storyteller types
If you’re new here, Story Work is the name of my current book-in-progress. It describes a process of reflecting, reclaiming, and reimagining the stories of our lives. It involves looking at your life experiences as creative material that you have the power to shape.
The weekly story work topics cover universal life themes with references from literature, philosophy, science, and spirituality; offering perspectives that spark ideas for personal growth and creative expression.
Paid subscribers receive Story Work exercises every Sunday night at 8 pm et.
This week’s story work exercise is open to all subscribers.
Hi friends,
Y’all. With 50k words down, I have less than 10k words to go on my manuscript. I’m in the third trimester, almost ready to give birth.
Writing Story Work has banished the limiting beliefs that used to hover over my writing journey. It’s shown me that all of it was worthwhile—the years of soul-searching, studying, journaling, observing, daydreaming, note-taking, meditating, second-guessing, praying, crying, and boundary-setting that didn’t always seem promising or purposeful at the time—none of it was a waste of time, even when my inner critic insisted that it was.
Please note: I’m not saying that the finished book makes it all worthwhile, I’m saying that the healing and personal growth that the finished book represents makes it worthwhile. You see?
Our creative projects—whatever shape they take—are embodiments of our healing and our gifts, our growth and development. Actually, let’s broaden that. Our life stories are the embodiment of those things. Because our life stories are the most precious creative projects that we have.
Our life experiences are our creative material and through our writing we get to shape and reshape and mold it all again and again in different ways to create meaning that gives us hope, purpose, and wisdom—fruit that is both personally and collectively nourishing.
I spend a lot of time studying the creative process through the eyes of a writer and teaching artist. What motivates us to write? What keeps us writing? What are the benefits? What are the challenges?
I package this curiosity in books, workshops, and coaching programs that help people understand the deeper layers of their creative process and motivation so they can start, continue, and finish their own creative projects.
Two years ago, I started the Inner Story Writing Circle to combine the practical insights of a craft-based writing workshop with the radical acceptance and emotional communion of a support group. It is a community of heart-centered creatives who are passionate about reclaiming their stories and writing about their lives.
The content and exercises support the inner narrative work that cultivates a healthy creative mindset, so members can become the committed writers and storytellers they want to be.
I started the group with a vision of it being a haven for soulful writers, despite my concerns that I was the only one in the world who would find this valuable. Our inner critics tend to think in absolutes, and there was this stubborn voice inside telling me that people only want writing groups that provide them with a roadmap to publication and best-seller lists. Inner Story is not that. Inner Story provides a roadmap to a long-term, fulfilling creative practice that leads to abundance in many shapes and forms.
So I put it out there anyway, and have trusted the process of finding my people. The group has played an integral role in debunking my limiting beliefs, working through learning curves, and seeing my ideas through in the face of self-doubt, uncertainty, and constant change. It has become the haven that I hoped it would be, and we are just getting started.
Despite the different backgrounds and motivations for writing that are present in the group, everyone is writing to heal in one way or another. We are healing our fears of being seen. We are breaking silences. We are building courage and overcoming blocks. We are stepping away from old limitations and embracing new forms of self-expression. We are finding compelling reasons to work through our fears and prioritize our callings.
Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing one of the tools I created to help the writers I work with get clear on their motivation for writing so when doubts and challenges come along they have something firm to hold onto. The eight storyteller types is a tool that helps writers clarify their voice, message, and delivery. We will be breaking them down one-by-one in the weekly story work exercises.
At the end of the series in December, Substack subscribers will be invited to join us in our Inner Story Monthly storytelling session where we will share writings from the series. More to come on that.
Read on for the first exercise.
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storyteller types
You never know where your creative calling might take you.
Maybe you want to reignite your creative spark, explore your life story, start a blog or business around your passion, build a platform or community, find a new direction in your career, enhance your leadership and advocacy skills through storytelling, or rediscover your creative voice and see where it leads you.
I didn't know that writing to rediscover my voice would lead to years of blog posts, articles, essays, books, courses, workshops, and a whole business. An unfolding that I had no roadmap for, other than a calling to fill my life with authentic meaning, fulfillment, and service. Through this work, I have been a grateful witness to writers finding their voices, owning their truths, and opening up new possibilities for their creative lives.
Before you can quiet the inner critic that gets in the way of your creative calling, you need to get super clear on why it is worth the journey. What do you hope to get out of it? What are your needs, intentions, and expectations?
My journey has been fueled by a need for self-healing, a craving for connection, a desire to break cycles, and a calling to teach. These motivations, among others, have shaped my voice, message, and delivery.
Over the coming weeks, we will explore the eight storyteller types—Self-healer, Survivor, Gamechanger, Teacher, Observer, Scribe, Explorer, and Entertainer—and we will do writing exercises from each perspective.
Let’s start with some self-reflection.
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Exercise
Journal about what motivates you to write. What purpose do you want your writing to serve? Use the following reflection questions to help you navigate this train of thought.
What emotional needs does writing satisfy for you?
What topics and themes are you called to explore, unpack, share, or get involved with?
What unique perspective, gifts, and approach do you bring to these topics and themes?
What benefits and challenges come from this exploration?
Who else are you writing to or for and why?
GG with re this: really, how sweet! Congratulations!: I’m in the third trimester, almost ready to give birth.