Short stories I wrote myself

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Why making stories matters.

In this episode I share with you four stories I wrote myself. I used to be 'only' a reader, yet I started to notice the question in my body: 'Where is my creative output?'. Inspired by Brenee Brown and the theory she shares in her book 'Rising Strong', about the importance of stories and the possibility to create connection between people via story making, I started to write down my own stories.

The first story I share is about a heavy topic. I grew up with a parent that struggled with depression; so I got to know this 'thing' up close. Depression comes in many forms which is why our experiences often differ. The story 'The death of a deathly pale girl who loved dark chocolate', expresses my look on what can happen when depression lives inside a family. The other three stories are much lighter in topic. 'The coffee date' is a short story about an encounter with someone in a mall in Johannesburg. 'A morning walk to the Seine' was a writing exercise from my mentor and writer Barbara Adair. I went on an African Art Gallery expedition in Paris in 2022 and as writing exercise she gave me the assignment to sit at the Seine and write a story. This is that story. The last story, I share with you is called 'The heir'. It is a short, short story: it is actually more of a dream. A dream I have about the city Johannesburg.

Each short story I share with you in this episode is an expression of a thought or feeling, yet I wrapped words around them. And I hope each story will spark a connection with you.
21 Oct 2024 English South Africa Books · Arts

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