Young Writers discussion

I decided to start posting early drafts of the things I'll be putting on my blog. Feedback and criticism wanted.

Storytelling vs. Writing

Ever since humans could communicate, they've been telling stories. Written stories that are as much as 10,000 years old have been discovered, and although the spoken word cannot be preserved so well, our ancestors were telling stories with their voices and hands since they gained some form of consciousness that is more complex than the typical animal.

The point is that telling stories is part of who we are.

Is it not logical, then, that anyone can tell a story?

Let's take a couple personal examples into account to prove this idea. What kid doesn't lie about stealing a cookie? They make up a story about how their cousin Suzy did it when she came over for a family dinner. And how many kids have had their dog eat their homework?

But stories aren't merely presented in the form of lies, though that does display a more creative aspect of our storytelling ability. They can also be found when a parent asks about your day. You launch into a narrative about the teachers that slight you and the girls that dump you and share for the thirtieth time the amazing goal you made in club soccer.

This presents a second fundamental idea -- not only is everyone capable of telling stories, but it is also a natural activity that we do in our everyday lives.

In many interactions with inexperienced writers (many of them of a younger age group), I find a common theme in their comments on writing. "I just can't tell a story," they say.

I then share a few of the aforementioned examples and send them on their way. Because anyone can and has told a story. Why, then, is the world not flooded with rich authors?

The reason is that, although everyone has the potential and tendency to tell stories, that does not mean they can tell them well. The goal of any writer is to take what images they have in their head and have the reader see the same things. Obviously, a three-year-old lying about the cookies does not do that well, and they are not telling a good story.

So what is the difference between a writer and the everyday storyteller? The skill with which they present their story. This implies, then, that we all have the potential to create well-crafted stories because we all have the ability to tell them at all. So writers do not have some special skill in telling a story. They just do it well.

How does this apply to you, a storyteller who is trying to make something from the images and voices in your head?

It just proves that you can do this. You have the natural ability to tell stories, which means the path to being a skilled writer has already been laid, as opposed to one's dog, which cannot even fathom telling a story. You merely have a road that needs to be walked first.

So let's take this path together, shall we?

This is interesting! Do you have a link to your blog?

I have created the blog, but it will not go live until August. Just trying to build it up a little. :)

Oh, I like this! It is very well written.

did this ever happen?

@Sam

Not yet -- technical difficulties. Hazel made my blog template then sent me the computer code to set it up in my account. Problem is, there is some error in the 4000+ lines of code that is making it not work.

So…soon, maybe.

I enjoyed reading this. :)

So much better than mine!