A story is more than just entertainment. When ancient tribes sat around a campfire, they told stories to explain something in their life whether it was how the leopard got its spots or how to handle difficult situations correctly. When you create your story, make it more than a story and give us something that teaches us about our lives as well.
Whether you’re religious or not, read the Bible to learn one purpose for telling a story. Many of the Bible’s lessons are told through the parables or stories. The stories aren’t meant just to entertain but to make a point and teach something.
What makes Bible parables so memorable is that they give us more than just a story. They explain something about our life such as how to behave. A memorable story always is more than the details of the story itself.
The story of “Frankenstein” differs depending on the story teller, but the basic lesson remains the same. If you create something, you can lose control of your creation.
Pick any classic movie and you’ll find a hidden lesson buried inside. In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the lesson is that each person’s life affects others. In “The Wizard of Oz,” the lesson is that there’s no place like home. In “Star Wars,” the lesson is more than good triumphs over evil, but that there’s an unseen force that can affect our lives.
Most classic stories don’t say anything extraordinary, but something rather ordinary, yet told in a unique way to hammer home that point. Lots of movies can tell us that our lives mean something, but “It’s a Wonderful Life” lets us see how one person’s life can really affect others. Even in a comedy like “Shallow Hal,” we learn that the beauty of a person is inside of them, not their outer appearance.
When putting your story together, ask yourself what lesson will your audience remember from your story. If all you want to do is put together a lot of action, then your story will be no better than the typical video game adaptation turned into an action packed but ultimately boring movie. Or you can create a story that resonates with people and touches their lives in a positive way.
It’s your choice.
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