Not everything is a story –

Getting some good feedback on the new website — including constructive criticism. “Where are all the stories?” Because my portfolio, right now, isn’t actually a collection of case studies or stories. It’s a catalogue of story work, which includes links to some story samples, and a few brief stories about some of the projects.

Should I tell the story of every single project in my portfolio? Probably. But that would be a ton of work. Crafting stories that are SURE (Simple, Unpredictable, Relevant, Extraordinary) takes time. And frankly, I’d rather visitors focus on the actual work samples, than the stories about the work.

Another great bit of feedback was that my descriptions tend towards the generic — an often fatal flaw in storytelling, particularly in genres such as cases. And I admit — it’s a challenge. Because all of us who work for clients are bound — to some degree — by privacy and confidentiality constraints. The only practical way to tell a client story in any detail is to fictionalize it. It’s better than nothing. But it’s not as good as the real thing.

All of which leaves me with a few observations.

I’ve always believed that stories are best told by those who own them. Who lived them. Who are defined by them. Who draw on them everyday. My work, from my documentary days right through until today, focuses primarily on helping others find and share their stories to empower, educate and engage. And my portfolio reflects that. As much as possible, I only tell my stories, my experiences — and direct visitors to other resources where they can experience my clients’ stories first hand.

Second — and most importantly — not everything can or should be a story. Sometimes, you just need the facts first — something you can skim. Who was the client? What kind of work was it? Where did it happen? Facts help the viewer sort information and look for relevance. Then, once s/he finds an item or project that is relevant, s/he can dive deeper — into the story. That’s why search engines, categories, etc. are helpful for a high level pass. In this case, my hope is that, if a visitor finds a project that s/he finds relevant and wants to know more about, s/he’ll contact me for the full tale.

Because here’s the thing. Every story we tell has layers — increasing depth and complexity. How many layers we share depends on how much time/space/interest we have. When we tell stories face-to-face, we personalize them, according to what we know about the listener. That’s tougher to do online, with a worldwide audience. I’m pretty sure that few people will read more than a paragraph or two about a project on my website. I look at my portfolio more as a sprinkling of story seeds — that germinate interest with visitors — that blossom into conversations, projects, collaborations — into stories that mobilize ideas, energy and people.