The most personal stories can be the most powerful
One of the most challenging questions aspiring writers have is where to look for ideas.
Well, we’ve spent plenty of time over the last few weeks exploring that question. And why, it can easily be solved.
Ideas are everywhere. And the more you think about storytelling, the more you will be bursting with ideas. When you implement a few practical tools for harvesting ideas, you will never run out of ideas for stories.
That’s, honestly, the easy part. The hard part? Crafting a story that is unique, sincere, and will resonate with a reader.
Last week, I detailed how real-life events can be jumping-off points for stories. The fact is, some of the most popular movies, books, and series were based on real life. It gives your work a kind of credibility (even if you don’t put in the line “Based on a true story”) and give a story a foundation from which you can experiment.
But how can you make a story more authentic? In an age when so many people are producing content—most of which is shallow and clickbaity—how can your stories feel real and meaningful? How can you make sure your story is going to connect with a stranger, to the point where they want to care about it?
You gotta get personal.