About Solving Stories
The word solve comes from the Latin solvere, meaning "to loosen, untie, or set free." Before it came to mean "finding an answer," it meant releasing something from complexity, unraveling what is tangled, and making things clear. This deeper meaning is at the heart of Solving Stories.
On one level, Solving Stories is about the activity of unraveling narratives. We are solving stories - breaking down their structure, exploring their meaning, and understanding why they resonate. Like solving a puzzle, it’s an effort to untangle the mechanics of storytelling and make sense of what makes a story work.
On the other, Solving Stories is about creating a certain kind of stories. We aspire to create solving stories - stories that set people free, stories that illuminate, challenge, and address real human struggles. Whether through fiction, essays, or exploration of timeless themes, it’s about using storytelling as a way to offer clarity, insight, and even solutions to life’s complexities.
To solve a story is to understand it. To tell a solving story is to create something that helps others see more clearly. Solving Stories is dedicated to both.
In one sense of we are story solvers. We are fascinated by the intricate puzzles that narratives present. So, we approach stories as one might solve a riddle or decipher a code. We pull apart plots like clockwork mechanisms, examining the gears of character archetypes, the springs of narrative structure, and the cogs of cognitive impact. We ask: What makes a story tick? How does it capture our minds and hearts? What are the hidden codes embedded within? We are driven by a deep curiosity to understand the inner workings of narrative – its architecture, its psychology, its enduring appeal across cultures and time. This is the analytical side of "Solving Stories," where we are detectives of narrative, unraveling the mysteries of storytelling itself.
Explore this idea more here: "Story" as a puzzle
In another sense, "Solving Stories" also points to a deeper purpose - story as a remedy. We believe in the power of stories to not just reflect the world, but to actively engage with it. We champion the creation of narratives that have solving power– stories that confront the universal challenges of human existence, from the search for meaning and connection to the struggle with loss and uncertainty. These are stories crafted with intention, aiming to illuminate, to provoke thought, to foster empathy, and perhaps even, in their own way, to contribute to a more understanding and compassionate world.
Explore this idea more here: "Story" as a remedy