Labcoat_small
Reputation: 733

How do you tell a story?

Many times in my life a romantic interest has asked me to tell her a story. This usually happens as a part of late night pillow talk either in person or over the phone (during a long distance relationship). I know for some it's just nice to drift off to sleep while someone talks quietly, the subject probably isn't important. Regardless, I usually choke.

It's not that I don't know any stories, it's just that everything I can think of is either a personal anecdote and seems self-interested or is long and fictional or NPR-ish. It just doesn't seem like these things would strike the right tone.

Does anyone have any perspective from either gender on this? Although possibly I am way over thinking it.

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  • 11443802614723fe566385e_small
    Reputation: 1178

    Practice.

    Practice on yourself, out loud if possible, but in your head if need be.

    Practice on friends and family is much better. You'll bomb and fail a great deal at first, so be humble.

    Practice the same story over and over again. Tweak it, change wording and timing and the order of events. Try telling it in third and first person.

    It doesn't need to be real or even make sense: "Once there was a homeless man who had a pink bazooka..." Then what? There are an infinite number of possible thens at any given point in a story; being a good story teller is about doing things unexpected with the threads you have already given your audience. It's about holding back the right amount, going for it when need be, and showing and telling in the right proportion.

    A couple of good pointers is if you're completely stuck, state something obvious. "The sky was blue;" is better than dead air. And be sure to make things happen. A story all about moods and internal states is MUCH harder to make work.

    As a starting point, take one of your short personal anecdotes and tell the story of what you wished had happened or what might have happened. Another good launching point is one of those short story generators online. Just do it all out loud or in your head; being able to write a good story does not always translate to being to tell one.

    If you have trouble doing things to reduce your inhibitions can be very helpful. On that subject, sit at the bar and start swapping stories with strangers. You'll bomb some of the time, but some of the best storytellers I've met have been random people in bars.

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5 Other Answers

  • Enso_circle_small
    Reputation: 844

    I agree with all that Lilting M has recommended. Telling stories is hard. I have a theory that the people who appear to be naturals at it have been practicing the genre since they learned to talk...

    If you want to hear some great storytelling, start subscribing to the Moth podcasts. Not only are the stories fun, but you can pick up some ideas about how to structure stories to make them more interesting. The hook, the lead in, where to delay the next narrative step by a digression or some description, and so many more things that I can't even describe.

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  • Medium_2868373187_b2c11c89cf_o_small
    Reputation: 2266

    I think I've been asked that question once and I just told a long rambling story about an imaginary dragon. It was great.

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  • Cedar_photo_small
    Reputation: 1506

    Pick a character--human or animal--then tell little made up sagas about them. Tonight, in another installation of Bob the Beaver, Bob gets existential while building a dam....(insert story here). Stay tuned for tomorrow, when Bob finds himself a wife.

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  • Horse_ass2_small
    Reputation: 751

    Pick a book together and read each other chapters out of it. It is really really hard to make up stories.

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  • 173353_1013500352_7020560_n_small
    Reputation: -6

    Others have offered great advice. I'd just add: screw the "right tone", just take a deep breath and do it! She wants to know you, and she's giving you a chance to be heard. Win win!

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