{"id":4527,"date":"2022-07-25T07:47:02","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T07:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/?p=4527"},"modified":"2024-08-14T06:38:46","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T06:38:46","slug":"10-simple-tips-to-make-you-a-better-storyteller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/10-simple-tips-to-make-you-a-better-storyteller\/","title":{"rendered":"10 simple tips to make you a better storyteller"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1475483768296-6163e08872a1?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&amp;ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=1000&amp;q=80\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"people having a bonfire\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Outstanding stories that are put together with intelligence, understanding, passion, and vision, so that we, as viewers and readers, have the opportunity to react to characters and plots that both\u00a0emotionally engage us\u00a0<em>and<\/em>\u00a0intellectually stimulate us. A story can consist of any kind of format, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/the-next-era-of-media-is-participation-not-publishing\/\">media<\/a> and can be communicated via any channel, digital or analogue. A story can be created, but of course also curated. A story is about the output and the impact it has on the side of the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/how-to-build-a-loyal-digital-community\/\">audience<\/a>, where content can (or should) become a story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that, as content providers ourselves, we have the opportunity (and the responsibility) to learn both from highly visible mistakes but also from great examples of <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/adapting-the-user-needs-model-to-internal-communication\/\">storytelling<\/a> today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are ten dead-simple hints how to become a better storyteller. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cut the fluff <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people amble on in backstory for 10 minutes or write an intro paragraph. This is a waste of time. Find the interesting parts of your story, jump right to it, and provide as little backstory as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Start with the end in mind <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you want the outcome of your story to be? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Customer buying a product <\/li><li>Friend laughing his ass off <\/li><li>Users becoming paying members or <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/how-publishers-can-future-proof-revenue-through-community-driven-engagement\/\">subscribers<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you start with the end in mind, the intro and middle naturally funnel to that target. Keep your target in mind &#8211; always!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make it emotional <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>People make decisions based on emotion. But it\u2019s impossible to make your audience feel everything. Nail down 1-2 emotions and direct the entire story to amplify those. Some simple, useful hints from this list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/FYWhO_cXEAELoSP?format=jpg&amp;name=900x900\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Bild\" width=\"293\" height=\"143\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Raise the stakes <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Apple realised the iPhone was competing on the same few <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/10-small-features-that-do-big-things\/\">features<\/a> each release. So it raised the stakes: privacy. This tells two stories: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Apple protects your privacy<\/li><li>Competitors exploit your privacy<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This story became a feature with iOS 14.5. It&#8217;s a great sample of storytelling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/FYWhPUGWAAA1gbb?format=jpg&amp;name=medium\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Bild\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use data intentionally <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Numbers tell, stories sell. But if used well, data backs up the story you\u2019re telling. Good idea is to aim to use 1-3 high-impact data points to support any story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep a story log <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You have story-worthy moments every day but forget almost all of them. Simple fix: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Create a two column spreadsheet (date and story) <\/li><li>Before bed, take two minutes to write the best story from that day <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll start seeing stories everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Structure your story <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Humans gravitate to <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/the-five-employee-needs-every-internal-comms-strategy-must-address\/\">structure<\/a>. Luckily there are tons to wrap around your story: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Hero\u2019s Journey<\/li><li>StoryBrand <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Three Act Here\u2019s the structure JK Rowling used for the 5th Harry Potter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/FYWhP_IX0AETR6F?format=jpg&amp;name=small\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Bild\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Talk to a niche <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Great stories aren\u2019t told to everyone. They\u2019re told to the specific group of people who will resonate most with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea of \u201c1000 true fans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nail the hook <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter how incredible the rest of your story is if nobody sticks around for it. A few <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/the-foundations-of-a-thriving-brand-community\/\">guidelines<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Punchy <\/li><li>Short <\/li><li>\u201cBig if true\u201d <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sell the transformation <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Great storytelling boils down to the transformation the Hero goes through. Nike never sells its clothing \u2014 it sells what the clothing can do for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you wear our stuff, you\u2019ll jump like LeBron, run like Ronaldo, and hit like Serena.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/FYWhQkJWIAMPutt?format=jpg&amp;name=small\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Bild\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to learn more about storytelling, we highly recommend to subscribe to this great newsletter called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbuilders.ai\/subscribe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;World Builders&#8221;<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enjoy!<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nathanbaugh27\/status\/1550822955776720899\/photo\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Outstanding stories that are put together with intelligence, understanding, passion, and vision, so that we, as viewers and readers, have the opportunity to react to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1,172],"tags":[],"coauthors":[132],"class_list":["post-4527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-practices","category-miscellaneous","category-using-tchop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4527"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4527\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4529,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4527\/revisions\/4529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4527"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tchop.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=4527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}