't -- maybe there isn't a minimum of sound to a maximum of sense. Try it at your next meeting. Distill the next project to six words. Express the strategy in six words.

Creativity Central. Ideas. Innovation. All in one place.

http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords/