Chapter 12: Lightning and the Lightning Bug: Why Language Matters and How to Make It Work for You

The first time it happened, I was at an Irish pub, sitting across a table from a man who had recently written his first novel. “I’m not a writer,” he said, with an unmistakable air of pride. “I’m a storyteller.” Since then, I’ve heard this phrase more times than I care to count, always with the same sense of pride, as if being a writer is something undesirable. Further questioning usually confirms this ideology. Writers, they seem to think, are pretentious, revision and editing unnecessary. All that matters is “a good story.”

Let’s think about this for a moment. Have you ever actually heard a master storyteller? He chooses his words carefully. He uses a range of vocal tones, facial expressions, and gestures to enhance the listener’s experience. He’s ever conscious of the effects of his words—and the presentation of those words—on his audience.