Great Source of Nifty Stories!
Posted 07/04/09
When I was a kid, I often heard the word "nifty" in reference to things like fancy cars and outrageous fashion. It was a word that meant a variety of things, all of them good and attractive. As I grew older I heard the word being used in a wider range of topics: a nifty song, a nifty concert, a nifty evening out. Later still, it cropped up in conversations about more "cultural" experiences: nifty books, nifty poems, and nifty stories.Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my own description of my stories that I needed to define it. Actually, it was a listener who called my material "nifty stories," and that comment sent me to the books. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: "very good, very attractive," etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: "particularly good, effective, or stylish."
What was my listener describing when he called my stories "nifty?" The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of stories that are nifty are ones that entertain as well as enlighten. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
Nifty stories are stories that teach. Nifty stories appeal to a broad audience. Nifty stories carry a message that applies to all people. Nifty stories are always "stylish," regardless of the era that spawned them. These stories are naturally very attractive. Nifty stories are worth their weight in gold! You can find great nifty stories on www.Jaystetzer.com Storyteller
