But what about the story I’m trying to tell in my art?

“Abstract thinking” - learning to see the shapes in your art in terms of size, value, etc., instead of seeing a dog or horse will help you see design & value more clearly. It will free you from overthinking a story. The exercises in 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,' for example, require you to turn something over to draw it, so your brain is not trying so hard to label each mark or line.

There is a valuable lesson in looking at realistic or representational work in an abstract way. It becomes easier to see composition, and make decisions for improvement and change when looking abstractly. Design & Value have nothing to do with the story although they can help emphasize it. If your art is not designed strongly it won’t be noticed and the opportunity to tell a story will be lessened.