How to never be boring in a conversation
Using these four tips will improve your storytelling
Ever wonder why some people can captivate an audience with their stories? It is not just the words they use. It is also how they tell the story. Using the following techniques will improve your conversations and storytelling, making you the next, life of the party.
Use a story gap
The story gap is a concept that Robert McKee brought to life. It is that moment in time when the world presents the character with a surprise to his ordinary life. Using a story gap gives the listener a reason to care.
Start your story with a hint of what is to come. No, do not give up the punch line or the surprise ending at the beginning. Just tease them in the first one or two sentences.
One way is to start by raising a question in the mind of the listener. A good start — Let me tell you how we won the state football championship when we down by six points and only had 30 seconds on the clock.
With this opening, the listener is already thinking, “Yeah, how did you do it?”
Using high positive or negative connotation words that create an emotional stake is very effective.
