Verbal Storyteller

I consider myself a storyteller.  I like to tell about events that have happened in my life or about interesting things I've heard, read or have imagined.  If there is ever a lull in conversation, you won't have to wait long before I start talking about something; and I'll tell about that something in a story-like fashion.

Over the years I've tried hard to build a balance in my story telling.  A story shouldn't be too long, shouldn't have too many details and yet should be entertaining.  I struggle with length, too many details, order of events, sidetracking stories and punchline delays.  I think I've improved over time, but there is still much room for improvement.

I learned not that long ago that in telling a story, the exact details do not have to be told exactly as they happened, as long as you're not doing anyone a real disservice.  Making a story interesting doesn't mean telling every single detail or using the exact words the person said.  That doesn't mean misrepresenting the story, it does means keep it short, get to the point, and tell the salient points that made the story interesting in the first place.

I've also learned that while telling a story verbally is something I've always enjoyed doing, it isn't too different from telling a story in written form.  The wording in writing may be different, but the essence is the same.

This weekend, my mother-in-law brought an article from their local paper written by her next-door neighbor.  It was a charming story about relaxing and hearing the pine cones fall in her yard.  It was well-written and compelling.  What I took away from the article was that what I write about here in this blog, isn't all that different.  This does not mean I style myself as a writer, I am far from qualified for that.  But it did make me feel like I'm going in the right direction with my writing.

The article wasn't long, perhaps as long as many of the blog posts I write here.  It wasn't about anything serious, just someone's thoughts and ideas and memories written in a way that was enjoyable to read so that other people could share those thoughts and ideas.  So the article was a nice encouragement to me.

I struggle with writing though.  Well, perhaps struggle isn't the word that accurately describes what I mean.  I work to use good descriptive adjectives and I think about my friend, JoAnn, who said that adjectives can make or break a good story.  And she's right.  The language and vocabulary in a story is just as important, if not more so, than the idea being conveyed.

Detail is another important component of a good story.  Not enough details and back-story and you don't feel connected or invested.  Too many details and the story seems to never get going and you're drowning in minutia.  For example, when Mrs. Brizzle comes to visit, it might be nice to know she is a friendly, portly woman wearing a large faded yellow hat.  But knowing about  her shoes, the material of her dress, her perfume, makeup, etc., can take away from the main story of the visit.   So I try to balance enough and yet not too much detail.

I also think about the tone when writing.  Is this a serious topic or is it something that can be told with humor?  Or, is it a serious topic that will be made better by telling it with humor?  Humor is hard for me.  I'm just not that funny.  I may have been born without wit.  That part, I can definitely say I struggle with.

I am looking for my voice in words.  After 307 posts, I might be getting somewhere.   

The Big Boy Update:  "Happy Kica."  Today is a birthday celebration for one of his two teachers, Kica.  As is the school's tradition, each student brings a flower to present to the teacher so that together, those flowers make a lovely bouquet from their students.  We worked on saying, "Happy Birthday Kica" in the car this morning, but he could only get two words in a row.  As "birthday" was the most challenging for him, we practiced, "Happy Kica" again and again.  I don't know if he understood he was suppose to say that when he handed her the flower, but I have a feeling we'll hear what happened tomorrow at our first parent-teacher conference. 

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  Stairs.  Unexpectedly yesterday, she figured out how to climb stairs, all at once, and suddenly.  The most she'd ever done was two steps before and that was after long bits of trial and error.  Yesterday while we were eating dinner she went over to the stairs and in no time was up four steps.  I jumped up, turned on the phone camera and in less than two minutes she was at the top of the flight.  A half-hour later she climbed them again, in even less time.  In other news, she has croup confirmed from the trip to the doctor this morning. 

Someone Once Said:   If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no, candidates and no measures you want to vote for but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong. If this is too blind for your taste, consult some well-meaning fool (there is always one around) and ask his advice. Then vote the other way. This enables you to be a good citizen (if such is your wish) without spending the enormous amount of time on it that that truly intelligent exercise of franchise requires.