From the Inspirational Thought Unit
I recently watched Walk the Line about Johnny Cash's sordid life of drug abuse, philandering, and reckless life decisions all the while trying to make really good music. It's a by-the-book biopic, with great actors, great writers, and great filmmakers operating at the top of their craft. I liked it. Cash is a flawed and broken man who is able to find a way to heal, and ultimately help others through his natural abilities as a singer/songwriter.
I especially liked its theme as stated by Cash's older brother in the opening scene. The two boys are laying in bed, and Johnny is lamenting the fact that his brother is so good, while he is such a bad kid. His brother reads the bible every night trying to know it front to back. His reason:
“...you can't help nobody if you can't tell them the right story.”
The film then goes on to break that idea down and build it up again through the events of Cash's life. He crashes and burns when he believes the wrong story about himself, but when he finally learns the right story about who he is, and who his story connects with he's not only able to help himself, but actually help others.
As a storyteller your reason for writing and drawing and crafting worlds and characters is to ultimately help others. Stories are how people process and digest the messiness of life. They offer a roadmap for healing. If you are failing to do this as a storyteller it might be because you aren't telling the right story.
So how do you tell the right story? You have to tell a story you know and you have to tell a story you believe.
-Jake