The way individuals connect, learn, and remember has always been influenced by stories. Oral traditions, which combined information and emotion, have been passed down through the generations long before recorded language. The power of storytelling now transcends all media, including journalism, photography, business communication, and personal narratives. According to research, people are hardwired for stories; when we hear them, oxytocin is released in our brains, which increases empathy and trust. There have been great cultures that did not use the wheel, but there have also been no society that did not tell stories, according to author Ursula K. Le Guin. Stories continue to be one of the most timeless means of creating meaning, encouraging introspection, and guaranteeing that messages are genuinely understood, whether they are used to record significant events, clarify concepts, or spur change.

Skloot Balances Science and Humanity in Lacks Biography

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks appealed to Rebecca Skloot because it can strike a balance between science, morality and human dignity. She narrated the life of Henrietta Lacks, who in 1951 had her cancer cells stolen without her approval and whose cells have continued to make a difference in the medical world. Skloot gave us not only a scientific impact description, but also the struggles of the generations of the Lacks family that revealed in a weird way the issue of race, fairness and medical ethics. The vitality of research and the humane touch given to the story gave the reader a sense of the unseen human price of a tremendous medical accomplishment. Her piece has continued to be on the healthcare and teaching agenda because it has also served as a wake-up call that we cannot reform healthcare without reforming ourselves.

Ydette Florendo, Marketing coordinator, A-S Medical Solutions

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Brown Transforms Complex Emotions Into Practical Tools

I’d have to nominate Brene Brown. She takes these huge, messy human concepts like shame and vulnerability and breaks them down into understandable components. You don’t try to solve it all at once. You create a framework and a shared language so people can actually engage with the problem.

She doesn’t just inspire. She gives people the tools to change their own environments.

You can find her work at brenebrown.com but I usually follow her via Instagram at instagram.com/brenebrown

Maria Matarelli, CEO, Formula Ink

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Didion Captures American Life With Unmatched Precision

One storyteller I believe deserves recognition is Joan Didion. Through her essays and memoirs, she captured the cultural and personal undercurrents of America with unmatched clarity and precision. Works like The Year of Magical Thinking not only chronicled grief but illuminated the universal ways people process loss. Her ability to dissect both public events and private moments left readers with a deeper understanding of the world around them.

https://www.joandidion.org/

David Quintero, CEO and Founder, NewswireJet

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Westover Chronicles Educational Awakening With Empathetic Clarity

Tara Westover has told a true story with extraordinary clarity and impact through her memoir “Educated,” illuminating the complex intersections of family, education, and personal transformation. Her narrative chronicles growing up in a survivalist Mormon family in rural Idaho, where formal education was forbidden and medical care rejected. Westover’s storytelling transforms deeply personal trauma into universal themes about knowledge and self-determination.

What makes her work exceptional is the nuanced portrayal of family dynamics without villainizing her upbringing, presenting her parents’ beliefs with empathy while honestly depicting harmful consequences. Her prose combines lyrical beauty with unflinching honesty, creating intimate yet expansive narrative. Westover’s story illuminates broader conversations about education access, religious extremism, and family loyalty versus personal growth, sparking important discussions about how knowledge shapes identity and the courage required to question inherited beliefs while revealing universal truths about human resilience.

Qianqian He, Founder, BOXKING GAMING

Spotlyts Awards

The above story/stories or storyteller(s) won the Spotlyts Award.

At Spotlyts Magazine, we believe that every story—whether written, visual, or digital—has the power to move, inspire, and connect us. The Spotlyts Awards honor outstanding storytelling across diverse formats and genres, recognizing the creators and voices behind impactful narratives that deserve to shine.

Request for a review of your book and have it nominated for the award here.

To nominate for a non-book category of the award or to know more about the award, click here.

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