Can Storytelling Foster Empathy For Wild Kin?
An Essay For Project Coyote
As an author and nature advocate, I'm constantly grappling with these questions: how can I use writing to evoke a deep empathy for our wild kin, and will that empathy translate into compassion, action, and lasting change?
The stories we consume shape our perception of the natural world for better or for worse. While childhood tales like Charlotte's Web nurture empathy for more-than-human animals, fables like Little Red Riding Hood perpetuate negative stereotypes. This disconnect between narrative and reality fosters misplaced fear and hinders our ability to see animals' true nature. Misconceptions about wild carnivores have fueled their persecution for far too long.
In my recent piece for Project Coyote, "Creating Corridors: How Storytelling Fosters Empathy for Wild Kin", I delve into the transformative power of stories and share exercises to help you craft your own narratives that ignite compassion for our wild relatives.
The challenge lies in harnessing this power: how can we craft stories that rekindle our childhood wonder and bridge the gap between humans and our wild kin?
Read the full essay on Notes From The Field and explore writing prompts to inspire your own storytelling: https://projectcoyote.org/creating-corridors-how-storytelling-fosters-empathy-for-wild-kin/
Let’s use written word to create corridors between humans and wildlife, building a future where coexistence thrives.
If you’d like to explore these ideas and writing exercises further, join me for Writing For the Wild, an online course in partnership with Project Coyote. We’ll delve into the wildness within and around us, helping you develop your voice as a nature writer. 50% of proceeds will go towards Project Coyote’s efforts to protect North America’s wild carnivores and promote compassionate coexistence through education, science, advocacy, and coalition building.
I’D LOVE TO KNOW:
Have you ever encountered a story that shifted your perspective of a wild animal?
I love this! I wish I had more natural short video skills as I feel like that’s really where so many people exist these days (tik tok etc) and I’d love to help advance empathy for wildlife. I had an article come out in Texas Monthly in June about the threatened Texas tortoise and they didn’t even post about it on their Instagram (just X). In hindsight, I wished I would have pitched an accompanying short video series so I made it easy for them to promote it more.