I've studied storytellers all my life. One thing I've seen in common with all successful ones is they are absolutely convincing. Be it a fiction tale or a true tale, the story never lacks a powerful point of view and the absolute authority of itself. The funny thing is, it doesn't even matter how ridiculous the story is, because we drop our disbelief in a wink and carry right along. It seems so effortless, like the story pours out onto the pages without any trouble at all. I love stories like those, and disappear between the lines gladly.
There's something magical about stories of far away places. Of fantastical creatures and amazing heroes fighting dreadful villains. In the same way, there's magic in stories of real places and real things. I've recently read a few travel stories about climbing Mount Everest and going through jungles. These stories of survival are dynamite. Have you read the story behind the hiker who had to sever his own arm and hike out of the canyons he was trapped in (Between a Rock and a Hard Place)? Wow, what a story!
A lot of entertainment these days is in the form of movies and music, but that certainly doesn't exempt them from having conviction in what they say. The best do it with gusto and panache. I think stories have the ability to bring wonder to everyone, at least for a little while. And when we, the audience, believe in the story a neat alchemy happens--we make it part of us.
- M
No comments:
Post a Comment