How to Master the Art of Storytelling
And why it’s the most powerful tool of all.
When we think “stories”, what instinctively pops to mind? Cinderella? Tolkien? News reports? Stretches of the imagination? Downright lies? Long rambling accounts of a camping trip that went south? You’re not wrong.
They’re all stories in some way, shape, or form. But the concept of stories is much, much bigger than that.
Human Beings have been telling stories since before recorded time. I say this with conviction because if we had the ability to record something, we’d have definitely been talking about it since before the moment of record.
Passing on the stories of certain red berries being poisonous — saved entire tribes. If we didn’t have stories, the first humans would’ve never known better, would’ve tried those berries first hand and “never lived to tell the tale”. Pun intended.
Our stories are what help us evolve. Humans have a “collective memory”, so to speak.
Even the King of the White Walkers in Game of Thrones knew that the most impactful way to wipe out humans would be by killing Bran — the one guy who knew all the stories, the one person who was the memory of the world. And you needn’t have watched Game of Thrones to understand this reference because it really is that simplistically straight-forward.
We use stories to make sense of the world, to understand where we come from and where we’re going. Our minds favour stories as a way to transmit information because they involve us or people like us (the relatability factor).
Having a dull day? Spice it up with some stories. Having a stressful day? Listen to stories and you’ll realise that you’re not alone — others have similar struggles too. A great narrative arc can infuse energy or calm as required into any situation. It is all in the hands of the speaker.
If you look at it that way, powerful storytellers are the ones who hold actual power. Power that needs to be cherished and never abused — because with great power comes great responsibility. Spiderman gets it.
Parents telling bedtime stories to get their toddlers to fall asleep find themselves becoming better and better storytellers as the night sky darkens further and morning rays threaten arrival from just a few hours away.
Several thousand first-hand accounts will confirm that Hitler was one of the greatest storytellers of his time. I believe it. The man convinced more than half a country to murder or be complicit in the murder of six million human beings. Was he a garbage person? Yes. Can we learn from this and recognize that we should develop powers and use them for good? Also, yes.
Here’s what I’m getting at: A study that took place a few years ago calculated that roughly 65% of all conversations are stories. It went on to theorize with heartening proof that we retain knowledge from stories far better than from rote repetition, and over centuries of passing information down this way, our brains have come to favour stories. There is much psychology to reinforce this fact.
We know that storytellers hold all the power. We know that most of conversation is stories. The next obvious leap would be to try and acquire this power for ourselves.
Stereotypes like “Extroverts are naturally better at it than introverts” or “Introverts tell stories that have deeper meaning” can take a hike to wherever they want because in the end — it’s all about MINDSET.
Anyone can tell a story for fun, but a story to influence is a little different and with a different intended outcome.
What if you learn the basic tips and tricks of the trade? What if you could develop your very own inner library of stories that could be put to use to build your personality and circle of influence?
At Masterlife, we picked this up as a challenge, did our own research, and then collaborated with Coach Jay Kumar Hariharan — who has successfully been teaching storytelling techniques to the top entities of massive conglomerates for decades now.
And this is how our course on Developing a Powerful Story-Telling Mindset was born.
Quick excerpt below — but of course — as with any good story — you need the beginning, middle, end, and connected nuances to get the whole picture. You can check it out on the Masterlife App. Today, I say! Quite the eye-opener.
For now — carry on reading, we’re just getting started.
How do we harness the powers that be and become not good, but great storytellers? How do we go from great to mastering the whole thing? The following are some basic rules to follow so you can start developing the right mindset:
#1: BE GENUINE
Sure, knowing what you’re going to talk about, how you’re going to deliver — all that’s important. But all will fail if you are not genuine in the moment.
If you are exaggerating for “effect” and aren’t really convinced yourself, your listeners will know. If you’re putting on a fake accent to sound sophisticated, it will not remain consistent and by association, will not ring true.
Your listeners will know.
They might not know exactly WHAT they know, but they will sense a dissonance and your speech will not only have zero impact, but it might end up veering into negative territory.
So, stay true to who you are and you’ve got your storytelling foundation in place.
#2: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Who are you talking to? Older people? People you have a formal relationship with? Avoid swearing.
Are you talking to people who would love to get into the depths of the story? Give them all the details you’d like.
Are you trying to sell a high-end luxury apartment? Speak with the authority and calmness of someone they can trust. Present your most professional side.
Are you in an elevator and the people you’re talking to don’t have much time? Keep it brief. Make sure your hook is in there, nearer the beginning. They will come back for more when they have more time on their hands. Trust me.
#3: YOU CARE, THEY CARE
Whether emotionally, intellectually, or aesthetically, you need to make your audience care. This is important in our world, where people tend to gloss over posts and skim through content.
So, you need to care first. When you are genuinely interested in the cause and care about it — it will reflect in the way you structure your sentences. And your listeners will subconsciously pick up on that.
Why should they be interested in the story? How is it relevant to them? Make this clear in your mind when crafting the story, because if it isn’t clear to you, it will not be clear to the other person either.
#4: THEY SEE WHAT YOU SEE
Life is creation. Stories are re-creating life.
So, if you want complete engagement, they need to experience what you are recreating.
We experience the world through our senses and so, you must engage their senses. Set the scene and provide your audience with context for the story.
Where did the story take place? What did the air smell like? Did it smell like the earth after rain? Or like the sea? Where did the adventure begin and how were you feeling at the time?
In immersive storytelling, context and details are everything.
#5: CHRONOLOGY CAN BE CREATIVE
Contrary to a specific politician’s statements, I’m not asking you to lie about chronology. I’m saying you can be creative with when you place what in your story.
I can summarize it by one of the most interesting explanations given by the brilliant Margaret Atwood, Author of The Handmaid’s Tale:
When asked how SHE would write fairy tales for children, she chose to talk about Little Red Riding Hood. You know, that story of the little girl who got lost in the forest on the way to her grandmother’s house where she happened upon a big, bad wolf.
She said that she would start it thus: “It was dark inside the wolf.”
#Chills
Emily Dickinson would agree. “Tell all the truth, but tell it slant,” was her advice to those of us who want our emails to be opened, our stories to be read, and our voices to be heard.
#6: ASK QUESTIONS
Not the exam type, to check if they’re listening or not. But the kind that genuinely seek their opinions on the matter.
Erase the boundary between the story and people present. You do this from time to time and you won’t ever need to check if they’re listening.
They most definitely will be and you’ll know it.
#7: TENSION WORKS
A very critical responsibility of the storyteller is the handling of tension.
The storyteller has the power to create tension and then also decide when he/she can relieve their listeners of said tension — only to bring it back at a later time.
One of the masters of this art-form is Comedian Hannah Gadsby who keeps her audiences in rapt silence for the most part, deeply immersed in her stories — all the while building tension, letting people sit in it, and then taking it away.
This tension is what keeps people on their toes and completely invested in what you’re saying.
Make sure that the tension you create isn’t just for drama but is relevant and seamlessly entwined in the narrative of your story. Always remember points #1 and #3 when planning the tension points of your story.
#8: OH GOD, PLEASE CLOSE RIGHT
How you decide to gracefully end is of vital importance.
People need to know that you’re done. If they’re not sure, you will be left with awkward silences and a smattering of nervous chuckles.
If they’re not sure that you’re done, they will feel uneasy about speaking right after.
For the ideal close, you need to give your listeners clearly evident closure and open the floor for others.
If you find yourself at the end of your bit and unsure of what to say last, you could always pick from any of the golden standards:
“And that, was how the chips fell that night.”
“Oh well, it is what it is.”
“Soooo, there’s that. What do you think?”
“And with that, I must take leave of your esteemed attention. I have held on to it for far too long. Thank you for your kindness.”
I hope the points and video above proved helpful to you.
Just keep practicing.
Isn’t it incredible that the stories you tell may possibly live on forever? Your thoughts, beliefs, and passions for a cause may have the potential to impact the world.
Here’s to you telling your unique stories to people and having the pleasure of listening to several more.
For the entire course on how to become a master storyteller, learning new skills or understanding yourself and your mind better, remember — Masterlife is just a click away.
Cheers!
