What do you remember from high school English?
Maybe you were one of the people sitting at the back of the classroom questioning when you’d ever use any of this. However, somewhere between Romeo’s love for Juliet and Atticus reminding Scout to walk in another person’s shoes, you may have recognised how stories build connection. This is why stories are favoured in marketing. Stories sell. However beyond the hype, we can use stories to connect with ourself and share a sense of purpose.
The Art of Storytelling
You can master the basic aspects of a good story. Knowing your audience, understanding the context, offering a clear message that resonates with the audience and choosing an appropriate communication channel, is all that’s required.
To create a great story you need to;
- know your audience
- be clear about your message
- choose the best way to convey your ideas
Put a little more simply, your story will register with people when audience, context and purpose align.
Great stories engage the reader because they involve the reader. They create a connection between the hero and the audience. Great stories absorb our attention and encourage us to participate in adventures and explorations we may never have the opportunity to experience (and may not want to) in real life.
Are you willing to try writing your own story?
First, set aside any fears or doubts you may have been holding over from your school days. Ask yourself:
- Who is my audience?
- What is my purpose?
- Where will I share the message?
- Why have I answered these questions this way?
Remember a great story builds tension and creates connection Your story needs;
- A great hero – a relatable character who is flawed yet lovable
- A helper or guide – a character who offers support, wisdom or direction
- A problem – a challenge the hero must overcome, something that stands in the way for where they are now and where the want to be.
Great stories take the audience on a journey from where they are now, to where they’d like to be. It is this movement along a plotted path that offers opportunity to play, laugh, cry, vent and ponder. This is where the magic of connection happens.
A good storyteller understands the struggles their audience face. The narrator weaves language and events to create an emotional and cognitive connection. The storyteller engages with the audience’s deepest fears and forces a confrontation. But the narrator doesn’t leave their audience in pain. Instead, they offer solace, comfort and inspiration.
Imagine writing the story of your life. How would you move through the challenge and find the reward? Who are the guides along your way?
The minute you share your story with another, it grows. Your story inspires other people’s stories. It’s as if a story can take on a life of its own. Your audience interprets the story through their funnels and filters. They flavor your words with their experiences. This is the magic of story. Stories connect us through creating new meaning. We share, we grow and we connect our purpose to the purpose of others. The more aligned our stories, the more connected our purpose. This connected sense of purpose builds a community.
If you would like to know more about creating engaging stories and the power of story in personal and professional development, join one of our Storyboarding circles. These online programs are conducted in small groups over a four week period. New sessions are starting this month.
Sessions are 90 minutes in duration and the complete program are now only $120.00 (includes a Gallup Strengths Quest code and an e-manual).
Is This MyStory provides the tools to feel better about yourself and your decisions. If you want to be heard, if you’re not achieving your goals, if you want more from life. Contact us today to book a free consultation.
m: 0425 209 008 e: nicole@isthismystory.com
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