Everyone has a story to tell!

Everyone has a story to tell. Of course, not everyone is a Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, James Patterson, or Danielle Steel, but that doesn’t mean you have to be one of those authors to tell a story. Compare this to cooking: not everyone is a famous chef like Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, or Rachael Ray, but Aunt Maude’s chicken casserole may taste just as good as anything you get at a famous restaurant. Now, some people will say there is a difference between telling a story and storytelling—more on this in a future post. But we all know everyday people who enthrall us with the stories they tell. That person might be a coworker who talks about John or Abuela. Every day, we can’t wait to hear the latest tale of how John antagonized our coworker or what crazy thing Abuela did last night. It’s as interesting as anything you might read in a novel. They have a way of drawing us into their lives. Even without detailed descriptions of what John or Abuela look like, we picture them in our minds. And their stories are told in everyday language. They don’t need to say, “The storm rolled in like a ferocious beast, its dark clouds billowing like waves of paint spilled upon a canvas, devouring the sun. As rain beat angrily against the roof, a thousand tiny fists pounded against the safe haven underneath…” We are just as entertained without all the flowery language. Of course, if you enjoy flowery language, that’s okay too. Some people tell stories in different ways—through art, photography, or music—but they still capture our imaginations and speak to us. Everyone has a story to tell. All we have to do is tell it. Check out some self-published authors like Seth Sjostrom, M.L. Broome, and many others. You may find you enjoy their stories just as much as those on the New York Times top ten list.