Page 38 - 2019 March Voices

LOVE LETTERS

For the of a Good Story

Dottie Love, DTM

When Love fails… write a Story surprised me. I discovered I was impacting

What would you do if you found yourself, people, touching people with my stories. I got
emotionally lost, alone and without hope? That this fan letter. . . and to this day that letter still
moment for me was incongruent with the 4th of stands out for me. He wrote, “Thank you for
July party that was bolstered by a warm, Florida showing me what love is. . . or should be. I realize

evening over a decade ago. The cacophony now that I haven’t treated my wife like the JOY
of laugher from my family and friends was she really is and brings me. In your book, your
magnetic. But unlike a magnet, it wasn’t pulling characters laughed together, cried together, and
me towards that fun. What was running through loved together. And I did so with them. They

my mind was that my marriage was over. My made me want to be a better husband.” Wow—
emotional stability was wavering. And I had no that’s what storytelling should do. Whether it be
idea what to do about it. I left that party and writing a book or giving a speech.
went home to wallow in my self-made misery. Fan letters like this catapulted me to write

I remember struggling to recall the good parts a book to help others gain a deeper connection
about my marriage and sat down to write them. . and stronger impact with their message. In my
. as not to forget. The good times were great. . .but book, Putting the Pep in Plotting, I referenced
just not strong enough to hold the relationship the “Story Flow.” By the way, there are many

together. story flows out there. What I added to my flow
Writing about ‘the good times’ started another are critical stages to deepen your message (speech
passion for me. The passion to write. The or written) with your audience.
great memories and moments in my marriage

ended up in novels. Happy times. Sad struggles. Good Speech Stories have these Stages
Willfully overcoming those struggles. What was • What started it all (Circumstance)
once fleeing in my life was being memorialized • Tell what happened that motivated the
in my writing. I ended up writing 12 fictional and speech / started it all?

non-fictional books. • Put descriptions to allow the audience
to “see”, “feel”, “hear” the scene
Surprised and Shocked • Setup significant complication/conflict
What happened with my second book • Introduce who is involved in it (the

38 ONE COMMUNITY