Читать книгу Original Plots - Bryan O'Neill - Страница 2

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the art of storytelling. The unique chemistry of communication between people and their views, not only on humanity, but the world. Stories have been around for thousands of years though not all have survived to be told. Many great stories have been lost to humanity due to persecution, war, and the inability to simply pass it on through the generations. In this information age, we, as writers, have the ability to truly live forever through the stories we tell.

I take comfort in knowing the words I write here will carry on through the ages. The fact that I get to write these words freely, in my own voice, to a potential audience of billions alone, underscores how important words can be. My hope for you, as a storyteller, is that you find the same freedom and power, to unleash your own creativity the way you see fit.

When it comes to storytelling, there are no rules. Anyone who says you have to follow some arbitrary list of rules to create great stories does not see the full picture. The only rule I am going to give you is you are only allowed to do whatever you want. I have advice you can take or leave, but it is meant to help you develop your own unique process for storytelling.

That being said, I have a process I believe works well to create great stories, and this book represents my thoughts on the matter. This book is a guide I use for my own works, and will hopefully inspire you to create your own original story as well.

The following is a storyteller’s manifesto, a personal credo I follow when I create my own woks. I hope it will fuel passion and inspiration to bring the stories from your mind into the world, where all can experience them.

The Storyteller’s Manifesto

I am a storyteller, and this is my manifesto. Be it evolution, or the work of gods, each and every one of us has been given the intrinsic gift to want something better out of life. As children, we rely on food, drink, shelter, and the kindness of others to survive. When we are older, we then have the opportunity to give something back to humanity.

Some people choose to waste this energy, serving only their selfish needs. Others, will use their energy in positive ways, sometimes at the cost of their own lives, to make the world a better place for us all. On both sides of this energy use, there are those who tell their story. These stories can be informative, pursuasive, comedic, haunting, or inspiring, thereby allowing people to do things they might not normally do. The impression stories make on humanity are incredibly powerfull. Storytelling is powerful.

I take great joy in watching an idea germinate and grow into something beautiful, something lasting, something eternal. For those ideas that become great written works, we, as storytellers, have the ability and responsibility to raise the standards when opportunities present themselves, to research our topics carefully with a detailed eye, to separate the fact from fiction, and most importantly, to recognize past storyteller’s failures so we do not retell them. Our stories in written form have the power to change the world and last forever. Storytelling is eternal.

I believe the equation for quality original storytelling resides in creating empathic characters through persuasive catharsis. Great storytellers recognize the plot as the soul of a written work across all genres. Storytelling has soul.

Billions of people have been moved and changed by stories, both written or spoken in the oral traditions of the past. Positive stories of change have brought people together, created nations, and helped humanity grow beyond the boundaries of our world. These tales continue to inspire humanity to grow in unique ways. Storytelling inspires.

The digital medium of today’s information age, allows us to describe our place in history and culture, in as much detail as we deem necessary. With temperament and skill, this medium can help proliferate our stories around the world and farther in an instant. I feel this is a positive thing. No longer are we bound by the location or the language our words come in. There is no limit to how far an audience a story can reach. Storytelling has no boundaries.

Storytelling is many things: powerful, eternal, soulful, inspirational and boundless. As a storyteller, I will tell my tales until I can think, speak, and write no longer. Even then, at the end of my days, after my stories have been told, my words will still have resonance through the ages ahead. I will do my best to create original plots and inspire others to do the same so they can tell their stories. There will never be a better time than now to tell your story. Immortality awaits those who will tell their tales.