Storytelling

Storytelling is an art. I think someone who can code and tell good stories is unstoppable. It’s one thing to build a cool product. It’s another to tell the story that convinces people to listen and try it.

I started paying attention to this skill in 2022 and working with a coach to get better.

Here is what I’ve learned so far:

Framework for Critical Arcs

My coach and friend Roger helped me breakdown the framework:

1. setup

   • add some foreshadowing

2. make interactions with person interesting

   • need something to be interesting before we find out he is a millionaire
   • connect with person first

3. reveal

   • success
   • “now what can i learn from this?”

4. transition from obvious → less obvious ephiphany

   • what i learned about [insert topic]
   • the real lesson about life

5. transition from what i learned → what audience can learn

   • “let them share your epiphany”
   • how can they apply it themselves
   • connect to them
   • this is the meta (break fourth wall)

Summary from Julian’s Tweet Thread

Julian wrote a wonderful thread on storytelling here. This is my summary:

The Art of Storytelling is to:

• strategically withhold information
• drag out the nail-biting details
• use vocal rhythm or blow your own mind

Breaking it into individual, you need to be able to:

1. identify stories worth-telling:

   • moments that are either formative or painful
   • moments of triumph or cringe

2. be charismatic

   • charisma = confidence + joy + love

3. practice public solitude

   • speak as if you’re alone in the room
   • research Konstantin Stanislavski

4. blow your own mind

   • relive feelings before speaking
   • see Jason Silva as an example

Summary from Sam Parr’s Talk

Sam gave a great 20-min talk at some conference. Here are my notes:

• Start with Distribution

  • Who do I want to reach and where are they?

  • What medium are they going to be coming from?

    • Search, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

• Figure out The Headline

• Finally, What’s the Story?

  • What’s the emotion I want them to feel?

• Example: guy from Missouri doing millions with a newsletter

  • • Blew his mind → Emotion = shock
    • Story = this guy and his son doing millions with newsletter
    • Figure out headline
    • Figure out where this will be popular

I hope to update this as I learn more!