5 Things You Can Do Immediately to Become a Better Storyteller
A story is not always what it seems.
Some people always seem to have a great story to tell. It’s as if they live a super exciting life, making our own feel incredibly dull in comparison.
You know the ones, they’re the life and soul of the party. They have people clinging on to their every word. They always seem to end up in the strangest situations; some are amazing, some funny, and some, kind of embarrassing. I imagine we’d all enjoy that level of interest and attention, I also think, unfortunate or not, in a weird way, we all kind of want to get caught up in a similar situation — after all, they lived to tell the tale, so it can’t have been that bad.
The good news is, with a bit of planning, you or I could get tangled up in a sticky situation. The bad news? It’s not all it seems.
First Things, First
Ok, first of all, some individuals hurtle through highly eventful lives. They’re compulsive risk-takers with an inability to say no. They’ll try anything once, twice if you ask. They should have a story to tell; they might not have a story though.
Let me explain.
As a species, we’re pretty impressive. We walk, we talk, we think (supposedly!). We have societal guidelines to follow, but other than that, we’re generally free to do as and what we please.
We get up to all sorts.
The difference between a compelling storyteller and everyone else is that the storyteller recognises this.
They can step back from a situation and notice what’s really happening. They pick up on the context, the atmosphere and emotions. They see the interactions between their character and the supporting cast and they’re able to recite it naturally.
How Do They Do This?
#1 They Take Inspiration from Other Storytellers
Like anything, it’s useful to have a guiding light when learning a skill.
Take inspiration from the storytellers you find most exciting in your life — friends, colleagues, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents.
Don’t stop there. Listen to people outside of your immediate social circle too.
Storytelling Podcasts such as Risk! or The Moth are worth a listen, but sometimes listening to your favourite celebrities on chat shows are just as worthwhile.
Make notes, mental or physical, and try and incorporate phrases or structure into your storytelling.
#2 They Rehearse It
Many people don’t realise that a stand-up comedy show is the product of months of writing and performing to tiny audiences.
Comedians will often turn up at small events to try out new material. If it goes down well, they might add it to the show. If it bombs, they’ll scrap it or tweak it. They’ll repeat the process until they get the polished version we see when they go on tour.
It’s the same with storytelling. Try it out. If people lose interest, tweak it. If they’re listening with intent, keep it.
#3 They Embellish It
Great storytellers can paint a picture. They set the scene, they describe in details the emotions, the characters are believable, but they don’t always tell the entire truth.
They don’t lie, but they’re not averse to making embellishments.
We have to understand that storytelling is a form of entertainment.
If a storyteller can build tension and raise emotions while keeping true to the sentiment of the story, they will, and we should thank them for it.
#4 They Know their Audience
Part of telling a great story is knowing your audience.
What might work at one gathering wouldn’t be appropriate at another. If we’re aware of this, we can adapt the story to suit by keeping the structure but changing or toning things down a little.
If you know the audience will be forgiving, best mates or immediate family, you might try your new material — you have to try it somewhere. If it’s a speech a fancy dinner event, you’d be wise to stick to the tried and tested.
#5 They Repeat the Cycle
Perhaps the essential point is to repeat the cycle.
If you want to be a compelling storyteller, it’s not enough to try a story once. If you felt compelled enough to tell it in the first place, there’s probably a seed of something there. Find the seed and let it grow.
The more we practice sharing our stories, the better we will become. By recognising the feedback — verbal and non-verbal — you can start to build a framework of what works for you and what doesn’t.
The more we do this, the more we recognise stories with potential in our seemingly “unexciting” life.
Final Thoughts
Other than the odd exception, our life experiences are generally similar to that of our friends and family. The difference in the story is often not the story itself, but the way it’s delivered.
In the same way that a child learning to walk only gets better by trying to walk, the only way to get better at storytelling is to tell stories.
If you fall flat on your face, dust yourself off, and go again. Be persistent. Keep making tweaks, and after time you won’t even realise that you’ve made the transition from a nervous mess to a “natural” teller of engaging stories.
Our life is one long story, recognise this and share you’re your journey with those around you.
Thanks for reading,
— Dave
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