Why My Story Flopped

Dear Reader,

Welcome to another edition of the Authentic Voice newsletter. Today, we’re diving into the second ‘C’ of storytelling: Story Choosing. Last week we covered Story Idea Collecting.

This step is all about deciding which stories are worth developing. The reality is, not every story is going to land. And trust me, I know from personal experience. 

I recently shared a story on Threads that didn’t perform as well as I’d hoped. 

It was about leaving an unfulfilling job in education for a lower-paying tech support role, which eventually led to an unexpected opportunity in Amsterdam. 

Despite its potential, the story didn’t resonate with the audience.

Rather than see the story as a failure, I saw it as a learning opportunity. I reviewed it, realized why it didn’t resonate, and developed a Story Choosing Checklist to help evaluate story ideas before moving forward.

The Story Choosing Checklist

Analyzing the story made me realize how useful a tool for assessing ideas could be. That’s why I created this checklist of five key criteria:

• Universal Theme: Does the story touch on something relatable?

• Conflict & Resolution: Is there a clear challenge and resolution?

• Transformation: Does it show growth or a lesson learned?

• Emotional Resonance: Will it evoke emotions?

• Audience Relevance: Can the audience connect with it?

Why My Story Didn’t Hit

When I applied the checklist, I saw the story only met one of the five criteria: Universal Theme. It lacked clear conflict, emotional pull, and transformation. It had potential, but it wasn’t developed enough to resonate.

This reminded me that a good story idea isn’t always ready to be told. Using the checklist, I could have caught the issues before developing it further.

Looking Ahead

This checklist is just the start. I’m developing it into a full rubric to help you decide whether a story is worth developing. 

My hope is that this tool helps you avoid pitfalls and create stories that resonate.

Boost Your Storytelling Game

A tool that has helped me improve my storytelling is The Moth’s A Game of Storytelling. It offers themes and prompts to spark ideas or refine existing stories.

While useful for all four Cs, I find it especially helpful for Story Collecting and Story Choosing. If you’re stuck, this game can help you get unstuck.

Final Thoughts

Remember, storytelling is a journey. Not every story will be a hit, but every story is an opportunity to grow. 

I’m sharing my experiences to help you avoid the same pitfalls and keep moving forward with your own storytelling practice. 

Keep experimenting, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories as we continue to grow together.

Until next time,
Rico