I also want to do learn to tell stories in everyday life. My problem is not revealing the “punchline” right up front so much as that I can never make connections. It seems like part of being an everyday storyteller is to connect your story with the conversation. Such-and-such happens, and you say “That reminds me of the time when …” I end up listening to the comments go by and only later do I think of a personal experience that would have made a good story at the time.
In addition, I specifically want to think of stories with a point I want to make related to what’s happening. Say I’m speaking in public, and somebody steps up to the mic and asks me a question. I respond “Let me answer by telling you a story…” Or something happens, and I want to make a point (about chastity, honesty, etc.) to one of my kids. “That’s funny. It reminds me of the time when …”
I guess I could practice paying attention to what’s going on around me and trying to think of a point and a story related to it. It seems impossible to me at this point, however. Has anybody gone through a process like this and have tips on exercises to do?
