I dare you. I double dare you…Alright, I double-dog dare you….TELL ME A STORY! I know people are reading. I know people are liking. Now I want people to share their stories.

This would be great practice for all those holiday events coming up. Let me help you pull together a great little story to tell around the table at a family dinner. Take a moment and put your thoughts down to answer the age-old question, “So what have you been up to this year.” Maybe the story is true, maybe it’s not. I’m not picky, just share a few words here.

Maybe when you get together with family and old friends you reminisce about days gone by. Maybe it’s the time you almost got caught doing something your parents still don’t know about. Maybe there’s a family vacation that is still one of your favorite memories. Let’s hear it!

Every Tuesday I’m doing a post like this one and invite all you folks itching to share your stories. There are no prizes or awards, just the undying admiration of ones of people. I’m hoping with a little luck and your help we can get that up to the undying admiration of tens of people soon!

As with any good endeavor, there are some ground rules.

The Ground Rules:

1. Be nice! Constructive criticism is fine, but this is strictly a “No Troll Zone“
2. Keep it clean! This site is for folks of all ages, anything not suitable for a PG audience will be removed (sorry, but my kids can read this blog and my 6 year old is a great reader – there are just some things I don’t need her sounding out!).
3. Keep it fairly short! This isn’t the place to write the next great novel. Let’s see how short stories go before we move into long form writing.
4. Nothing Copyrighted Please! Please make sure that you’re telling your own story and not someone else’s.
5. No bashing other people/companies/political parties/ethnic groups/sexual orientation/career choices/physical appearance or ability/musical tastes! Again, this is a “Troll Free Zone” – leave the mean and nasty at the door. It’s one thing to have a funny encounter in a strange situation or a strange encounter in a funny situation. Using your story to insult others is another thing all together.
6. I reserve the right! This is my blog and my face to the Internets, I reserve the right to change the rules, or remove content that break the rules. Sorry folks, but I’m sure that if you can find someone willing to let you post a story about a liberal Republican that walks with a limp and listens to Yani while sheep herding and why you hate them. I am not that someone, and this is not the place.

Grab your quill and pen. Or your mouse and keyboard. Spend 5 minutes telling us a story. Don’t be shy!

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• Are you a good short story writer? (englishelxni2.wordpress.com)