Uh oh.
Does telling stories about yourself make you cringe, too?
Part of me is always afraid of oversharing.
But I also know that personal stories help me connect. In an ocean of bland content, it’s the personal stories that are most memorable.
So, what to do?
You know about braiding hair?
In writing, you have a braiding technique, too. By interlacing two or more topics, you can write about yourself without sounding self-indulgent.
What’s more …
You can even braid without switching topics. Plus, braiding works for personal essays, but for shorter social media posts, too.
Sound good?
How the braiding technique works
I’ve just been on a cycling holiday.
Before setting off, I had been umming and ahhing about posting on LinkedIn. Should I take a break from posting?
I decided to embark on a small experiment and share a few cycling stories while I was away.
The first story I wanted to share was about one of my toughest cycling days ever. But I didn’t want to whine, and I didn’t want to brag about getting through either.
So, the first step was to distance myself a little from my experience. I share not for sympathy or applause; I write to share a lesson.
The second step is to start braiding. One strand is my cycling story; the other strand is a writing lesson.
I start with my cycling experience:
It was two days ago, on Thursday.
We had set off full of enthusiasm.
But had I misjudged my abilities?
Some of the unpaved stretches were bone-rattlingly slow. We got drenched by torrential rain. And before we got half-way, my whole body was hurting.
I stopped thinking about how far I still had to go.
I kept moving my legs.
I observed the pain, and round and round my legs kept moving.
Next, I move to writing, and to make it even less about me, I introduce a new voice—Stephen King:
In On Writing, Stephen King describes writing as “shoveling shit from a sitting position.”
And that’s how writing sometimes feels.
And I start a conversation with the reader, addressing them with the word you:
Just keep going.
There’s joy in doing the work, no matter how hard, even if it’s pedaling into the rain or writing a crappy draft or, yeah, even if it’s shoveling shit.
Then, I get back to cycling.
Notice that the transition is a little bit more abrupt this time:
We cycled along sunflower fields and vineyards, and the views of the Gironde estuary were amazing.
I think the abruptness of the transition is okay as the reader is already used to switching between cycling and writing.
But here the transition is a little more smooth:
A sudden insight. A nugget of wisdom. The strands of thinking finally falling into place. Clarity at last.
Like a sunflower opening up towards the sun.
Keep writing, my friend.
I finish the story (above) by addressing the reader directly with the word you. It makes the story a little less about me, and a little more about the reader.
(Here’s the original story, published on 7 September 2024.)
You can use this braiding technique to mix any two topics where you can find some overlap.
But you can braid without switching topics, too. You simply move from a specific story to a general lesson, and back …
How to braid without switching topic
Last month, I wrote on LinkedIn about one of my posts going semi-viral.
I didn’t want to brag but wanted to share that that post almost didn’t happen; the lesson is about mid-project dips.
I start with the story about my viral post:
But the silly thing is …
I almost had NOT posted it.
I very quickly switch to a general story about mid-projects dips, and I address the reader directly:
It’s that time when you want to quit.
Because you feel like you’re wasting your efforts.
Or it’s when your inner critic tells you what you’re creating is stupid or simply won’t work.
Next, I go back to my story. An easy transition:
You see, I thought I could re-purpose a blog post and turn it into a carousel.
I thought I could do that QUICKLY and EASILY.
But it didn’t work out that way …
The first version looked boring.
I needed better illustrations.
Oh my, said my inner critic, better to abandon. Don’t waste your time.
Writing about my inner critic feels therapeutic. I can’t take her (nor myself) too seriously, and I can laugh about our conversations.
I quickly transition again to general advice, and I address the reader again:
Start by acknowledging that confidence ebbs and flows.
Then, imagine taking your inner critic for a walk on the beach.
Breathe in the salty sea air.
Listen to the soft sound of the waves.
Remind your inner critic to be more constructive in their feedback.
And let your worries float away.
Relax.
Then return to your project.
I explain how I applied this advice:
I stepped away for a week, and then returned to my carousel.
Hey, I told myself, it’s fun to create some more illustrations.
So, let’s do it.
Having fun creating is never a waste of time.
And, luckily …
Getting myself through that mid-project dip paid off.
The carousel I created—about 4 types of weak words—became my most popular so far with over 22,000 impressions, 259 likes, 58 comments, and many new email subscribers.
And, again, I don’t want to end with my own story.
So, I address the reader at the end:
Remember that confidence ebbs and flows.
Take a break, have a good talk with your inner critic, and then return to your work.
Human content wins.
And our creative struggles are part of being human.
(Here’s the original, uninterrupted story, published on 1 August 2024.)
When you use the braiding technique, the story becomes less about yourself, and more about the lesson you’re sharing.
Instead of being self-indulgent, you start a conversation with your readers and use your story to share your ideas.
I never saw myself as a storyteller
I thought storytelling was for real writers. For the creative folks, who keep diaries, write travelogues and have the ambition to become the next Hemingway, Toni Morrison, or Amy Tan.
That’s not me.
But as I studied non-fiction writing, I realized that stories belong in non-fiction, too.
These stories can be super-short (like 100 to 300 words), and they make tips, lessons, and ideas more vivid and memorable.
Even better …
I realized that telling such miniature stories is much easier than I thought. You only need to know a few storytelling techniques and frameworks. No talent required.
The internet is flooded with boring AI content
And the best way to combat that tsunami of dull?
Share your stories.
Because stories connect emotionally.
And human content wins.
P.S.
Want to captivate your followers with stories, too?
Stories in Miniature is a self-paced course that teaches 7 simple story frameworks so you can tell compelling stories with confidence, engage your audience, and build your authority:
More free articles on storytelling:
How to sell with stories like Apple
5 types of stories to market your business
3 tasty ingredients for full-flavored miniature stories
Phil says
“Most writers use props and scenery from their own lives. For example, my Henrietta eats her meager little dinner every night on a blue place mat, using exquisite heavy Italian stainless cutlery. An odd detail, inconsistent, it may seem, with this woman who cuts out coupons for Brawny towels, but it engages the readers curiosity. At least I hope it will.”-Lucia Belin, in Point of View, from her book”A Manual for Cleaning Women”.
Oh yeah, I love this post.
Thanks,
Phil
Henneke says
Thank you for the book recommendation, Phil. Looking forward to reading it!
Susan Ombati says
Hey Henneke
This is so powerful and yet so subtle. You make the interweaving of ideas so actionable.
Can’t wait to try it out.
Thanks
Henneke says
Thank you, Susan. I hope you’ll have fun trying out the braiding technique. Happy storytelling!
Ralph Dranow says
Thanks again, Henneke, for another wise and helpful article.
Henneke says
Thank you, Ralph. I am glad you found it useful. Happy storytelling!
Han Kim says
Inspiring advice, as always! I had missed that Stephen King quote. Thanks for reposting the weak words link. I was toying with an install of ChatGPT in Word for revising a large document, but now I’m rethinking it because the blandness is overwhelming.
Henneke says
It’s such a good quote by Stephen King, isn’t it? Whenever the writing is tough going, then I remind myself of what he’s said. Happy writing!
Lisa Sicard says
I love this technique, Henneke! I like using the word YOU often but didn’t know how to get more personal with my stories as part of a blog or social media post. You showed us how to do it perfectly, thank you.
Henneke says
Thank you, Lisa. I’m glad you like it. Happy storytelling! Let me know how it goes?