Larry Law Philosophy of Storytelling

I suspect that there are two major reasons as to why we tell stories the way we do: entertainment and to convey a message to the reader. I’m sure there are other reasons as to why people tell stories and why people are drawn to hearing stories, but in my opinion, these two reasons are fundamental foundations for effective storytelling today. Everybody loves a good story. We tell stories to seduce the audience, to enrich their lives. Storytellers paint pictures of far off lands, a damsel in distress, or a great war or battle. If you have ever been reading a book and could not put it down due to the anticipation of what may come on the next page, you know the feeling of being fully immersed in a plot. The goal of a story is to deliver not only a literal sense of wonder, awe, and enjoyment, but also to leave your reader wanting more. I cannot imagine that there is a story that exists that does not try to convey some kind of message. The wonderful part of stories is that, for the most part, they are all unique, each with a different goal and theme. I have always found that the most entertaining and captivating stories are the ones whose message is not spoon fed to me, but one that allows me to let my creative juices flow. While a direct message can be a productive strategy in some cases, I have always found it more appealing when I’m allowed to do some of the work myself. The reader wants to meditate on the morals of a story and decode and decipher through all the imagery and metaphors.