The Challenge of Being Relatable

Do people read your stories and admire you…or do they just think you’re weird?

How do you get people to say, “I relate to that story? That could be me!”

Or, “That story makes me want to know more about her.”

Versus

“That seems weird. I can’t imagine doing that.”

“I don’t share that person’s values.”

Or even, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

In my experience, here’s what makes a personal story relatable.

(1) Spouses (of the opposite sex) and children.

(2) Dogs (sorry, not cats).

(3) Hobbies: Gardening

(4) Going to a pop concert (usually not classical) or a movie

(5) Driving and cars

Here’s what makes your story NOT Relatable:

(1) Being single and never-married
(being part of a gay couple or being divorced are very relatable to some audiences)

(2) Blog posts and stories about your beloved cats (“crazy cat lady” is still a thing)