Five Simple Things You Can Do to Attract Stories

Do you want to attract stories to your own home? Of course you do. Who wouldn’t? Stories are such fun to be around, and there’s nothing quite like looking out your window and seeing one scampering about your yard, or opening a closet and finding one has somehow snuck inside, or-

You seem confused. You’re not quite sure what I’m talking about, are you?

Well, if you’ve visited the Keep or read my previous posts on finding new stories, you’d understand completely. I’ll try to summarize it for you. Stories are sentient. People of your world are unaware of this for some reason. But, trust me, they are sentient.

Not possible, you say?

Well, have you ever heard of someone saying they entered a bookstore and were drawn to a certain book? Or someone who read a book or watched a movie or listened to a song that they just connected with? You don’t really think that was all one-sided, do you?

Anyway, stories are sentient and they like to wander in search of places to stay. Part of my job as the Keeper is to guide them along their way. I have said this before, and I’ll say it again: sometimes the stories find me, and sometimes I find them. But, there are things you can do to entice stories to visit your home.

1. Make sure your home is welcoming to stories. In order to do this, fill your home with lots of books. Make sure to have a variety of genres. Stories like places where there are other stories, and they especially like meeting different kinds of stories so they can learn new things. Having a variety of movies and games can also be beneficial. Remember, stories come in many different mediums.
2. Don’t be picky. If you go around saying things like “I don’t read graphic novels” or “I don’t read science fiction,” then you’re not going to get many stories. They know where they’re not wanted.
3. Don’t be afraid to play music or listen to a podcast. The sound of a story being broadcasted will entice nearby stories. However, stories have excellent hearing, so there’s no need to turn up the volume. Loud enough for you to hear (even with headphones) is loud enough for the stories to hear. Any louder and you might start attracting neighbors to your front door instead, and nobody wants that.
4. Make sure to have a dedicated place to read or watch or listen to your stories. If a story is going to stay, then it needs to know that you’re committed.
5. Create your own stories. Creating your own stories, regardless of the medium you use to do it, will attract stories by the dozen. They love to watch new stories come alive. The creative process fascinates them, and they will appreciate you for your personal contributions.

And there you have it. Five easy things you can do right now that will ensure you never run out of stories. They will happily visit your home, and perhaps even stay. A home filled with stories is a wonderful place, indeed. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the Keep if you want to find some stories that I have helped along their way.