Why Story is Letting Us Down In Our Everyday Lives
/Ten years ago, I worked at a marketing agency when storytelling and blogging were finally getting some street cred. Folks were seeing the SEO power in regular blogging and it soon became a buzz word to "tell your story." As a writer and editor, I was in my wheelhouse helping business owners shift away from marketing that was stale, outdated and uninteresting, and instead steering them toward owning what was distinctive about their products, services and history.
There was a lot to be said for the business folks who were charting into this new territory--they had tried pushy or lackluster messaging, and they were ready to dabble in something a little more transparent. Story gave everyone a gift in this way: it generally convinced business owners that "Buy my stuff" wasn't a winning pitch.
Story doesn't hold the sway it once had, and I've been wondering why
But something has been shifting for me recently around story and its use as a mainstream tool. The other day I heard a commercial on TV where some bro said, "Be the hero of your own journey!" Which is a direct and unimaginative lift from a basic writing structure known as the hero's journey. (In short, it's a structure used en masse by writers where there's the main person in a story who is on a quest and who is strategically thwarted and assisted along this quest until they arrive at the destination as, you guessed it, the hero.) The guy in this commercial didn't even try to add flourish to their bastardization of story. I genuinely think they hoped that no one would mind such juvenile pandering. I guess I can appreciate that at least they're being honest about their laziness. With this commercial as just one example, it's no wonder why I've been feeling like story is letting us all down.
When story is commercialized, it falls flat for a few reasons
First, story is inherently biased. When you think about a story, the details are within the control of one person or a select group of people. There is only so much neutrality that humans can bring when telling a story. This means that the scope of reach is inherently narrow and should be for a specific intended audience. Also, story is finite, one-sided and based in persuasion. Even the writer who isn't writing cheesy commercials is trying to persuade you. If their characters or plot twists aren't believable, the book gets tossed quickly. I also think that story has become too accessible to people who aren't called to be Storytellers (capital letter intended). I think we've forgotten that Storytellers are deeply gifted and called to a very specific path in life. When you function in this world as a natural Storyteller, you stand on sacred ground.
What people want instead of today's storytelling
I think people are beginning to reject the concept of storytelling as it is today, and they're seeking something more than one-sided, sometimes bastardized, click-this-link or buy-my-product storytelling. (I know I am.) If I could trade out this mass storytelling, I would choose someone someone who will walk. Someone who can walk through something with me or beside me through a challenge I'm facing. What do you think? Think about this, rather than one-sided narratives being pushed on you, walking would require something much more powerful than story as we know it today. It would involve:
- pacing
When you walk beside someone from a place of care and intention, you let their stride influence yours.
- patience
Walking implies that the other person might slow down or stop or get lost or want to do something differently than you had intended—and you have to know how to be patient and collaborate with their needs.
- direction
When you go on a walk with someone, you need to know where you're both going eventually. This isn't an aimless pursuit.
- inclusion
This taps at the first three qualities, but it's important enough to stand on its own: walking beside someone means you can include them and be influenced by their perspectives. This helps protect you from potentially coming across as someone who just talks down to them.
What this means for writers
If you're a writer and you're feeling nervous about the possibility that story is letting us down, don't be. As far as I see things, you're in a place to evaluate what you've done to story and if you've been honoring the talent you have as a born Storyteller. Have you been pulled in by the flashy and shiny and quick storytelling of today's mass market? If so, it's a great time to pull back and look within.
I sincerely believe that the Storytellers are meant to maintain this great tradition and bring back the integrity and singularity that's inherent inside it. If you feel like you've been watering down your writing, writing down things you know are unconvincing or shallow, own it. Own the reality that you live in a world where we all have to pay the bills and a lot of the time that means writing what the people want. But what you write on your own time is for you and it's sacred. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
What this mean for non-writers who have been pretending to be Storytellers
I think it's time for non-writers to hand the storytelling back to the people who know what they're doing. It's time to take a look at what you've been convincing yourself is worthwhile to talk about and be brutally honest. If it sucks, it goes. If it panders, it goes. If it is not built from a foundation of trustworthiness, it goes. And if you are not a born Storyteller, hand the reigns back to someone who is and listen to them. Let them speak to what it means to share a story in the right way, at the right time with the right person. It's OK if you're not a natural Storyteller. What I know, without a doubt, you have the capacity to do is walk. Walk beside people in your life and your business—check your listening skills and your ability to keep pace with the people in your sphere. Do you know how to slow down for their sake? Whatever you do, let go of story for the sake of selling and let the Storytellers lead the way again.
