But what if no one likes it?
It’s a common fear among newbie storytellers,Reader.
It’s ingrained right down to the bones. Like showing up to the first day of school and getting mocked for your hair or backpack or glasses.
That fear of being singled out is at the very heart of what it is to be human. We want to blend into the herd, the pack, it’s how we stay safe. It’s how we keep from getting eaten.
But…the point of art—of storytelling—IS to stand out. In the Forest of Books, you want the reader to pick yours from the shelf and take it home.
And trust me, Reader, in the grand scheme of the universe, you’re okay because…
From an alien’s perspective, humans are just plain weird.
We have holidays for food. (National Donut Day anyone? 🍩)
We have seasonal mock battles with inflated animal skin. (Sports)
We light things on fire to celebrate living another year.
We murder trees, slice them up, tattoo things on their skin, store them like trophies on shelves of their bones in houses made of their skeletons.
But maybe you’re thinking…those are all perfectly “normal” things. But this thing that I’m writing is just too weird and I’m certain people are gonna vote me off the Island of Normal to go live with the Misfit Toys.
Well let me tell you, Reader, you might be wrong about that one. Because there are people in this world of ours making some pretty interesting things.
There’s an author out there writing a Western, but with dinosaurs! 🦕
There’s an anime about famous swords ⚔️ from Japanese history that transform into pretty boys who time travel to fight time-rewriting monsters.
There’s a book about a woman that has relations with a door. 😏🫢🚪
And an isekai where a guy is transformed into a sentient vending machine and quests around a fantasy dungeon. (It’s super chill and delightful. A great watch after a stressful day!)
So trust me, Reader, whatever story you create, there’s someone out there who’s bound to like it. Much in the same way my husband loves dark chocolate and I think it tastes like dirt. And I love lavender honey ice cream and he thinks it tastes like soap.
Because that erotic door romance I mentioned…it’s got over 17,000 ratings on GoodReads.
And that sentient vending machine isekai was originally published on a user-generated web novel platform (think Japanese Wattpad). Then acquired by a publisher to become a light novel, manga, and a 2-season anime.
And that anime about Japanese swords who become pretty boys? It had a companion mobile game played by 1.5 million (mostly young women), as well as stage plays and movies.
So it just goes to show you, Reader, that humans are strange, beautifully weird creatures. And we have as many likes as there are stars in the night sky. So go collect some stardust. ✨
Until next time, this is your friendly neighborhood storytelling Kat wishing you a wonderfully creative week.
Your cohort in storytelling,
Kat Vancil
🐱
PS 👉 Do you have a fav show, movie, or book that others have looked askance at? If you’re in a sharing mood, hit reply and tell me about it.
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Sue Brown-Moore
Professional storysmith & fiction book coach
The heart of your story is in the hero's growth as a person. Learn how to start plotting the RIGHT story from your very first draft by digging deep into WHAT is holding your protagonist back and WHY they choose to become their best self. Sue's techniques break down storytelling in simple, intuitive ways that traditional writing methods often muddy. Stop wasting time spinning your creative wheels and start writing stories readers will remember... WITHOUT having to rewrite the story a million times. |
