First Today, Then Tomorrow

Many people struggle with writing and they’re not sure why. “I can talk, can’t I?” they say. “So why is writing so difficult?”

Writing and speaking are two very different cognitive processes. And I’ll tell you why writing is more difficult: because writing is much closer to thinking.  And it is very difficult to think clearly. When you see your own words, when you are face to face with your own thoughts, you have to ask yourself, “is that what I really mean?”

But writing can be made much easier thru the art of story telling. It’s my belief that humans are evolved to love both telling and listening to stories. Our brains love them. There’s nothing better than a well-told tale. It’s the core of our entertainments, but it’s also how ideas are passed from one to another.  If you shape what you’re going to write in the form of a story, I think you may find it easier to get your point across. And often you’ll find the stories of your life and your experience will help you illustrate your points. There’s buried treasure in the events of your life!

I recently came across such a story that my aunt had collected as part of a family genealogy. While looking thru several 3-ring binders filled with family tree information, I found the story of one of my ancestors, David Alma Hoover. David served in the Union Army during the American Civil War where he was horribly wounded by friendly fire – virtually scalped by a wooden sabot used to fire red hot cannon balls at the enemy. He recovered, but after the war ended, the Army was unable to pay off his wages, so he was awarded land in the frontier – in what is now Southern Illinois. He returned home to Washington County, Indiana, packed up the family, and headed off to their new land. Today it would be about a two hour drive on good roads, but for them it was a long and difficult journey into the great unknown.

When they arrived at the designated spot, near Xenia, Illinois, the settlers surprised a small band of Native Americans living there, who were frightened and ran off, leaving behind an old woman, before the settlers could speak with them. To their credit, my ancestors took care of the old woman, feeding her and letting her live with them. Before she passed away she told them of a treasure. She claimed that under a nearby tree the natives had buried a pot of gold. There was was no explanation on how this poor band of natives possessed such wealth or why they left it behind.

Over the next few years the family dug and searched for the gold, without luck. I imagine there was a lot of holes around the base of that tree. But they never found a thing. There was a lot of speculation, however, about  a hired man, who disappeared one day without notice. The family always assumed that this man found the gold and made off with it for himself.

That’s the excuse I’ve heard for why we’re not all rich, but frankly, I’d rather have the story. I don’t think any of that fortune in gold, if it ever existed, would have made it down to me. But there’s a moral in this: there might be gold in the roots of your experience. If you don’t mine it, someone else might discover it and make off with it. You can tell your own stories, make your points.

Here are a few points to help with your storytelling:

1. Your story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. When you gain experience and confidence in your writing you can begin experimenting with story forms, but getting started, stick to the tried and true.
2. Strive for liveliness in your writing. Factual details and events add spice and interest to the story, like the Civil War injury by friendly fire in my tale, and the comparison of today’s travel conditions with those of the past, help to give the story dimension and life.
3. Stick to the path of the story. While you are striving for interest, you want to keep to the main story. Limit the diversions and unimportant extras. If you find yourself writing, “but that’s a story for another time,” leave it out.
4. Make sure there’s a payoff. It can be humorous. It can be a sudden and surprising twist. It can be explanatory, like “and that’s why I never ate peanut butter again.” If you’re taking the time to tell the story, make sure it’s one that connects with your point.

And most important, read what you’ve written. Make sure your storytelling is clear,  so that others can see your points. And have fun! Writing can be hard work, but it can also be rewarding, interesting work as well. Maybe you’ll find your pot of gold. I’m still digging for mine!