Natural Storyteller I Am Not
When I listen to writer’s talk, one trope that appears to be fairly common is that even before they wrote, they told stories. They’re “natural storytellers.”
I imagine these writers as the kids from homeroom who always had a gaggle of people around them. Or maybe the person at the bar who attracts a crowd. They hold court, keep their audience entranced, and pull them effortlessly between laughter and tears. They’re master manipulators, crafting the mundane details of everyday life into stories that pull on heart strings.
The thing about these people? If they weren’t writing, they’d still be telling stories. They’ve got ideas for days and know how to turn a phrase.
Then there’s me.
I wish I was one of these people, but truthfully, I am not. I never have been. My brother is the story teller.
Ironically, this has been a story I’ve been telling myself for years.1 Whether that story is true or not is beside the point. The purpose of this post is that it doesn’t really matter whether you’re a natural or not. I’m not. I know I’m not. None of this comes naturally to me.2 I’m self-critical, analytical, and pedantic to a fault. Words don’t come easily, I over edit, and if I listened to the “experts” I’d conclude that I’m doing it all wrong.
I’m reminded of this guy I worked for a few years back. Really great guy. He was one of the leaders at the company, but he wanted to be accessible, so he’d hold these office hours over lunch. These were casual meetings meant to give folks who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to talk to him to hear how he thought about things. Well, there was this one day, not any different from the others, when he said something that has stuck with me ever since. He was talking about why he was successful and described how he had been an engineer, then gone to law school, and it was at law school that he discovered his super power. It wasn’t any particular skill. It wasn’t anything that difficult or novel actually. It was simply that he was willing to outwork anyone else.
What’s that got to do with whether or not I’m a natural storyteller? Nothing and everything. I’m convinced I’m not be a natural story teller. True or not, it’s my story and I have a lifetime of evidence to support the conclusion I never was the kid who could get everyone to laugh, or could be relied upon to have a witty comment. That said, I do know how to work.
And knowing how to work is a blessing. A blessing I likely wouldn’t have if I hadn’t spent decades figuring out how to overcome the lack of natural talents to compete. And I love competing.
Storytelling and writing are new domains. But I’ve tackled new domains before. I’ve learned new sports. I’ve switched careers multiple times. One thing I know about myself beyond a shadow of a doubt is that I know how to learn, to compete, and to win.
I may not be a natural storyteller, but I am a writer. That’s enough for me.
