Are your stories alive?
Or are they boring narratives that no one wants to read?
Here is an example:
BORING
The head chef said that the best way to get paper-thin slices of tomato is to use a sharp knife or a mandoline.
ALIVE
“Your knife must be sharp,” said the head chef as he pinched thumb and forefinger together, sliding them through the air. “A dull knife smashes the skin of the tomato as it cuts and then you end up with something that may as well have been out of a can!”
Three rules to making your story come alive:
- Interview people in person. If you must, use the phone but never email. You get your best quotes from conversation. You get your best descriptions face to face.
- Use those quotes. Don’t parrot your source. Use their words.
- Actually write a story, not a list of facts. Even list articles can come alive with personal anecdotes and quotes.
What do you think? Are your stories alive? How did you make them that way?