21. The story is not the territory (Or, stories as maps)

Today’s pod is coming to you from the messy middle of something I’ve been mulling over for a long time. Something I don’t have a tagline for yet, but that still feels worth sharing, in all its in-process, still-forming glory.

If there’s anything I believe in, it’s the power and necessity of creative expression. But I’m going to be talking this month about the limitations of story – the ways that turning our life experiences into stories can maybe keep us from actually living what we experience.

One way to think about the role of storytelling is that stories are maps – ways of navigating the stuff of life. And as maps, stories are representations of something bigger and deeper than any single narrative can encompass.

Or, to borrow a commonly used phrase: The map is not the territory.

This feels pretty self-evident… until you realize how deeply story maps are ingrained into the way you think about how your life is supposed to happen, and what kind of meaning you’re supposed to make out of what happens.

This month, let’s get real about navigating with story maps (and when it might be time to get a bit lost instead).

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Writing praxis tips


The concept of story maps and how they are (or aren’t) serving you can cut pretty deep, as my personal example from the episode shows... but this tip is going to take a more gentle approach.

I’ve focused these prompts on exploring your creative life, but they could be used for any area that you’re feeling drawn to spending some time examining.

  • First, brainstorm some favorite narratives that don’t follow the Hero’s Journey format, or that play with it in interesting ways. (Don’t be too discouraged if it takes you a few minutes to start coming up with good examples; that narrative map really is all over the damn place.)

    Once you’ve got a short list, jot down some of the core concepts these stories explore that aren’t about that standard style of heroism. And identify a character from each story who embodies this best in your mind.

    (Bonus points if any of these characters practice a creative art or handicraft skill.)

  • Next, shift gears a bit and make a list of 2-4 times you’ve approached your writing life as if it were a hero’s journey. This might look like…
    • chasing a specific publication, award, or other recognition as “proof” of having levelled up
    • sticking to a specific practice or writing schedule you find really unpleasant and stressful, working on the theory that if it’s not difficult, you won’t make progress
    • feeling like you’ve let yourself down if you encounter blocks around a craft skill you thought you’d already “vanquished” during a previous project
    • meeting a major goal and feeling confused when it doesn’t seem to change or evolve your day-to-day experience of your creativity

  • Now, go back to your notes from the first prompt. How do you think the characters you chose would counsel you when it comes to your creative experiences? What suggestions might they make that wouldn’t have occurred to you?

    If your inner dialogue with these characters results in any practical ideas you can apply to your writing practices, be sure to write them down. But don’t focus too much on tangible problem-solving – just let each character share whatever they have to offer.


Episode references


Marisa Goudy, KnotWork Storytelling: A Story About Getting Unstoried | S5 Ep12

Feminist takes on the Hero’s Journey model