About 400 Words

400 Words is a storytelling project. It is a print magazine and a website, consisting of true stories, none over 400 words, by ordinary people on assigned themes. It's about the documentation of everyday life, saying a lot by saying a little. You can learn more, or order a copy, or tell a story of your own.

Print Issues

Issue 2, Compulsions:
What can you not not do?

Issue 1, Autobiographies:
Tell the whole story of your life in 400 words or less.

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For Further Enjoyment

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400 Words in Newsweek

Posted to 400 Words News on 10 December 2006.

This just in: 400 Words is featured in the “Periscope” section of this week’s Newsweek, on newsstands tomorrow, or online here.

Terribly exciting. Big ups to Nick Summers for writing the piece, and welcome to all the Newsweek readers who are, I hope, finding their way here for the first time. Make yourselves at home, read some stories, pour yourselves a cup of cider (if this were a real space, and not a digital one, I’d have some mulling on the stove), and maybe even check out the print zine itself. Copies are $6, and I daresay they make the ultimate stocking stuffer for the readers, writers, and commuters on your list. (There is no finer bus or subway reading, honest.)

Have fun looking around. In the meantime, I’m off to call my mom with the good news!

6 Comments

How exciting! I actually subscribe to ‘Newsweek’ and always read the Periscope section if nothing else. Here’s the link if anyone wants to hop right to it: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16126935/site/newsweek/

Posted by Claire on 12 December 2006 @ 1pm

Congratulations! I read the article, which brought me here. I really like the idea- it’s quite fascinating.

Posted by TWW on 12 December 2006 @ 7pm

I read about your site in Newsweek and have spent the past hour or so reading these wonderful stories. Amazing stuff…I love it.

Posted by Judy on 14 December 2006 @ 1pm

I too read the article in Newsweek. Amazing, clever idea. What a great writing exercise for us all. I plan on buying two copies of your print version. One set for me, because I despise reading lovely things on web pages, 400 words or not, and another “liftable” set for my office, a Writing Center.

Kudos to you and this delectable, even-my-husband-will-read-it project.

Posted by bdb on 28 December 2006 @ 8am

Thanks, BDB! That makes me feel great. If anybody in your Writing Center rises to the 400 Words challenge, have them send their stuff in. I’m still collecting 400 Word autobios for the future…

Posted by katherine on 28 December 2006 @ 11am

I’m here by way of Newsweek. My husband cut out the bit and attatched a post-it with the message: Maybe you can write down something useful instead of saying it!

Next topic: Family visits?

Posted by r. walter on 11 January 2007 @ 5pm

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