The Art and Science of Storytelling

As you may have read in my latest blog, storytelling is a crucial technique for any speech, presentation, or communication to persuade your audience. In this blog, I will be going into more detail on HOW to tell a story versus WHY it is such a necessary tool. These two blogs will give an in-depth understanding and guide to storytelling. Below are the five critical steps to creating a great story for your audience!

Step #1: Determine Your Audience

Different techniques should be utilized for specific audiences. For example, the vocal intonations and gestures you use will be different if you’re presenting to a group of children versus a group of adults. It also depends on the context of your audience. If you’re in the workplace, the kind of story you tell will be different if you’re trying to pitch a proposal to clients versus if you’re at a social gathering with your coworkers.

Step #2: Give the Circumstances

It is imperative to share the appropriate mannerisms, contexts, and outlining details of the characters and the situation of your story, so give the circumstances. Detail the conditions in which these events occur. For example, let’s say you want to sign a new artist to the record label where you work. You could start with “Jim the guitarist grew up in New Orleans. It was there his love of music grew”. Audiences are persuaded by backstory because we all want a connection to the product being sold to us. You’re trying to create a detailed image in the audience’s head.

Step #3: Structure Is Your Friend

Whether you’re creating your own story or trying to convey a real story, it is hard to know where to begin with organizing it. That’s why structure is your friend. Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. That being said, try to trim the fat — meaning all the details unnecessary to conveying your message or point should be cut out. However, there are crucial aspects that may help embellish your story. The “dramatic structure” has key events that make the story successful. Once you’ve established the circumstances in the beginning, the “rising action” comes in. The “rising action” is “the series of events that begin immediately after the exposition (introduction) of the story and builds up to the climax”. The plot of your story depends on these events to set up for the climax and create a successful end and audience reaction. The peak is the “middle” I, mentioned earlier. It is the turning point for the story, where things go from bad to good, bad to worse, you name it. It changes the fate of the story you’re telling. The conclusion, the “end” I mentioned earlier, should connect back to how you’re trying to persuade your audience.

Step #4: Don’t Jump

To enthrall and not bore your audience, try to lead from one event to another smoothly. Put importance on what is triggering the change in the story. Additionally, the pacing of your story is vital in its delivery and understanding from your audience. If you go too fast, too slow, or place importance on events that have no weight, your story will lose its excitement and meaning.

Step #5: The Grand Finale

At the end of it all, your audience wants to see a resolution. The only way to conclude a great story is with a great ending. If you want the audience to buy into what you’re saying, the grand finale must have depth. It must connect back to the product, idea, or topic you’re trying to sell to your audience.

I hope these blogs have helped you on your journey to great storytelling. If you want more detailed tips and tricks on communications, storytelling, and public speaking, read more of my blogs or take my courses! Links below for both!