Sixwoodling (6ws x 365): January's tiny stories

Month One: a new visual journaling project which forms part of my Personal Atlas journey in 2024

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Hello, dear Mappery Moodler!

Well, here I am after a bit of an unintended break (I’ve been in South Africa for a work contract). I’m ready to share my first month of six word stories and mini maps. But first, a little detour in the whys and wherefores.

Why six word stories and mini maps?

Six word stories have come back into focus because of the micro fiction I’ve been writing recently but I’ve used them in since I wrote a number to accompany a Pencil Shavings photography series way back in 2017.

Essence, touch points and anchoring

I find these tiny stories a creative way to capture the essence of an experience or to describe an image, even if they’re not perfectly crafted each time - they’re certainly not mini masterpieces. But then, they don’t need to be. 

I’m good at, and love year long projects, either daily ones or weekly ones. They give my life a daily focus, a touch point in each day where I know I’ll be able to pause and anchor myself for a few moments in something that is mine, and mine only.

As I said in an earlier post, this year I wanted to do another 365 project to notice and document the moments of my life but on a small scale i.e. something that wouldn’t involve a lot of time and effort. It won’t surprise you that I’ve included maps 😊

The Sixwoodling (6ws x 365) project is well and truly happening!

These miniscule little stories will be triggers for remembering each day so that the year doesn’t become a black hole¹. At the end of last year when I tried to complete my Moodle Map of Memories² for 2023 (see image below), I struggled thinking back on the year and recalling what I’d done. In the end, I had to go back to my diary to fill in the gaps. But then I found that my diary only logged events that were scheduled or planned.

What of the plethora of daily moments that I’d forgotten that weren’t in my diary? 

Moodle Map of Memories 2023 © Deb.Aura.Art ~ These naps will shortly be available in my online store

Filling a gap, filling a need

This project also fills the gaping hole that has been left by not taking a photo a day, which has been my practice since 2014 and a big part of my life for so long. The lack of a place to post a photo and the expectation of engaging with others were the reasons I stopped taking a daily pic (you may have guessed I am no longer enamoured with social media like Instagram). 

This project seems more intimate, more personal and much more aligned with “mapping my life” and creating a memoir through visual journaling. It fits with where I am and how I want to move forward with journaling in this way. 

This project is a small bite-sized, focused action once a day to write the story of the day in just words. 

This months stories and maps

And here they are - 5 mini maps because January ran over the 4 week mark. You can read them here in full in the companion post.

January 2024 six word stories

Ending off, I’d love to know if you do extended projects too and what attracts you to them. Or just leave me a ❤️ to say hi!

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Other Mappery things to explore

• Inspired by Hemingway's famous six-word tale, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn,” the "six word story" has served as a prompt for both writers and photographers for many years. For examples visit Six Word Stories

• If you’d like to know more about mapping your own life, do get in touch³ and we can talk.

• You can also visit my new Mappery Moodles website to find out more about what I do with maps!

• Fancy earning a paid subscription? By sharing this letter and by referring friends you’ll receive special benefits such as complementary paid subscriptions.

1. The stories may also be prompts for further stories or narratives in the future.

2. These maps will soon be available in my online store!

3. You can email me on debs.stott@mapperymoodles.me