Robert McKee on the power of story As children we were naturally good at telling stories about events or topics that mattered and learning from others via their stories, but as we became older we were taught that serious people relied only on presenting information and "the facts." Accurate information, sound logic, and the facts are necessary, of course, but truly effective leaders in any field — including technical ones — know how to tell "the story" of their particular research endeavor, technological quest, or marketing plan, etc. There are a few people talking about the importance of storytelling these days (see this post from last year: Ira Glass: Tips on storytelling), and if you look to non-traditional sources there is much to be learned. Famed screen writer Robert McKee's book (Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting) is one I have recommended before—highly recommend it. Below, I summarize McKee's points by touching on just a few of the questions discussed in the interview.
Lessons from the Future of StoryTelling summit Who says a conference, like a university course, can't be flipped? At the Future of StoryTelling event last month in New York, delegates were given homework to complete before they had even arrived at the venue -- and instead of standard keynotes or panels, they sat in groups to discuss their studies. Admittedly, the "homework" consisted of the not-too-unpleasant task of watching 15 entertaining short films, around eight to ten minutes long, that were sent out in the weeks and days before the event. And as one of the delegates, I can confess that the task was not arduous. Of the 15 videos, each offering a personal perspective on where storytelling is moving, we had to choose our favourite six. It was a fresh approach that put the pressure on delegates themselves to think through their position and engage in the discussions. They're certainly an accomplished group of organisers. There were some conventional stage talks and performances. futureofstorytelling.org
Encoding Your Message With Story | Cruxcatalyst: The Heart of Change The most common and enduring means of cultural transmission in human societies is the story. Think about it – did you read The Stern Review Report (700 pages) on climate change, one of the seminal policy documents yet released on the issue of climate change? Or have you seen (or at least know about) Al Gore’s Academy Award winning documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth’? This applies to any story – one example I found recently that illustrates this point was to ask the question: ‘who remembers how much JK Rowling was paid for the Harry Potter series?’. Try asking another question: ‘who knows the story about where and why JK Rowling wrote her books?’ Most sustainability communications rely heavily on data and ‘selling’ an understanding of a situation, to which a reasoned ‘rational’ response must surely be expected. To know a society’s stories is to know where it intends to go. Sourced from Compostmodern is the story a that I’m telling a myth? The Power of Myth
Secrets of Successful Storytelling | Cruxcatalyst: The Heart of Change If you’re wondering what ‘telling stories’ has to do with creating change, then the simple answer is – everything! Jonah Sachs, Founder and CEO of Free Range Studios and author of Story Wars, has developed a summary of storytelling strategies in his Change This manifesto, ‘How To Tell A Story’. Sachs is adamant that those intent on being effective change agents need to become adept at the art and science (and there is a science!) of storytelling: Maybe it’s because we’re all so overloaded with information.Maybe it’s because we’re all so starved for meaning.Or maybe it’s because, thanks to social media, everyone’s become a broadcaster these days.Whatever the reason, we’re all getting the same memo at the same time: if you want to be heard, you’d better learn to tell better stories. He points out that we live in a world that has lost connection to its traditional myths, and that we are looking for new ones – new meaning. Sachs makes this appeal to those engaged in change work:
The Pixar Touch - history of Pixar - Blog - Pixar story rules (one version) Pixar story artist Emma Coats has tweeted a series of “story basics” over the past month and a half — guidelines that she learned from her more senior colleagues on how to create appealing stories: #1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes. #2: You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. #3: Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. #4: Once upon a time there was ___. #5: Simplify. #6: What is your character good at, comfortable with? #7: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. #8: Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. #9: When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. #10: Pull apart the stories you like. #11: Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. #12: Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. #13: Give your characters opinions. #14: Why must you tell THIS story?
Pixar’s 22 rules for a good story (how do they fit your organization?) « Millard Fillmore's Bathtub From The Pixar Touch, a set of rules for writing a good story to translate to the screen. Good rules to keep in mind for composition of stories in English, no? Good rules of writing to keep in mind for any essay writing. Pixar story artist Emma Coats has tweeted a series of “story basics” over the past month and a half — guidelines that she learned from her more senior colleagues on how to create appealing stories:#1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.#2: You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.#3: Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Consider the project you’ve got to lead, with one person from each department in your company.
The Psychology of Storytelling: 10 Proven Ways to Create Better Stories (and Why Stories Sell) Stories are a very integral part of being persuasive. You’d think that as a guy that loves data, I’d be averse to storytelling as a whole. As a marketer though, I can’t be. Those in sales and marketing have known for a long time that stories trump data when it comes to persuasion because stories are easier to understand and relate to. Are you incorporating stories into your copy? If you’re anxious to understand and tap into the power of storytelling, get ready to jot down some notes! Why You Need to Incorporate Storytelling Storytelling works. But why should you have to incorporate this flowery style into your writing? A lot of folks are averse to telling stories because they believe that “the facts” are the most persuasive pieces of content they can deliver. It’s not, and here’s a visualization that helps to explain why: Am I telling you that it’s better to say nothing in a memorable fashion? No, of course not. How Stories Affect the Mind Of course! The question then is this… Here’s what they found:
The Scottish Storytelling Centre // Storytellers About the Festival The Scottish International Storytelling Festival (SISF) is a 10 day celebration of live storytelling, oral traditions and cultural diversity, bringing together a large number of Scottish and international storytellers and musicians. The Festival takes place in and around Edinburgh. The main venue is the Netherbow Theatre at the Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile, the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Partner venues include the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the National Library of Scotland and many other cultural organisations in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Scotland. The programme is structured in a pattern of different events including evening storytelling events for adults, family and children events, partner venues events, workshops, talks & lectures, exhibitions, networking and professional development events and the national event Tell-a-Story Day. Storytelling is not a form of theatre. Travelling to Edinburgh for the Festival?
What Storytellers Can Teach You About How to Learn Faster Storytelling is a demanding craft. Not only do you have to be able to write or perform the story accurately, you need to create vivid descriptions. Boring, complex or difficult to understand metaphors can turn an imaginative journey into a lifeless plot. You may not think of it deliberately, but learning is very similar to storytelling. Metaphors and Holistic Learning Awhile back I mentioned about how I use holistic learning to get good grades with little studying. Holistic learning is based on the principle that learning works as a whole and not through rote memorization. The storyteller’s art of metaphor is crucial in holistic learning. How to Create Good Metaphors After writing extensively about holistic learning and metaphors previously, I’ve received comments from people asking how they can find metaphors for math, physics, biology, philosophy or some other subject. Storytellers understand that there is no perfect metaphor. Isolate a Characteristic. Taking Metaphors Further
NOW HEAR THIS NOW HEAR THIS is a night of people coming together to hear and tell stories. Your story can be funny, moving or silly, all in a few spellbinding minutes. Images: Highlights from 2012 Now Hear This by Adam Thomas and Felix Barbalet. Dates and Locations * A 'slam' event is where all storytellers are chosen at random and have five minutes to tell their story to the theme. A 'curated' event is where all storytellers have been selected and had their stories worked on before the event to tell an 8-10 minute story. 5 Storytelling TipsThe NOW HEAR THIS storytelling slam features 8 storytellers, sharing true stories inspired by the night's theme -- without notes and in front of a live audience! Stories should go for no longer than 5 minutes. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
How Twitter Is Reshaping The Future Of Storytelling Every five days, a billion tiny stories are generated by people around the world. Those messages aren’t just being lost in the ether, like the imaginary output of monkeys randomly attempting to produce the works of Shakespeare. Instead, the tweets are being archived by the Library of Congress as part of the organization’s mission to tell the story of America. The archive now includes 170 billion posts and counting. The patterns of human life will be stored in this Twitter archive like a form of digital sediment. Every meme and revelation will leave an imprint in the record constructed of posts by half a billion Twitter users around the world (and over 150,000 more signing up every day). How has the future of storytelling been influenced by Twitter? Sparking the Imagination Writer and actor John Hodgman recalls how derisive many people were about Twitter when it first entered the public consciousness. A Future Biography Prolific novelist Joyce Carol Oates recently tweeted:
The Seven Ages of Innovation In Act II Scene vii of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, the character Jaques de Boys speaks the memorable words “All the world’s a stage.” Jaques, in his monologue, then delves into Shakespeare’s depiction of the “seven ages of man,” from infant through adulthood and back again, the circle of life writ large: …and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. Upon hearing a commentator refer recently to the seven ages of man, my mind immediately wandered to innovation and I wondered if there were parallels between Shakespeare’s perspective on the ages of man and the trials and tribulations that we often face as innovation practitioners. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms. The first age, infancy, reminds me of the void into which many innovations first come into being. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.
Ty Montague on what ‘storydoing’ means for PR Aarti Shah For a few weeks now, consultant and author Ty Montague’s post “Good Companies Are Storytellers. Great Companies Are Storydoers,” has sparked considerable interest on the HBR Blog Network. Montague makes a compelling assertion that storytelling is a powerful business tool and has data that backs this up. The piece breaks down six criteria for identifying a storydoing company: They have a storyThe story is about a larger ambition to make the world or people’s lives betterThe story is understood and cared about by senior leadership outside of marketingThat story is being used to drive tangible action throughout the company: product development, HR policies, compensation, etc.These actions add back up to a cohesive wholeCustomers and partners are motivated to engage with the story and are actively using it to advance their own stories When reading these, it occurred to me that a huge lot of companies (and agencies) would claim to adhere to these six tenets.