Back when I was little, I went through a phase of telling people that I wanted to write a book when I grew up.
I had no idea what I wanted to write and no real understanding of what writing a book entailed. I just knew that I wanted to create stories and write them down. Leave a permanent mark somewhere in the world.
As an adult, I now make a living by telling stories for other people. Instead of writing books though I write website copy, scripts and newsletters – mostly for luxury brands.
But where did storytelling come from in the first place? And what’s the secret to telling a good story?
Let’s begin by taking a look at how it all started.
The evolution of storytelling
Humans began sharing stories around 100,000 years ago with painting and drawing. Yet it’s only within the last few hundred years that we really transitioned into storytellers.
It all started with folklore – a form of oral storytelling that helped to inspire countless fairytales around the world.
Folklore was full of symbolism and metaphors. Stories were passed on from person to person and the meaning of such tales were dissected and interpreted from one generation to the next.
Fast forward to today’s digital age and storytelling is everywhere – but not in quite the same way.
In the modern world, we’re bombarded with social media, 24/7 news, podcasts, photographs, magazines, books and lots of other mediums in between.
Storytelling is also the backbone of professions like marketing and advertising, with content creation a central pillar for building brands.
In fact, storytelling is such a huge part of our daily lives that our attention span has shrunk to a mere 47 seconds (when using an electronic device). No wonder we’re all exhausted.
So it it time to go back to basics? Sit around a crackling fire and tell ghost stories? Probably not.
But we can refresh our memory on what makes a good story, and how to tell one.
Back to basics storytelling
Let’s start with five essential components for a good story:
- Character/s – who/what is the story about?
- Setting – where is the story based?
- Plot – what is happening?
- Conflict – what problems will the characters experience?
- Resolution – how will the issue be resolved?
Sounds simple enough, right?
However, the key lies in weaving it all together to convey a message, entertain, build trust or evoke emotions.
The aim is to strike a chord with the audience and make sure it’s your story that they’re paying attention to. Not the millions of other stories out there.
And the best way to do that is to deliver something they can connect with or relate to.
This can be done in a subtle manner by leaving questions unanswered. Or hinting at something in the background to capture their curiosity.
You can connect with the audience by talking to them directly and taking them on a journey. Or you can communicate through comedy – making the audience laugh as they follow along.
Ultimately, the goal is to get them to listen. And if you’re in marketing or advertising, to then encourage them to take action.
Remember, we all have stories to tell. But it’s how a story is told that separates the good storytellers from the great.
Got a story to tell but don’t know where to start? Get in touch at hello@hayleymaguire.com
Hayley Maguire 