Local entrepreneurs put on new creative writing event

by Elliot St. Aubin

Layan Barakat and Lauryn Bodde held an event they call The Great Story Swap. 

So how does this event run? Well, you and a friend join a bunch of strangers in writing a story about each other without knowing anything about the other people there. 

“This actually puts you in the position where you can write about perfect strangers in a room and they can write about you,” said Barakat. “We have to develop characters about each other and write them into stories.” 

The entire idea for the event came from her friend Lauryn Bodde. Bodde said she took inspiration from her time in Ireland. 

“If you meet a perfect stranger in Ireland, they will very rarely ask you ‘what do you do for a living?’” said Bodde. “They will often ask instead ‘what is your story?’” 

She said they do this to define the first moment you meet a new person. 

The Story Swap is not an exclusive event. Anyone can join the writing fun if they know how to hold a pencil. 

Rachel Grey and Alexander Newman who came to the story swap together said they are not even writers. 

“Not in any real way, we are creatives in our own right but certainly not writers, this is definitely a new experience as well,” said Newman. 

If you are looking to get in on the writing fun keep an eye out because Barakat and Bodde plan on putting together more Story Swaps later this year.