The question that plagues me more often than not is what makes some stories so compelling while others remain simply as words on paper? True, it's possible to contribute it to unique perspectives, like in the book thief, where death is telling the story. It's even more probable that the author created a world that has previously never been explored before, like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. The thing is though, there were generations of people who told stories of witches and wizards and magic. Perhaps there were even more generations who told of Greek and Roman gods. Then what makes JK Rowling and Rick Riordan so special?
The fact of the matter is: They're good storytellers. They have a way with words that draw you in. Their writing style draws your attention. They create the suspension of disbelief, where you forget about the realities outside of the pages bound in hardcover copies or digital media. What's amazing is that they're just two of the more famous people who can rope you into their alternate realities. Authors aren't the only ones with this power. Speakers with powerful rhetoric present in a way that has you believing every word they say. Ted Talks center on this, shining a spotlight on not only those who have significant narratives to share but those who can use their platform to motivate and inspire people all over the globe.
There are people who make careers out of sharing the contents of both their lives and their imaginations with you. But there's also the people you see on a daily basis. We all have that one friend who gets themselves into situations you've never heard of before, that make you stare at them with wide eyes and the expression of disbelief written on your face, clear as day. Their stories make you laugh, they make you empathize, they create an image in your head of what actually happened. But it may not be all situational. It might not just happen to them, even if you shake your head, smile fondly, and say "only you." The truth is, things like this might happen to people all the time. They had a car accident driving in downtown? There are a couple dozen people who do that each month. But did the others realize they were running late, make a wrong turn, get lost, spill their drink on themselves, and then proceed to make a right turn on a one-way street that only goes left? You'll hear about people who acquired a burn on their hand from various household appliances. Their accounts still cannot match up to your friend's, who left her flat iron on the ground to go retrieve something from her nightstand, checked her phone on the way, and got so lost in laughing at a funny meme about Lebron James that she stepped on that very same appliance in a manner that burned both the top and bottom of her foot. Stories like that-they're way too specific to have you questioning their validity. It isn't just the copious amount of detail that helps the narrative reach its full potential. You didn't have to know that your friend was drinking Mango-Strawberry smoothie with the hint of Banana topped with walnuts, the toe of a goblin, and the hair of a virgin when it spilled onto his GPS, rendering useless. The fact that a drink with a ridiculous list of ingredients was even present somehow makes the story funnier.
It's these same people who manage to impact your day, even if it's for a few short minutes. It made you laugh, it made you cry, or it just made you grimace with second-hand embarrassment. Their facial expressions are contagious, regardless of the contents of their story. Whether they're smiling or frowning, there's a sincerity behind their eyes that often goes unmatched. You know you can trust them with your secrets, because 'good at embellishing' doesn't necessarily equate to 'compulsive liar.' You can trust them to edit your papers, cause God knows they can make the history of Gothic Architecture more interesting than you can. You can trust them to make your adventures together sound ten times more exciting than they actually are, unknowingly making the memories sweeter to look back at. Above all, you can trust them to add a little spice to your what feels like at times, a boring, monotonous life.
