I am a storyteller

The desire #

Recently I read a question by someone asking how to become a better storyteller. This question resonates with me. I feel I lack the ability to tell a good story. I'm not sure where the desire to be a good storyteller comes from. The place I first identify is to be warmer and more entertaining in social situations. But I don't know if the desire is to be looked well upon, to soothe my own social anxiety, for the benefit of the other, to create a better community, or some other reason.

The recommendation #

The questioner received several answers. The book Story Grid, along with its associated material. Dan Harmon's story structure was also recommended. I read through the structure. It provided a good framing for me. It will require practice for me to place stories I tell into this format. But having a structure provides me confidence in being able to craft a story.

But of course I need a source for stories I tell. The best way to generate stories is to live a life full of stories. As an introvert my experiences are minimal and not very exciting, so I don't feel like I have a plentiful source.

Everyday is a story #

Stories, however, I don't think need to be as exciting as what I feel they need to be. Yes, if something eventful happens the story is more engaging. But we relate to lots of things which happen in life. Additionally, I can be creative with my stories. I can make up things which happen, similar to jokes. Or start from something I observe. Or start from something which happens but then continue forward in a creative way, how it played out in my head. All of these sources can be entertaining and communicate about my perspective, the way I see things, think about things. Therefore being creative doesn't mean it's empty sharing. The story still contains meaning. It's communicating a different aspect.

The stories we tell ourselves #

This morning I felt sleepy as I was sitting during church. As we were walking to the car afterwards my wife asked if I was tired. I said I was resting as I was listening. She said I was head bobbing during church.

As we drove away I felt embarrassed and wondering who else noticed. Along with this feeling I started thinking why I was sleepy. I began having conversations with others in my head telling them why I was sleepy and so why it was reasonable I was head bobbing.

It was at this moment I realized I was telling myself a story. I've learned we are constantly telling ourselves stories. This was a good example on how this plays out in life. It reminds me of the study in which the corpus callosum was severed in people who experience seizures in order to prevent seizures from occurring. An interesting result was found which has been named the left-brain interpreter. When the field of vision is restricted between the left and right eyes then if the right eye is shown something the left brain will make up what it believes to be a reasonable explanation about the action which occurred.

the left-brain interpreter will nonetheless construct a contrived explanation for the action, unaware of the instruction the right brain had received.

It has been determined we all experience this.

The drive to seek explanations and provide interpretations is a general human trait, and the left-brain interpreter can be seen as the glue that attempts to hold the story together, in order to provide a sense of coherence to the mind.

It was then I realized that I am already an expert storyteller. My brain is constantly telling myself stories. Believable stories. I am a storyteller. It's not a foreign practice. Therefore relax, trust your instincts and dive in!