Who am I talking to? — Confessions of a Lucky Storyteller

My favorite thing about telling stories online is that people from all over the world see them.

Not millions of people, not even thousands, hundreds is more accurate, but the audience grows slowly, all the time.

I’m one guy, so it’s going to take time for people to find me and what I do. That’s the way it works.

But for one guy to tell stories internationally, that’s pretty fucking cool. Anyone can at this point in history. There’s very little stopping anyone from typing words and putting them online for other people to see. How anyone finds those words, that’s the hard part.

When I was a photographer, the conversation with the audience was in my absence, using only a still image.

When I was a visual and installation artist, the conversation with the audience was still in my absence, but with sound, moving images and objects that would literally surround the viewer, the conversation was more interactive.

When I was a performance artist, the conversation was live, direct and a lot more interactive. Same with stand up comedy. The audience changes the material, and you, with each performance.

Writing the words that are performed in front of a camera and recording that performance for an audience to see is far less interactive than a live performance, but it’s a great form to tell a story.

Like when I first saw a photograph that made me want to take pictures. Like being in the audience for a live performance and that feeling afterwards, I wanted to create that same feeling. What I feel when I’m writing, shooting and editing a story, I’m hoping the audience feels something parallel when they see the finished product.

My other favorite part of telling stories online is that the audience chooses to hear them, see them and be a part of them. That’s why I call these blogs “Confessions of a Lucky Storyteller,’ because I feel lucky that people like my work and help me make more of it.

Thank YOU!