Looking for Nifty Stories?

When I was a kid, I often heard the word "nifty" in reference to things like fancy cars and outrageous fashion. It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As time passed, I heard the word used in a wider range of conversations, including nifty evenings out, nifty concerts, and nifty songs. 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. Still, I did not really define the word until I found myself using it to refer to the stories I tell to audiences and on recordings. 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. A thesaurus gives synonyms such as "peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy," all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!"



What's so nifty about my stories? 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. I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.



Nifty stories are stories that teach. Nifty stories are memorable. Nifty stories carry a message that applies to all people. Nifty stories are always in vogue. These stories are naturally very attractive. Nifty stories are a treasure! You can find great nifty stories on www.Jaystetzer.com Short stories