Why Your Story Matters

Your voice is powerful.

There’s purpose to your story.

The worst story is the one that’s never told.

We crafters often fall into the bubble of spending tons of hours sourcing materials, gathering Pinterest ideas, watching how-to videos, and sharing images of finished work while waiting anxiously to see how others react to the images.

But there’s no story.

Whether you do crafts as a hobby or to make a profit, there’s a story somewhere.

Sometimes we get caught up in the creative process and forget to share our stories. I don’t mean from a storybook standpoint; I’m speaking in terms of human interaction. Yes, technology has advanced well beyond what most of us could’ve ever imagined, but human connections are still in high demand. No matter how creative you are or how beautiful your work is, purchasing decisions are made based on the person behind the brand.

Here’s the truth…

You don’t need polished diction or lexicon to be effective in your storytelling. You don’t have to be well known within the craft community to share your story. Naysayers will always be around, but their comments only work if you choose to give value to them.

There’s a lot of noise in the virtual world. Most of it is big talk, but nothing is actually said.

Your story matters because it can encourage, inspire, or motivate others. How many times have you had things in common with someone else, and once you found out, you instantly felt a connection? It’s the same with your craft story. Maybe you started doing crafts to spend time with your kids. Maybe you were diagnosed with cancer and you did crafts to keep from worrying about the illness. What if someone in your audience is experiencing the same thing? You never know until you share your story.

What Your Story Should Include

In your storytelling, talk about your craft journey, some of your experiences as you were learning to craft, and how you feel about the current state of the craft community. What pain points did you have in the beginning, and how did you accomplish them? So many people are afraid of stating their accomplishments in fear of offending people. Be proud of your accomplishments and be unapologetic about them. Accomplishments motivate others. Otherwise, it’s just bragging.

Storytelling is a powerful tool because it organically connects people. Think about social media groups. They are formed based on a common interest, belief, or lifestyle. Because people have a place and a space to share stories, online communities are strengthened.

Avoid comparing yourself to others. While someone appears good externally, you don’t know what the person has been through to reach that point. I remember early on in business, I was so focused on having a large following that I neglected the ones I had. If you just have 10 people in your craft audience, speak to them. Give them something of value. Be honest. Be engaging with them.

How should you tell your story?

There are many ways of doing so. There are various social media platforms. Now you have Clubhouse, an audio-only platform where you’re invited to freely have discussions, which is ideal if you aren’t a video or camera person. You can start your own podcast or be a guest on one. Video storytelling is great. The percentage of people engaging in video content continues to rise, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon! You can also use images to illustrate a story. Do you have a picture of your first craft project? Is there a local place that you frequently visited to buy materials or take classes? Did you make something in remembrance of a loved one? Last, you can write your story through poetry, blogs, articles, or books. Find out what method your audience responds to and speak to them from that angle.

In addition to social media platforms, your story can be told in groups, forums such as Reddit or Quora, meetups, emails, or public speaking engagements. Just remember that your story is tied to the purpose of others.

Don’t be silent.

Your voice has the right to be heard.

Are you ready to share your craft journey story with others? We are currently accepting article submissions. See details here