I want to be a better storyteller. What qualities do good storytellers universally exhibit? How much does embellishment play a role? Lyndon Johnson was a great storyteller who was also known to pepper his stories with a lot of bullsh*t. Most importantly, where do storytellers get their stories? Have they led lives of extraordinary experience, or have they read a book full of awesome anecdotes? Help me spin some yarn at a party or at the water-cooler.
posted by jasondigitized on Nov 23, 2009 - 15 answers

I am looking for motivational anecdotes or stories that would appeal to students in Grades 6-8. [more inside]
posted by ms.v. on Jan 7, 2009 - 2 answers

I'm looking for anecdotes of the uninsured facing financial crisis, such as losing their houses, due to medical bills. [more inside]
posted by woolylambkin on Nov 18, 2008 - 4 answers

What are your favorite anecdotes? I am hosting a party this weekend with a diverse group of people and wouldn't mind adding a few interesting or humorous stories to the evening. I am not looking for jokes. Anecdotes I like are the bench-pressing snowman, Cialdini's mispriced jewelry, and Benjamin Franklin's chess game.
posted by kaizen on Nov 13, 2008 - 9 answers

Looking for any anecdotes about what actually happens when someone tries to stop a wedding. [more inside]
posted by fingo on Jul 24, 2008 - 11 answers

I need anecdotes/ideas/something for a speech I will be giving at an antiwar protest this Saturday. Please help! [more inside]
posted by skjønn on Oct 25, 2007 - 6 answers

I remember reading an anecdote about Feynman, written by Feynman either in Surely, You're Joking or What Do You Care What Other People Think. He was describing how in his undergraduate years people were really impressed by his ability to do integrals, all because he knew this integration technique that wasn't taught very often. What was that technique?
posted by phrontist on Dec 4, 2006 - 10 answers

What's the worst professional mistake youv'e ever made? How did you recover? [more inside]
posted by universal_qlc on Dec 3, 2006 - 28 answers

I would like to hear personal anecdotes related to scams, scammers, or scamming. [more inside]
posted by Mach3avelli on Nov 12, 2006 - 33 answers

Famous Writing Habits? I come across sites dealing with a few here and there but there is no great collection I can find. Common examples: Hemingway's habit/belief of 500 words per day, Faulkner drinking whiskey whilst writing, Balzac drinking 10+ espressos a day, Thomas Wolfe's habit of writing standing up and his prolixity (so much so that Max Perkins had to substantially edit his work). Certain writers lived philosophies on first drafts/revisions, words/hours per day, etc etc. I have no problem locating famous quotes, but I'm more interested in info about actual behaviors. Hope that sounds right. Thank You in advance.
posted by Gnostic Novelist on Aug 13, 2006 - 27 answers

I'd love some help/direction/inspiration finding stories and quotes about inventions and technologies that are now ubiquitous, but were once considered to be unnecessary or impractical. [more inside]
posted by padraigin on May 2, 2006 - 18 answers

Twins of the world! This is a question for you: what media (books, movies, documentaries, poems, photographs, paintings etc), fiction or non, do you feel best expresses your own experience as a twin? All lengthy anecdotes welcome :-) [Here's your opportunity to deny or confirm the suspicion that all twins love the Polish Brothers.]
posted by ibeji on Nov 29, 2005 - 22 answers

A good majority of the non-fiction books I read are littered with relevant quips, quotes, and interesting anecdotes. An author may start a chapter with a very succinct quote that beautifully summarizes the theme of the chapter, or during the course of explaining a theory, the writer will include a great historical anecdote to reinforce his opinion. Where does all of this wonderful stuff come from? Are non-fiction authors complete bibliomaniacs armed with photographic memories, or is this stuff added through the editorial process? Is there such a thing as a 'aphorism researcher' or a 'andecdote index'?
posted by jasondigitized on Nov 26, 2005 - 18 answers

MatchFilter: Those of you (and I've seen several mentions, so please don't be shy) who have used match.com in the past, how long did it take you to find someone worthwhile? [more inside]
posted by softlord on Oct 17, 2005 - 20 answers

NewParentFilter: To Co-Sleep or not to Co-Sleep, that is the question! The Family Bed versus 'give 'em their own room' is like the proverbial Protestant vs. Catholic thing-- The battle lines are fiercely drawn and both sides are convinced the other is the devil's work. We can easily weigh and analyze all the co-sleeping arguments (pro and con) that affect us (the parents) ie. like love life and worse sleep. But what about for the kid? What is really best for her? Any real research on this? Any anecdotal stuff that might help us decide?
posted by limitedpie on Jan 13, 2005 - 30 answers

I'm looking for an anecdote I read around the time of Fahrenheit 9/11's release. It was about a young woman who is confronted in the queue for F9/11 after she lights up her cigarette. I believe it was from a Livejournal, and I think I saw it somewhere on MeFi, but damned if I can find it. [caveated inside] [more inside]
posted by Evstar on Dec 8, 2004 - 3 answers

Are you self employed, or a small business owner? If so, what do you do, and how did you get started?
posted by oissubke on Dec 9, 2003 - 21 answers