Storytelling Quotes

Storytellers seldom let facts get in the way of perpetuating a legend, although a few facts add seasoning and make the legend more believable.

John H. Alexander

Stories. Character. Dialouge. Entire worlds created on the page. Worlds that could sweep you away or frighten you, make you laugh or cry. Worlds that allowed you to escape to another country or time. Worlds built piece by piece of ink and punctuation.

Jamie Michaels

One doesn't intentionally to alter the truth, just enhance it and make it more memorable.

John H. Alexander

Stories are not like the real world; they aren't held back by what we know is false or true. What's important is how a story makes you feel inside.

Tahir Shah

Power consists to a large extent in deciding what stories will be told.

Carolyn G. Heilbrun

When we're the story, when we're part of it, we can't know the outcome. It's only later that we think we can see what the story was. But do we ever really know? And does anybody else, perhaps, coming along a little later, does anybody else really care? ... History is written by the survivors, but what is that history? That's the point I was trying to make just now. We don't know what the story is when we're in it, and even after we tell it we're not sure. Because the story doesn't end.

James Robertson

But as she continued and finished her tale, I could tell that her heart was elsewhere, and when she excused herself to go to bed, she left without saying good night. After that, the princesses in her stories were always beautiful. Always.

Kelly Barnhill

You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.

Erin Morgenstern

The Dreamer awakesThe shadow goes byThe tale I have told you,That tale is a lie.But listen to me,Bright maiden, proud youthThe tale is a lie;What it tells is the truth.

Traditional folktale ending

There are no stories without meaning. And I am one of those men who can find it even when others fail to see it. Afterwards the story becomes the book of the living, like a blaring trumpet that raises from the tomb those who have been dust for centuries....

Umberto Eco, Baudolino

It is my opinion that a story worth reading only in childhood is not worth reading even then.

C.S. Lewis

There are books full of great writing that don't have very good stories. Read sometimes for the story... don't be like the book-snobs who won't do that. Read sometimes for the words--the language. Don't be like the play-it-safers who won't do that. But when you find a book that has both a good story and good words, treasure that book.

Stephen King

Faith! he must make his stories shorter or change his comrades once a quarter.

Jonathan Swift

With a tale, for sooth, he comet unto you; with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner.

Sir Philip Sidney

I could a tale unfold whose lightest wordWould harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,Make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres,Thy knotted and combined locks to part,And each particular hair to stand on endLike quills upon the fretful porpentine.But this eternal blazon must not beTo ears of flesh and blood.List, list, O list!

William Shakespeare

You can do more with a castle in a story than with the best cardboard castle that ever stood on a nursery table.

C.S. Lewis

When a man fell into his anecdotage it was a sign for him to retire from the world.

Benjamin Disraeli

There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.

Willa Cather

All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.

Leo Tolstoy

Whenever I'm asked what advice I have for young writers, I always say that the first thing is to read, and to read a lot. The second thing is to write. And the third thing, which I think is absolutely vital, is to tell stories and listen closely to the stories you're being told.

John Green