I remember every movie, painting, ballet, TV show, album, piece of pottery, and fossil that has told me a great story. Each had its own way of crafting and telling unique, lasting stories. I loved them all.

Although writing is my preferred medium, my passion for great storytelling drives me to understand the craft behind great stories and the busted mechanisms behind not-so-great ones.

Story Soapbox catalogs my discoveries, theories and practices in the ever-winding and evolving craft of storytelling. As the world’s technologies quickly shift around us, causing ripples in creative practices and testing proven techniques, understanding the basic principles of storytelling will allow myself (and hopefully others) to create stories that withstand the test of change.

At the heart of what I want to learn, two principles guide my questions:

Good stories last.

No story is new, not really. Humans have been passing stories down throughout the ages. Although the storytelling landscape has changed from cave paintings to IMAX theaters, our innate need to describe the world around us and how we relate to it has remained the same. Even Joseph Campbell identified a common pattern, known as the Hero’s Journey, found within legends and myths across the world. Today, stories that center around the human experience are more important than ever. 

Stories inspire connection.

Stories have a fascinating quality that brings people together. Through sharing stories, people connect with diverse cultures, experiences and ideas that transcend time and circumstance. Robert McKee argues that stories “fulfill a profound human need to grasp the patterns of living—not merely as an intellectual exercise, but within a very personal, emotional experience.”