As a student I created an infographic on story shapes which has been useful and referenced in the storytelling space.

Writing Coach Kevin Johns kindly interviewed me on it, giving me a space to share ideas that I have longed to say for years.

Kevin
Where do you see story right now and what role do you see it going forward?

Maya  
I really think story is very personal and also affects the entire world. I think that when we tell stories the way that we really want to, we feel understood. And that is such an important, deep human value, to just feel like “Okay, I can exist as I am, because I'm telling my story the way I am, the way it is,” or “I'm telling how I see things the way I really see them. I'm sharing what I understand, and then I think people can understand me.”

And then I think we have a lot of big cultural reckoning. We have large groups, large movements of people trying to tell their stories or the way they see things. And we have a lot of clashing, and we also have a lot of speaking out. “Well, I don't like how this story has been told. I don't like the picture that has been painted about me. I don't think this is accurate.” You know?

So I think story is the playing field where we advocate for ourselves and we try to show life the way it really is, and we show our experiences the way they really are. And it seems like for so long, things have been painted falsely. And when we bring stories that feel true, I think it's part of how we bring clarity and greater understanding to humanity.

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