Energize Your Writing Through Storytelling
Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, the goal is the same: you want readers to understand your point. There is no better way to do this than by telling a story. Even in a work of fiction, having a character tell a story can do several things. It can give the reader a clearer understanding of the narrative or provide more insight into the character relating to the story.
For a work of nonfiction, a story to illustrate a certain issue or concept is invaluable to the reader. The way people read these days has drastically changed since 20 years ago. Let’s say you are authoring a book highlighting some industry. If it comes across as too much of a textbook, you are going to lose readers by page 5. If you incorporate interesting and accessible stories, then you are going to snag a reader from the beginning so that they continue to read.
Have you heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words?” Storytelling is worth even more because it can become the heart of a book or article. A good story is interesting because you feel you are seeing something that actually happened. You don’t have to memorize anything for the story to be believable and entertaining. It can be true, like a newspaper or magazine article, or fictional, like a movie or book. Or a story could include objects, conversations, ideas, places, emotions, actions, and anything else that could happen. The best part about storytelling is that you can tell one repeatedly without repeating yourself. For example, you can talk about a good time with your friends by using one of these stories:
Story:
- A friend told me he got a job at a big company.
- My friend said he was going on a business trip with his boss.
- I saw my friend at a video conference talking with his co-worker.
This article will explore four simple ways storytelling can help energize your writing.
Deep Emotional Connection
The number one problem I see with a great deal of writing is that it doesn’t speak to readers on a deep level. Storytelling establishes a profound emotional connection between your target audience and your narrative. Let’s go to the world of business to show how successful this is. A classic example of this is the first iPhone. Steve Jobs famously said that he built “toys to life” experiences, and he did. He took a fantastic product and used storytelling to get people to see how their life could change if they started using the new gadgets. The storytelling made people see the product as a necessity rather than a nice-to-have thing because people who understood the story easily remembered it.
Storytelling Can Make Your Writing Stand Out
When you create interesting and consistent stories in your writing, it makes you stand out from others in the industry. One devastating comment somebody can make of your writing is that it is boring. I think we have all read fiction and nonfiction books or articles where watching paint dry is more desirable. When this happens, a writer has lost their audience. While it is important to understand this concept in fiction, it is even more important in nonfiction work. A biography or business book that gets bogged down with dates and metrics will not resonate with many readers. However, sprinkling stories throughout is going to engage the reader and give them a much more favorable opinion of what they are reading. A killer comment about your writing can attract many people.
Storytelling Can Be Your Brand
A relevant and engaging story helps your readers understand your style. You can entertain and/or inform them, and they will enjoy reading more of what you offer. This is the key to converting readers into long-term relationships.
For example, I get excited when I read a good book of an author new to me, and then find that she or he has many other published books. One reason a book series of reoccurring characters or subject does well is that the reader is 90% sure they will enjoy it. With so much of a premium put on personal time, who wants to take a chance on investing the time in a new book if it will not be enjoyable?
Solidify Online Visibility
A very practical application of storytelling is that it can be the focus of your social media content. Without strong content strategies and creative execution, your writing efforts will go to waste. In the world of social media, tons of content bombard people every day. If you want to build online visibility, make sure that the content you share is valuable. That means that you should have something unique to say and you have to get the attention of your audience.
When you tell a story about your own life, you’re relaying information about yourself to other people. You’re using the skills you’ve developed by listening and learning from others and reflecting on your own life. This allows your audience to see how they, too, might improve their lives through the experience of reading your story.
In conclusion, the most important thing you can do for your writing is to add or punch up your storytelling in your work. If you can’t add stories that people will relate to, how will they be able to relate to your writing? If you don’t know the answer to this question, it’s time for you to get started on your journey into the wonderful world of storytelling.
A trick a fiction writer friend told me is that when he writes, he sees the story in his head as if on a movie screen. He said that to transform that vision into an effective narrative, he must write what he sees in such a way that the reader sees almost an identical picture in their mind. Then he knows he engaged that person in an emotional and intellectual way that whatever he is writing will make an impression.
Divya Parekh helps entrepreneurs and business leaders develop a confident narrative about their experiences and expertise to drive impact in people’s lives.
If you are looking to create a meaningful impact, please check out Expert to Influencer book.
