Eye for a Story (Sept-Dec 2003)
By Karen Hill
Compelling stories are all around us. The best stories are nonfiction—drawn from our own experience, biographies, or headlines. Often a gem can be uncovered in literature, so tap often into the wellspring of writers like Steinbeck, Welty, Twain, or Austen to find unique characters and singular situations. For a story about the modern human experience, Bombeck has no equal.
Read, read, read.
Creativity begins when the imagination is stimulated.
Have a watchful eye: you never know when or where the right story will turn up.
If all else fails, tap into the “Preacher Underground” one preacher calls another, “Say, I’m doing a lesson on holiness. Got any good stories I could borrow?” I can almost envision “The Great Story Swap Meet” in an old barn. “I’ll trade you two Atchleys for three Copes and a Shelly!” “Step over here folks…I’ve got a slightly worn, barely used Lucado…”
