What Makes a Good Story?

Captivating stories are generally centered around fools on quests for wisdom. These stories take their readers on the quest rather than imparting the wisdom the fools might eventually gain. In many good stories, the fools never become enlightened. And if they do, it is not until the very end, almost as an afterthought.

Good stories have no end. They go on, to be lived by the listeners. The stories were already part of them; they just didn’t know it. And if they did, it was the fault of the storytellers. Even with old stories, good storytellers can present new shades. This is why people can take in movie after movie and read book after book, even though they are all based on the same few classic themes.

Good storytellers emphasize the quest rather than the goal. Yes, they might use the goal as a tease, but all the time they employ fear, wonder, and the lure of the unknown or unexpected as the real story.

What makes a good story for you, and a good storyteller?

1 Reply to “What Makes a Good Story?”

  1. A good story for me…is one that leaves me in the heart of mystery and wonderment. A good story is never ending because it now lives through me. Becomes a part of my mystery. It breaks down barriers and concepts of “I reading” or “I listening” and instead I become part of it and it a part of me.

    A good storyteller is an artist with word, tone, body language, emotion, silence. They don’t simply tell a story, but live a story.

    A good story and storyteller never satisfy! Because I am left wanting more…

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