Tell Me More: The Art of Storytelling
March 1, 2023
Author: Brooke Edelman
Editor: Chava Makman
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren is one of my favorite books, and I want to introduce you to a quote from it that I find to be relatable and undeniably true:
“When I find that book that makes me lose myself for just one hour, maybe more, I forget.”
I have always liked to read, but it wasn’t until I came to college that I became the true book-geek that I am now. Freshman year, I went home for winter break and returned to Ann Arbor less than a month later with 14 new reads under my belt. My parents had a whole new daughter. Dinner became something that forced me to put down my book— even grabbing my morning coffee became an inconvenience because it delayed me from continuing the story that I was immersed in.
I began to realize that I didn’t just want to add a finished book to my master list, which might have been part of my motivation in the past; instead, I simply wanted to stay inside of the story. The instant my book was open, I began feeling as though I myself was within the pages; their words were offering me a whole new world, a true escape from reality.
We share stories to transport ourselves and others, leaving our own worlds for just a few moments. The words transform into vehicles that take us to new destinations for the duration of the story— whether it’s 300 pages of a book, or a 10-minute-long read aloud. When we were kids, bedtime stories would boost our imagination right before we slept, allowing us to become the princess of a castle as our head hit the pillow. As we grow older, an author sharing a story of a talented protagonist can leave us hopeful to someday find ourselves living the stories that we long to hear, from summer romances to fairytale endings.
Chapter by chapter, authors share stories that cause us to fall in love with their protagonists. They often encourage us to root for the change that the antagonist should undergo, as well. Frequently, we don’t want to exit from the story until we know we have reached the happy ending our main character deserves. Our reality is full of uncertainty, so the satisfaction of finding out a known ending for a world within the pages of a book is truly surreal. But, what if the last word of the book just left us on a cliffhanger? Who continues the story and tells us how it ends?
As I wondered about this, it hit me: certain stories belong to certain people. No one could retell a story the same way that authors tell their own stories. You could ask me to describe the book I’m reading, and, eventually, I’ll probably just say, “you just have to read it to understand.” Not out of laziness, but rather because I want the story to be told correctly and done justice.
That response reminds me of all the “you just had to be there” stories I’ve told. For these stories, not found on pages but instead simply spoken aloud, who do they belong to? Why can’t my best friend who’s heard the story a thousand times retell it in the same way to the next listener?
Well, each story has something special about it. Maybe it’s the way it’s told — the dramatic pauses in between what happened and what’s soon to come. Or, maybe it’s the facial expressions that just cannot be matched. Could it be the way I laugh before even finishing the story, almost forcing you to laugh with me, and to find it to be the funniest story you’ve ever heard?
We all have those stories. The one that I will bring up immediately if you need a smile, or even if I hear any key words screaming my name. Sit back, and get ready to listen up. I can’t help but share some of my most iconic stories at any given opportunity — things that happened to me that will quite literally have you peeing your pants. You know, the stories that never get old.
In a world with thousands of stories, some written on pages, some kept within our imagination, and some only now being formed as new memories — own the ones you choose to tell. Authors are so good at what they do: holding your interest for page after page, until suddenly, you're adding the book to your “completed” list and forming plans to pick up their next novel from the library. And, if you ask me, anyone could be a great storyteller, once they find how to best share each story.
Although I haven’t yet mastered the art of storytelling as much as the writers whose books I love, I have found a passion for telling stories of my own, the ones that make my life a bit brighter. From one story to another, I have determined that, with the right delivery and manner, any story can impact an audience.
Image: Julia Bonanno
