storyteller types: the explorer
weekly story work exercise
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 the fifth in the Storyteller Types series.
Hi friends,
Write what you know.
This is one of the first things I say when people tell me that they want to write but don’t know what to write about. I also say: Write what you’re interested in, what you are obsessed with, what you want to know more about, what you dream about, what keeps you up at night. Write what inspires you, what lights you up, what piques and satiates your curiosity. Write about the topics that you think are too weird, too niche, too outlandish, too taboo to talk about.
My youngest daughter has developed an obsession with anime this year, and she’s dying for a friend to talk to about it. She has a few acquaintances who watch it, too, but they’re not as emotionally invested as she is. When they’re done with the conversation, she’s just getting started. These stories turn my child upside down and inside out, you hear me?
Anyway, my point is she is becoming quite knowledgeable about this art form, and it is inspiring her in ways she didn’t expect. I’ve been suggesting that she journal, draw, create collages, make videos and whatever else she can think of to give herself an outlet for all the creative energy that’s building up.
The Explorer is the storyteller type who is motivated to capture unique experiences and observations with research, travel, art, adventure, hobbies, and other subjects to share their discoveries with others.
If you’re just joining us, we have been walking through eight storyteller types to discover insights about our motivations for writing and how they inform what and how we write.