The Magnetic Storytelling Method
This is an excerpt from The Magnetic Storytelling Method—the foundation of how I approach storytelling, writing, and creating work that moves people.
What follows is the opening of the book, shared here to give you a feel for the voice, the philosophy, and the way I think about storytelling.
If these pages resonate, you’ll feel right at home.
Invitation.
Welcome home. Yes, home.
This is the place where you get to sink into getting in touch with the creative you.
Because, yes, I’m going to assume that you are a creative.
A writer, an artist, a visionary, a coach, a business owner, an entrepreneur—you’re on a path, or desire to find one, that will allow you to impact others with your voice, your words, you.
The voice, the side of you,
you perhaps toned down so you could
play it safe,
be financially secure,
not be judged,
do what you were supposed to do . . .
even, perhaps, be who someone else wanted you to be.
Again, welcome home to the you who lives deep within.
Whether you are currently writing words or have never before filled a page, you are in exactly the right place to word-play.
With me.
Writing is an art form that allows one to share ideas, recount what has happened, or create possibilities for what will.
Writing is more a window to the soul than the eyes because the words, the style, the tone, the essence of what’s created comes from deep inside.
And if you’re reading this thinking—
But I’m not a writer. I haven’t written since school . . .
I’d simply invite you to sit down and tell me where in your body does the desire to write live.
It’s there, friend. I see it.
I can see it because you’re here, digitally flipping the page.
I see the real you, the one who’s invested in this book.
A book entitled The Magnetic Storytelling Method.
So I’m going to invite you to get cozy-comfy.
To pour a glass of something bubbly or brew a blend of deliciousness and join me in a read that has the power to shift your thinking around what it is to write a magnetic, captivating story.
Because I can tell you right now it’s not what you think.
And certainly not what some well-meaning or fed-up, ready-to-retire English teacher once told you.
Writing is your soul gone wild.
With JOY.
With dreams.
With possibilities.
With truth.
Your truth.
When you’re ready to begin, come on inside with me.
Storytelling 101.
I’m going to share something magical with you that I want you to chew on as you read through this book.
You are a master storyteller.
You tell stories all day long, everyday. So today I invite you to start noticing just what stories you enJOY sharing.
You are actually the writer of your life.
The director, cameraman or woman and oh-so powerful.
Your thoughts are a story.
Your words spoken . . . stories.
Very little is factual.
The sun rises in the east. Fact.
The sun sets in the west. Fact.
But start to dive into what you tell others, yourself, throughout the day and you will see that most everything is—in fact—a story.
So what specifically does that mean for you in this moment?
It means you are a powerful creator.
Of your daily life, if you want to be, and with a bit of training, you can take those tales you naturally sink into in your head or in conversation with others, and begin to write them.
Be they fiction or nonfiction does not matter because the common thread in both is, yep, stories.
So let’s dive into a few examples:
Stories Move You To Feel.
This is an essay taken from the book The JOY of You. Book one of the Journey of You series. Scheduled release in 2026.
sensitive waters
At one time in my history, I couldn’t take a shower without turning off the water multiple times.
And it wasn’t because I was a conservationist kid.
No, it was a bit more sinister than that.
A mix of Kathy Bates and Alfred Hitchcock.
I’d hear a sound,
forever on alert,
and shush the water,
ears perked.
I perfected listening with straining ears,
tense shivering body,
naked, vulnerable,
breath held,
gripping the shower curtain fabric
like it was a slippery lifeline.
Listening with shock-still focus for the sounds of
breaking glass,
a crash.
Perhaps a shout,
a cry for help.
What you’ve just read is the opening movement of The Magnetic Storytelling Method.
The full book goes deeper—into story, character, rhythm, emotional tone, and the practices I’ve used for decades as a successful ghostwriter.
If you’d like to continue reading, you can find the complete digital edition by clicking on the purple button below.
(Paperback coming soon.)
And if you’re drawn to the idea of witnessing a lived experiment, of watching and reading as I rebuild a word-life as myself, in real time—with structure, ease, and JOY—Before First Light is where that story continues.
New essays are shared each Friday as I tap into what's word-possible during the next 52 weeks.
You’re welcome to join the journey . . .
and binge-read the first episodes of Between My Sheets right now.
(A quick note: The Magnetic Storytelling Method was written before AI and em dashes exploded onto the scene. Maybe AI modeled me a bit—or maybe I’ve always loved dropping em dashes between words. Either way, AI had no part in writing or editing this manuscript.)