There’s something strange—in a good way—about hearing a story you wrote coming out of someone else’s speakers.
Two of my horror stories have now been adapted by other creators, each in a completely different format.
The Previous Tenant Left Me a List of Rules was recently narrated by Stefan Jenkins on YouTube. Stefan contacted me beforehand and asked permission to narrate the story, which I was happy to give him.
He didn’t just read it, either. At the end of the narration, he gives his own commentary and thoughts about the story and the writing. Hearing somebody else interpret the atmosphere, pacing, and events is a very different experience from reading your own words on a screen.
YouTube
Then there’s The Replacement, which was featured on The Make Me Believe Podcast as part of their episode “50. The Imposters.” The episode features two unsettling stories built around people who aren't quite what they seem.
Spotify
I originally wrote these stories simply because I wanted to tell horror stories. Seeing people read them was already the goal. Having other creators decide that one of those stories is worth narrating, discussing, or bringing to their own audience is something I didn't expect.
And that's probably the coolest part.
Once a story leaves your hands, readers create their own version of it in their heads. A narration takes that another step. Suddenly the characters have voices. The pauses happen somewhere you might not have expected. Certain lines hit differently. Something that existed as words becomes a performance.
So if you'd like to experience a couple of my stories instead of just reading them, check these out—and while you're there, give the creators some support for taking the time to bring them to life.
The stories may have started with me. These versions belong to the voices that picked them up.
No comments:
Post a Comment