How to Embellish Stories Without Losing Authenticity
I recall one of the best embellishers of stories was my grandmother.
One day, she asked me if I wanted to drink milk.
I said, “Sure.”
She gave me the milk.
I thought that was the end of it.
Soon, my mom came home.
She asked my grandma how my brother and I behaved.
Suddenly, my grandma launched into a long story.
“I had to make Arman drink milk against his will. He really didn’t want to drink his milk today!”
She said this in Bangla, so it didn’t require as many words.
I thought:
Wait, what the heck?? I drank that milk so quickly!
That was my first experience with an embellished story.
There was truth in me drinking milk, but how I drank it had a bunch of decorative details.
What Does Embellishing a Story Mean?
Embellishing is when you add a few extra details that may or may not have been part of the original story.
For example, let’s say someone cuts you off in traffic.
You’re annoyed, but you let it slide.
Here are two ways to embellish this scenario:
- You cursed in your car, tailgated the other car, and made the driver fear for their safety.
- You talk about how you tailgated the car and made eye contact with the driver. But then you noticed they looked pretty evil…like someone who would trip an old lady.
The second embellishment is an amplified version of the first.
What’s the difference between the two?
- Added details.
The more someone embellishes a story, the more details they include.
They might mention key figures, moments, or events that didn’t even happen!
Is Embellishing Wrong?
I don’t think embellishing is wrong.
In the public speaking world, we call it showmanship.
You need an engaging personality to capture the crowd.
If you bring your everyday volume and demeanor to the stage, you won’t captivate anyone.
Showmanship requires becoming a larger version of yourself.
Similarly, with storytelling, if you’re too realistic and don’t add decorative features, you may bore your audience.
Adding an extra layer of detail every now and then can spice things up.
However, you need to be careful.
There’s a fine line between showmanship and lying.
Showmanship happens when the general essence of your story is true.
You’re just amplifying the details to enhance the main point.
Lying occurs when you try to make yourself look like the victim or hero for selfish reasons.
It’s easy to cross into lying territory when your story lacks a lesson greater than yourself.
That’s when your stories turn into an ego-stroking session.
Accepting Faults in Stories
Some of the best storytellers have mastered the art of self-deprecating humor.
They have learned to laugh at themselves and admit to their past mistakes.
For example, I once admitted I was wrong when I attacked a friend for their political beliefs, only to adopt the same belief a few years later.
The lesson was:
- Don’t go against someone so fast. Your mind can change quicker than you think.
Taking blame was tough, but it reminded me I’m not the main character of my stories.
I’m just a participant.
The main character is the lesson.
Other times, other people may be the focus of your stories.
In those cases, embellishing can be smart.
Change their name, tweak their qualities, and make it difficult for others to identify them.
The goal isn’t to attack someone but to share a lesson they were part of.
Why Embellishing Is Unavoidable
Another thing to keep in mind is that embellishing is often unavoidable because of our memory’s limitations.
We remember things well within a week’s span.
But after a year?
Details get fuzzy.
When we try to retell a story exactly as it happened, we forget crucial details or add things that didn’t occur.
That’s just how memory works.
The Truth Is Your Foundation
The most important thing to remember is to keep the truth at the core of your stories.
You know you’re being truthful when the story flows naturally.
If you have to think too much, there’s a problem.
As long as the truth is intact, embellishing is simply a tool to add color and enhance your narrative.
For more insights into storytelling, check out The Art and Science of Storytelling
✨Ebook
✨Paperback/Kindle
✨Audiobook
– ArmaniTalks 
