You have a story to tell. It waits, quietly impatient, within a room in your mind to escape. After an inner search you find the necessary key and share this story with others. The result is an unexpected connection to people and community. This story becomes a best selling novel that will, in later years, be termed a great literary work by all. Or, it becomes a way for future generations of your family to know their ancestors.

Whatever the reason or result, using digital tools can make your story come alive for the reader. It can include one or many photographs that are interlaced with voice, music, animations, or movies. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination because sophisticated software that can illustrate your story is now affordable, and moreover, available to everyone.

The only question that remains is how to get started. For me, it was a bunch of daffodils that unexpectedly died, and ended up being my first digital narrative titled, "Rape of the Daffodils." I sent this short story out in an email to friends, and was amazed with many varied responses it evoked from them. During the next few years I endeavored to write one photo narrative a week. This web site, Roshambo is a selection of my favorite stories.

 

That's how I got started, now it's your turn. The Center for Digital Storytelling has written an excellent "Cookbook" on using digital tools to tell stories, and even how to find your voice. Visiting web sites, like Derek Powazek’s Fray, just might inspire you to begin now.

Still not ready? That's purrfectly all right. Put on your fuzzy slippers, find a comfortable chair, place it in front of a warm computer, and enjoy the digital tales of others, all located within a click of your mouse.