Words, when strung together to create a story, have the ability to make anyone feel and experience things that are not in the immediate world around them. In this way, storytelling brings magic into our lives. This is something that both readers and writers experience in different ways. Storytelling has the power to connect people across the world in a unified exploration of the human condition through fantastical tales that transcend time and space.
Readers, when encountering a good story, never want to leave it. We journey along with the characters and feel as if we are right there beside them. We are moved to tears by their deaths and sorrows. We are triumphant when the protagonist overcomes the antagonist. And we are left sad and empty when the book ends. It is unbelievable that these complex and intense emotions can be brought about simply through reading words on a page.
Words have the power to create stories, and stories make us feel, think and experience events that are only happening in our minds as if they were happening in real life. Stories give us answers, entertainment, hope and escape. They bring visuals to our minds no matter where we are. They bring a feeling of companionship when the reader may actually be alone. Simple marks on paper become so much more. Words conjure up pictures in our minds and take us to faraway places to take journeys with fictional characters. Stories add magic to our lives. Through the magical power of storytelling, we are influenced and guided by the power of these words and feel as if we are living and experiencing them on a very real level.
Writers, when crafting stories, often report that they are just the vehicle for their characters to tell the story. As our stories come alive before our eyes, things often happened that we did not intend. Writers can outline the events of the story, but sometimes during writing we are swept away by the story and find ourselves far away from where we intended to be. The story takes on a life of its own. In the natural form of dialogue and interaction, the characters seem to come alive. They do and become things that were not included in the outline of the story. They become as real to writers as they are to the readers, maybe even more so because they guide the author in the telling of their story.
Writing is truly an amazing experience. I think it is entirely probable to think of our stories as coming about because of a force beyond us: magic. The mission authors have when crafting a story is to bring magic to the lives of readers everywhere. It’s a unique talent and responsibility, and one that I admire. It is a tough job to bring together all of our experiences and inspirations into one story, but the journey of creation and the end result are worth it. The magic of creating an enjoyable and enriching experience out of nothing but words and paper is truly amazing.
The bond created between author and reader is proof of this magic. Storytelling connects us from anywhere in the world. We find that we relate to each other more than we think. Stories are timeless as well, old stories continuing to bring enjoyment to many. And those who believe in the magic of stories are better off, for they grow from the experience. It can be used as a method of teaching and discovery, a reminder of what unites us all: the experience of being human and the enjoyment of creation.
When it comes to magic, there are some who see it and some who don’t. Some people turn their noses up at bookworms and claim we have our heads in the clouds. It’s true that physically, the paper and the words on it are dead. But stories come alive in our minds, anyway. The power of stories has taught generations after generations of people how to become better and enjoy the magical connection that comes about through storytelling. Stories connect the reader and writer in a very real way through the means of simple words on paper. I believe this magic truly is a joy to experience and should be something that everyone allows their mind to be open to.
