Everyone is a storyteller. Every day, we relate different stories to different audiences with different objectives. How we frame the story, the voice we use, and what details we include all contribute greatly to how audiences respond. Commiserating with a neighbor about our street flooding due to a leaf-blocked storm drain, for example, or calling Comcast about an internet connection that drops randomly, both involve telling our stories in search of a particular outcome. Ideally, we’d not bring the same type of outrage and mutual suffering about the flooded street to the Comcast dilemma; we want good results. Whenever we write, we bring ourselves into the story whether we mean to or not—our word choices reflect our experiences and speech habits. Intentionally including yourself in a story adds depth and perspective that can set your writing apart—no one else has your biography and perspective. Two of the stories rescued this week illustrate the value of using life experiences to humanize issues and grab the audience’s attention. We are hard-wired to seek out stories: They can move us to tears, change attitudes, and inspire actions. At the core of our writing on Daily Kos is our desire to reach an audience with our message and deliver on the promise of “news you can do something about.” As this week’s elections drive essential and necessary discussions about messaging, it’s worth exploring how we frame our stories. Read more