How Do You Tell Good Stories?
7 ways I’ve learned to improve my storytelling skills
Storytelling is arguably one of the most important skills for the future. I recently attended a marketing conclave as a panelist, where one of the points of discussion was a skill that is currently missing in a majority of employees and potential hires in the workforce and will be essential to have in the future. Almost all panelists agreed that this skill is storytelling.
Telling a story is different from being a storyteller. Telling a story is more informational. It conveys the important elements but may not stir a listener. Storytelling is an art. It is how a story is told. It’s the ability to unfold the information in the correct order, with conviction and emotion, that strikes a chord in the listener.
Most people can tell a story. But not many are good storytellers.
Some of the most powerful use cases of storytelling are:
- Entrepreneurs telling a story of their journey and their products
- Candidates pitching their stories during job interviews
- Employees of a company conveying the journey of a product or service and its use case
- Content creators being able to capture an audience virtually through relatable or interesting stories
- Any individual in a social setting who wants to cut the clutter or convey their journey to listeners more powerfully.
“The stories we love best do live in us forever.”— J.K. Rowling
So, how do you become a better storyteller?
Here are some things I’ve learned about storytelling over the years…
Using storytelling only when appropriate
The one thing that is slightly more important than storytelling is exercising judgment on when to use storytelling. Storytelling becomes redundant if it’s overused. It must be used to add value as a communication strategy. If it’s constantly used, others will begin to doubt accuracy and authenticity.
Stories need to stir emotion
Biologically, our brains are wired to respond to stories in a very unique way. When we listen to a story, many areas in our brain related to language, emotions, and sensory experiences become active. Stories in which protagonists have to make hard choices are more emotionally compelling and are likely to resonate with an audience more. We often remember how we feel in a situation and not what is said or done.
Chase your curiosity, and you’ll have more stories to tell
I’ve heard this a lot, but it’s tough to put into practice because we don’t always have the luxury of chasing our curiosity. In theory, this makes sense because chasing your curiosity leads to unique experiences, which in turn gives you something unique to talk about.
However, everyone already has many stories and experiences within them. If I can’t pursue my curiosity, I dig into the life experiences that have impacted me and turn those into stories. Storytelling is just the art of packaging our experiences well.
Make sure the story has an arc
One of the fundamentals of storytelling is that the characters or at least the protagonist, should undergo some change. Their start and end should look different. The journey of evolution is what captivates and inspires audiences. This applies to any kind of story.
Make it personal
This is challenging because it requires you to be vulnerable, but picking the things you don’t want to talk about or that are personal makes the best stories and helps the listener relate to you better. More often than not, this is the secret sauce for hard-hitting stories.
Keep it short
However long, engaging, and deep a story may be, it’s important to assess where and who will receive it. Ensure you tweak it enough that it’s just the suitable duration for that audience. Conveying the same story in a shorter time while hitting the same emotional chords leaves the audience more intrigued and wanting more, which is always better than the risk of boring them out.
Test it out and practice
Lastly, before using a story, practice and test it out. This may seem strange, but it helps to hear what it sounds like. Record yourself, practice in front of a mirror, or test it in front of family and friends for feedback. Kids are another great way to test stories. They’re brutally honest with their feelings, and it helps you understand whether the emotion can hit any age group (of course, the story must be child-friendly).
Stories thrived long before any form of entertainment, as humans evolved centuries ago. They were used to carry information down multiple generations and across lands. Stories are in our DNA. We love to listen and react to stories, and that’s why they work so well.
Each person’s story is unique — like fingerprints. No two people will have the same story, even if they are from the same place, have the same job, or have the same degree. That’s why stories can set you apart from the clutter and drive your purpose forward, in any setting.
Storytelling has been a skill for years but is as relevant if not more relevant today.
