Ever feel stuck when given a storytelling prompt? You hear something like “out on a limb” and your mind immediately jumps to the obvious or literal ideas. Maybe you think of climbing a tree, taking a risky bet, or doing something crazy. The method I use to generate multiple story ideas from a single prompt is called “Exploding the Prompt.” Step 1: Start with the Obvious Begin by writing down the first few ideas that pop into your head, even if they seem boring, cliché, or “b

Last week, I sat in a small, warm Spanish restaurant in New York City with my parents, who are in their 80s, and my brothers, who are in their 40s and 50s. The table was covered in dishes of paella, two and a half empty pitchers of sangria, and the kind of laughter that only rises when a family has gathered after too much time apart. We told stories for hours. One story led to another, which led to another, spiraling outward like rings on water. What struck me most was not th

When I began working on A Story for Everything , I wanted to create a book that would meet people in the real moments where storytelling actually matters. Not just on a stage or in a performance setting, but in everyday life. As a longtime host of The Moth StorySlams and someone who has taught storytelling for years, I’ve seen how powerful personal stories can be. I’ve also seen how many people doubt they have anything worth sharing. Part of my mission with this book is to sh