5 Tips to Begin Telling Your Story

For many years as a reporter, it was my job to find the story. 

Sometimes it was an obvious one, such as the outcome of a game and all the action that led up to it. Other times, it was more subtle and complex, such as someone’s rise to prominence or their fall from it. Still other times, it was inspirational: tales of perseverance and grit and determination. 

Everyone Has a Story to Tell

What I learned, in my many years in pursuit of the story, is that EVERYONE has a story to tell. Even those who think: “Oh, I’m not interesting! I don’t have a story.” 

Because when you sit down and listen, when you’re curious about a person’s life, tales of love, family, success, failure, passion, fear, grit, ambition and a whole lot more come pouring out. 

We all Have Fascinating Stories

We are all interesting. We all have something to share that can teach, entertain or inspire others. 

So, how do you get started telling your story? 

5 Tips to Start Your Story

5. Read: Reading others’ stories and identifying what you like, what resonates, what’s compelling, is a good way to start thinking about your story. If you want to write a memoir, read memoirs. If you want to write a business book, pick one up and peruse. 

4. Write, if only just a few minutes a day: Keep a journal or simply write notes or random thoughts in a Word Doc. It doesn’t need to be beautifully written or even full sentences. It sounds simple but sometimes we think about writing more than we actually write. 

3. Ask Yourself: What is your story really about? Try to finish this simple sentence: This story is about …. Go beyond: “This story is about my life.” or “This story is about my business.” It should dig deeper to identify a theme, a lesson, a hook:  “This story is about how I overcame my fear of heights and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.” or “This story is about the 10 lessons I learned as a CEO.”

2. Think about how you might want to tell your story: 

  • Do you want to write a blog for your website or publish an article on a platform such as Medium? 

  • Would you like to submit an opinion piece to a newspaper or business magazine? 

  • Do you want to publish one or a series of posts on LinkedIn or other social media? 

  • Have you always wanted to write a book? 

All of these are good ways to tell your story.

1. Determine what you need to succeed: Getting started on anything new can be a challenge. You have to build new habits, stray into new, perhaps uncomfortable territory and determine what you can do alone and where you need help. If you’re not a writer or don’t like to write, finding a ghostwriter would make sense. If you like to write but aren’t good about organizing or editing, hiring a writing coach or editor would guide you along.

Read to get started? You can do it!

I can help. Contact me at susan.e.valerian@gmail.com

Sue Valerian