Though it started as a teaching tool to pass knowledge down through the generations, story has evolved into something greater. Story is more than an explanation, an opinion, a vision, or a dream. It’s more than a memory, a journey or a destination.
Story is more than a moment captured in time. It’s more than the mundane and more than the extraordinary. It’s more than reality and more than imagination.
Story is a vehicle to carry not only the plot, a sequence of events, but it’s also the binding agent of character, conflicts and concepts. Story reflects drama, silence, and atmosphere.
Story starts as a spark of creation but then it travels beyond the stage. It reaches into our hearts and plays with our emotions. It’s a glimpse of something grander, whether it’s about a rise, a fall, a comedy or a tragedy.
Story is greater than the writer. It goes by its own rules and is swayed by neither beauty nor ugliness. It goes beyond revelation and delves deeper than secrets. The written story is the essence of each other captured on the page…and more.
For me, story is a dance of many or few steps.
What is story for you?
32 comments:
I completely agree that a story has its own rules. In my extremely limited experience, the stories take on a life of their own; I’m just a channel for them.
The enigmatic, masked blogger
this kind of post is exactly why you have the LOVE part in Lyndylove :)
Story is perhaps the most fundamental way we have of communicating and connecting with one another.
Beautiful post. For me story is the earthbound expression of our souls.
Enigmatic, yes exactly. In that regard, story should speak louder than the author.
Dezy, giggle.
Jeffrey, yes, yes and yes. Exactly. Well said.
Melissa, oo, I like that -- "the earthbound expression of our souls". Poetic and true.
A nice break from reality. :D
M Pax, Yes! I think that's what got me into reading when I was young (even though I was a slow reader... and still am).
That was wonderfully and beautifully put.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
What a wonderful way to view it. You've truly captured how powerful it is.
CD
Nancy & Clarissa, thanks :)
Story is heart and tradition. My mother and grandmother used to tell me wonderful stories. I loved makng up stories to tell my kids when they were young. Remembered stories give a better return than money in the bank.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Story is the happy ending we're looking for. It's good overcoming evil and makes us want to do more and become better people.
Okay, not always, but wouldn't it be nice. :)
I like the idea of story as a dance. Sometimes it's fast and sometimes it's slow.
Nice!
I love that Story is greater than the writer - that's so true, story belongs to the reader :-)
NaNo on!
Arlee, yes and yes. My grandfather used to tell me wonderful stories. They treasured memories.
Kathi, It definitely would be nice to get the happy endings all the time. But the cautionary stories where things go bad are great too in their own way. They may not have the happy ending but they have the right ending. I think that's what we crave most (when it comes to endings)
Stephanie, and sometimes writing it drives me crazy because I have two left feet ;)
Charmaine, I see you are doing really well in NaNo. I can't update my word count yet because the site is down for maintenance, but I'm up to 7597 words. WOOT!
Beautifully put, Lynda. For me a story is a glimpse into someone's life.
I've always said that the story takes center stage over the writing. That is why some poorly written books can be successful, because the writer pulled them into the story, despite the poor writing.
Not that it gives any of us an excuse to write poorly.
Gorgeous post, Lynda.
Story is everything to me. It's our history and our nature and our desires and our truth. It heals and teaches and gives people hope. It's how we understand ourselves and our purpose in life. I believe that everything in the world comes from story.
Jai
Rachna, yes, absolutely.
Kristal, I have to agree with that. But there is a certain skill in being able to pull a reader into a story. It has little to do with the technical skills of the craft.
Jai, yes, well said :)
I love this post. I remember, Tolkien once opined that writing is one of the ways in which man both mimics and honors God because we make a conscious decision to create.
I love how you said "it’s also the binding agent of character, conflicts and concepts." Love that.
Great post!
I'm not sure I've ever really put thought into what story means to me ~ but my first thought is that it is truth. Breath. Life.
For me, story is escape. It's a daydream on paper. It's a friend and a mentor. It's lovely. I hope there's always a fresh, wide, wonderful batch to read/hear/share for as long as I'm around this place... :)
Well I'm not much of a dancer, so for me a story is like the flow of a river - the wilder the better!
Great post!
What is story? I think it is the blending of plot (things happening) with emotional truth.
And you won something on my blog. :-)
YES! I love this: It reaches into our hearts and plays with our emotions. It’s a glimpse of something grander.
Story is also a meditation :O)
Victoria, Tolkien was a clever man.
Ali, truth breath life. I like that.
Donea, story has been around for so long I think it will be around forever.
Alex, hehe. a wild river. Awesome.
Ishta, oh wow!! A signed copy of Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr!!!!! How AWESOME! Thank you so very much!!
Christina, thanks
Madeleine, I've not thought of it that way, but story is a meditation. :)
A story for me is a trip through a way of thinking.
Very well put. To me, a story is able to transform anything, be it a place, an event or a person. Through a story, you can visit places you'll never physically go, meet people you can't touch and become a different person altogether. Stories change things, and they are always changing themselves.
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