Comments on: Campfire Writing: Why Stories are the Writer’s Elemental Tool

By: Natural

Natural — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:41:31 +0000

fantastic story. i try to use the same principals when writing and even when i finish a story, i hope it was good enough to leave people wanting more and wait for the next story or post.

By: Rebecca Laffar-Smith

Rebecca Laffar-Smith — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:12:39 +0000

I love the way you used a well known story to truly define your point at the end of this post. 1001 Arabian Nights is one of the best examples of giving an audience exactly what they want, enthralling readers/listeners, and creating hooks and hangers.

Of course, as a writer by trade I’m constantly in awe of the fact that Scheherazade’s very life depended on her not falling victim to writer’s block. If for a moment on any of those nights she had faltered and been unable to find inspiration or fumbled as she attempted to tell a tale she would have been killed.

Thank goodness, the pressure to perform as a writer is no where near so great. A writer has a chance to build, develop, and craft their stories. We have time to make mistakes. A writer’s story is often in the editing. For that I’m very grateful. lol

By: Larry

Larry — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:40:22 +0000

David — unfair… you’re a pro. And you nailed it. CONFLICT. If you had to pick one word, that would be it. Other words come out when I ask that question — mostly character, plot, meaning, a few off the wall things, and sooner or later somebody nails it.

Amazing how distracted we can get with all the things that make conflict work in a story, without really taking the conflict to the limit.

Thanks, David. Loved your article.

By: Casey Hibbard

Casey Hibbard — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:42:28 +0000

Thanks for the dose of inspiration re: stories David.

Have you found research on the following…? I’d be interested in the exact findings.

“Stories satisfy the order required by left-brain thinking while provoking the imagination of right brain thinking.”

Thanks,
Casey

By: David Masters

David Masters — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:53:24 +0000

Janice,
I agree completely. Language, especially the language of fable, is vital to the storyteller’s craft.

Caroline,
It’s not every day I get to meet a Managing Director! How do you do? I read through your nuclear fusion story and you had me captivated.

Nina,
Thank you. I tried visiting your blog, but the link didn’t work.

Larry,
How about ‘conflict’? Conflict is central to human experience, and thus central to story.

By: survivor kadınlar erkekler

survivor kadınlar erkekler — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:08:51 +0000

Personally, it’s why I read, why I write. There’s truth in fiction, there’s wisdom in words, but there’s a sense of magic in the story. There’s so much more I could say, but your post says it all. Wonderful article!

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:52:53 +0000

Great post. Story is the center of everything.

Here’s an interesting little exercise I ask people to do the beginning of my workshops. Try to define “story” using only one word. There’s no perfect answer (though one word comes close), because no one word can adequately cover all the elements.

What’s interesting is that when some of the words are offered and I say that’s not the word I”m looking for, people get anxious. Because the word they offered is almost always something wonderful and even necessary. It’s not wrong, it’s just not the “essence of story.” That said, the essence of story CAN be summed up in one word, and when that word isn’t the first thing that pops into your head, there’s a learning opportunity.

Try it out. I’ll weigh in later with that “one word.”

By: Friday Link Love 7/3 | Brad’s Reader

Friday Link Love 7/3 | Brad’s Reader — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:02:44 +0000

[...] Campfire writing: Why stories are the writers elemental tool [...]

By: Nina Romano

Nina Romano — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:19:21 +0000

I enjoyed reading this blog…if you’ve got some time, come and read ours: http://www.screwiow.com (under “sustain your writing life”

By: Caroline

Caroline — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:17:55 +0000

I so agree – stories are wonderful, important, memorable and not at all easy to tell. Great blog posting about a subject I personally have much to learn. Thank you!

PS Agree – is it just my age or are these comments tiny, tiny, tiny?