The Art
of Storytelling
Many
professions such as historians, lawyers, physicians, economists and
psychologists take advantage of the power of stories to
illustrate and frame reality in order to help people
better understand their subject matter.
Professional speakers, have been using stories to illuminate their
messages long before and after slides became the vogue.
On the other hand, occasional presenters are often reluctant to
incorporate stories into their formal presentations or their
reports, proposals, briefings, training and meetings.
Analogies, anecdotes, parables, fables, metaphors and idioms are
all storytelling methods for imparting wisdom or making a
point. Effective storytelling is a fine and beautiful art.
A well-developed and presented story can cut across age barriers
and will hold the interest and reach its listeners.
Stories will be remembered long after other orations. Here are tips
to help you find your story voice.
1. Leap
and the Net Will Appear
Start
turning personal experiences into stories for your
presentations.
It's important that you remember that experiences don't
automatically equate to stories, it's how you relate them that
does. Sharing such experiences inevitably requires you to be
willing to talk publicly about what are essentially private
events.
This requires a leap of both faith and imagination, however once
you have taken the initial plunge you will find that you quickly
become comfortable doing so.
After you become comfortable sharing personal stories, you can
begin to include your observations of other people's behavior and
then move on to paraphrasing and adapting fables, parables, fairy
tales, literature and urban legends. You will quickly build a
repertoire of narratives that you will be able to adapt to
complement and enhance presentations on a surprisingly wide range
of topics.
2.
Collect Stories From a Variety of Sources
In
the real world, literature and the media stories abound. Start a
notebook or database to improve your access to those you like. When
you know a good story, sooner or later you will find a way to weave
it into a presentation. Many popular children books are an
excellent source of material.
3. Learn
the Characteristics of a Good Story
Take time to
learn what makes a good story, one that people can relate to and
will learn from. Look for the following points:
*
It is told well
* The
plot involves a transformation
* The
storyteller is sincere
* The
story fits the occasion
* The
characters come alive
* The
audience can relate to the story
* The
story addresses the issues at hand
4.
Observe How Professional Presenters Use Stories
Professional
presenters regularly use stories, especially personal ones, in
their presentations and publications. When you hear a professional
presenter speak, observe their use of stories. Good presenters will
use stories for a variety of purposes among which include
to:
*
Provide humor
* Clarify and illustrate meaning
* Make points memorable
* Bridge cultural gaps
* Identify with the particular audience
* Persuade the audience to their point of view
* Encourage thinking
* Inspire people to act
* Build a shared vision
* Relieve tension
* Raise the energy level of the group
* Introduce controversial issues
5.
Broaden Your Storytelling Horizons
Try attending a
storytelling event or making the acquaintance of a professional
storyteller. Observe how school teachers tell stories to the
children in their class. Each time you listen to someone other than
yourself tell a story, try to see how their performance can be used
to enhance your own. Lastly, there are many websites and books that
focus on storytelling skills, take the time to do some research by
visiting these sites and the local library.
"I
believe it is the easiest thing in the world to tell a story,
and the hardest to be a fine storyteller."
-
Ruth Sawyer
Reference / Image
Credits:
Public Speaking Tips
1. Mathenyfam
2. Rjnagle
3. El
Duke
4. Smwarnke
