Accounts. This word can be used as another word for stories. For instance, when someone gives an account of what happened during a trip, it is like telling a story about their experiences during that journey.
Narratives. A narrative is very similar to a story. It includes the sequence of events, characters, and a plot. It can be in written or spoken form and often has a beginning, middle, and end, just like a story. For example, in literature, many works are called narratives which are basically stories with different themes and styles.
Tales.
Haunting narratives. Ghost stories are often about things that are spooky and haunting, so these words can be used to describe them in a different way. For example, a 'haunting narrative' might imply a story that stays with you long after you've heard it, much like a good ghost story does.
Jokes. Jokes are short and humorous tales or statements that are meant to make people laugh, just like funny stories.
Tales. Tales can be long or short, but when we talk about long stories, 'tales' can also be used. For instance, 'fairy tales' can be quite long when they are fully developed, with complex plots and multiple characters.
Memoirs. Memoirs are written accounts of one's own life experiences, which is very similar to life stories. They often focus on specific periods or aspects of a person's life and are a great alternative term.
Personal anecdotes. These are short accounts of real events that happened to an individual, which can be a form of real life stories.