No turning back: writing and sharing stories

World Storytelling Day

It’s easy to imagine your stories aren’t interesting. But they are. And they’re worth sharing.

They’re worth sharing because we all have similar experiences. When we share our stories, there are feelings, circumstances, and events that feel the same.

Yesterday I participated in an online writing webinar and did a bit of writing live during the session. Here's the writing prompt we got: “Write about a time you knew there was no turning back.”

I’m sharing the unedited version (it's so hard not to clean it up, but the point was to just write and not worry about grammar, making mistakes, or trying to be perfect). The whole point is to not judge yourself, to just start.

Because that’s where we all get stuck...starting. Wanting everything to be just right before we begin.

And it's not just with writing.

It can be hard to start even if it's something you want to do ... like starting new hobby or project.

Here’s what I wrote (transcribed below):

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I was to meet them on the ice. They were ice fishing. I’d been to the lake before and we’d always set out down the dirt road. It was the only way I knew to get there. The dog was in the back seat of the car, a white Mazda hatch back.

Just me and the dog.

We were a third of the way down the road, the snow-covered, steep-downhill road, when the car started to slide. I pressed the brake. No traction. Then traction. The car came to  stop. I jumped out to look down the road, to see how it looked. Not good.

And then the car started sliding.
 
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When people were asked to share their writing, there was one volunteer. Asked again, no one raised their hand, so the instructor called on someone she knew. When the third call came, crickets. So I raised my hand.

Raising my hand was hard, but I’m glad I did.

Why?

I’ve hosted a few workshops and having people participate creates a more interesting and beneficial event.

And I wanted the feedback.

Getting the feedback was like a big dose of feel-good. And inspiration. It makes me want to finish the story. To write more stories.

I’m not sure it would have had the same impact if I hadn’t raised my hand.

You may not be a writer or have any interest in writing, but you can still share your stories. You can videotape yourself, draw pictures to tell your story, or record yourself ... no video, just voice. Or in person.

Use the prompt we used, or if my story brings to mind an event that happened to you, tell that story.

Agatha and I made it to the lake safely and yes, we went home another way.

Sharing your stories can be like it was for me, a big dose of feel-good.

Will you share a story? What’s it about?