The Power of Stories

One of the reasons I founded PlainTales was because I believe so strongly in the power of stories. It may seem like a strange transition to go from a 20+ year career in software and technology to starting a company that publishes classic children’s stories on audio CD. But in actuality it’s not as strange as it may seem. In fact what’s more surprising to me is the continuity from one to the other. At the root of success for both endeavors lies three things:

1. Observation

2. Imagination

3. Storytelling.

When I was working in the software industry, at Microsoft and in Silicon Valley, I was initially immersed in the technology details just like everyone else. But the longer I worked on solving problems in the software world the more I realized the roots of success for any creative were the same.

To build good software you have to have well developed powers of observation, to see and understand the user’s environment. You need a strong imagination to envision a new environment created by the benefits of the software product. And finally you need to be a great storyteller so you can describe your idea to the people who will build it and use it.

These are the same skills that I believe are nurtured and refined by listening to classic stories. World class writers such as Kipling, Wilde, Hawthorne, Nesbit, and Andersen all write with incredible attention to detail, with vivid imaginations and with magnificent storytelling powers. I believe listening to these incredible stories at a young age, or at any age, is a wonderful way to enhance and refine these vital creative skills. Whether these skills are used to write the world’s next great classic, invent the next great technology or discover the next great scientific breakthrough, any of these endeavors will be enhanced by listening to these masters of the creative imagination.