How can you learn to tell better stories?

"How can I get better at storytelling?" ☝️This is a question I read on a daily basis on LinkedIn these days. Many want to be a storytelling expert & some people assume that they can make it in a few days or weeks by completing a course. I share 0 e-books or courses as recommendations but suggest reading as much fiction as possible. I had been reading fiction since childhood and I never joined a storytelling course. If you want to be a pro storyteller in the near future, start reading fiction or listen to the narration of experts. No other shortcuts. No tips and tricks. Reading and listening to stories is the only pro advice to be a better storyteller.

Stories are what that is going to rule the world. So to up your game, start reading. I am a voracious reader, but my partner is a voracious listener of books. Exposure to different types of stories and storytellers is a great way to learn the craft of storytelling. Exposing yourself to different formats of stories, you are exposing yourself to different techniques and styles. And this helps in developing your unique voice. Pay attention to the structure of the stories you read and listen to. How do the stories start, build, and end? Notice how the authors use language to create a sense of place, time, and atmosphere. Pay attention to the characters in the stories. What are their motivations? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

I would say there's no hack or trick here to know how to tell stories. If you simply want to know how to tell stories then read lots of it. Different genres, different authors then practice because that's what makes you perfect along the line.

You'll never be a top writer if you don't read. Consume content to be able to create better content - it's not rocket science. In fact, consume content from people who are better writers than you. It's how you accelerate your acquisition of knowledge and skills.

I see storytelling similar to how to learn standup comedy. If you want to learn how to tell better stories onstage, you need to consume more of that medium. You can find a lot on YouTube - channels like the Moth, Story District and What’s Your Story Slam. You can also listen to podcasts such as the Risk, the Moth Radio Hour, this American Life etc. And if you have storytelling shows in your area, it’s worth going there to see how it’s told onstage. Then to get better at it is to start practicing and get into the habit of writing and telling stories. I have a daily habit of writing stories using prompts and even use LinkedIn as an outlet to tell stories.

Honesty, sincerity and authenticity is not only important in personal life but it's also so important in a work setting! It's quite surprising how hard it is for us to break down that psychological barrier between work and personal "us". But the closer we are to our true selves in all aspects of our lives, do we find that a lot of our "personal stories" can inspire our "work stories" and vice versa!

Although finding your own voice for telling a story is important, imitation can be good practice. Learning from those who came before you will help you shape your voice. I wouldn't copy everything word for word, but using others as inspiration can be a good place to start.

My storytelling your learning...I correlate my experiences with the situations foreseeing in next generation and inspiring the jobseekers how to start career. When the students and executives asking questions how to be potential, I recollect the stories from my memory and tell them how to make their own stories. Listen other's stories, connect with other's thoughts and express my 3H (hand, head and heart) are the key learning how to tell my stories.

Your voice doesn’t matter if you don’t do this: Love your voice, use it to speak up and make a difference. Everyone’s voice is powerful only when it’s embraced and used consistently to advocate for others, for the business, and for themselves in any situation. I never used to speak up even on my own behalf, but when I finally understood this, magic began. I found freedom and started inspiring others (like you) to seek this too in their own unique way through the intersection of leadership and personal branding. And storytelling in one’s own voice is a big part of this. I heard that if you don’t love your voice, you will miss out on opportunities to speak up in transformational moments that matter the most. Your voice matters. Love your.

To learn storytelling - Spend time with older people. I think they are pro. Also I learned many things while doing solo travelling. Old is Gold

The STAR Method is a bit transactional, and reductive. Works great if you need to describe a functional workflow, but caution it can also feel a bit de-humanizing. Of course, there's business to attend to. Alternatively: consider the 3 Cs of storytelling. Circumstance, Choice, Consequence. 1 - Circumstance is all about the set-up: where are we, what's the situation, orient the audience. 2 - Choice is all about the options, dilemmas, considerations, and ultimately choice to be made or has been made. 3 - Consequence is about the impact, reaction, net effect. Circumstance, Choice, Consequence - rinse and repeat. All of life follows this formula. Whether you're a telling a story looking backwards or presenting a story for looking forwards.

The first thing to do is: 1. Read: Start by reading novels consistently. I started it with this, but when I started writing stories, it wasn't as easy as I thought. So, that brings us to the next step... 2. Write: Funnily enough, most people have no idea that writing their everyday experiences in a journal is more like telling a story. Get a book or journal, write the way you speak and do this consistently. 3. Watch Closely: At this point, you need to look out for those whose storytelling prowess you admire, study them, but don't copy them. 4. Find your Uniqueness: Being unique is very important if you want to get better with storytelling. Not everyone will have the same style, so figure yours out and stick to it.

The three-act structure is a good alternative. Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. We call it the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution. 1. Setup: Introduce your characters and their goals. 2. Confrontation: Talk about the challenges and conflicts your character has to go through. 3. Resolution: This is the closure of your story. Did your character achieve what he was longing for?

In Japanese Manga (and also Korean and Chinese storytelling) there is a method that we all follow called Ki-Sho-Ten-Ketsu. Ki is the Introduction. Sho is the development. Ten is the twist (the most important!) Ketsu is the conclusion. Ki sho ten ketsu can be found in every aspect of life. In conversations, in experiences, and in storytelling … it can be found within one chapter or episode, but it is also the foundation for an entire story arc … and even beyond, your entire story in general. Mastering this method of storytelling is essential for publishing in Asian mediums like anime, manga, webtoon, even Asian-inspired web novels. The difference between this & 3-Act Film Structure is Ki Sho Ten Ketsu captures every moment & scene.

If you're standing 10 feet away from a painting, you can see the image as a whole. As you walk closer, only inches from the picture, you notice details that captivate you. The details of a story add texture that awakens your senses. Sharing specific information further invites the audience into the story. It recalls memories of their senses like taste, smell, or sight. This second story element is sensory. Details enrich the story and experience for your audience. In our film, "Ripple of Cars," Joe shares an experience of feeling bad for his daughter's friend biking home from work. Just reading that falls flat. But when Joe details the time of day and 10-degree weather, a detailed image is painted in your brain.

Imagine storytelling as a canvas, and details are the vibrant colors you use to paint a vivid scene. Emotions are the heartbeat, infusing life into your narrative. When you share a story, go beyond stating facts. Dive into the sensory details – the sights, sounds, and scents that transport your audience into the moment. And don't forget to reveal the emotions, the feelings that make your story relatable and resonate with your audience.

Let the audience into the story. They have to feel the story. Avoid reading aloud or rote learning a story, it has to be told from the heart.

Anton Chekhov, the famous Russian writer, says in a sentence that if there is a gun hanging on the wall in the first act of your story, it must be fired at least once by the end of the story. This precisely means that you should refrain from any scene or extra sentence that does not contribute to the advancement of the story. If you show a gun in a scene, you must use it; otherwise, there is no need to show the gun at all. This brilliant sentence holds an important point in storytelling for us writers and storytellers; that although details and descriptions are infinitely important and impactful, we should not overdo them or misuse them. While details are crucial, we must also recall another famous phrase: "The devil is in the details.

The greatest storytelling comes from emotional impact. It is one thing to tell a tale that comes from an emotional space. That’s what makes it authentic. But it is another thing to evoke emotions in your readers or listeners. Like I said: let these stories come from a true place. Stories are not just hear-say. Most of the stories come from some sort of life-experience, even if it is a fantasy. Make sure your stories are an experience, a journey. No matter how short. It doesn’t have to be heroic. It has to be true.

To practice storytelling, find an old family photo of your childhood. Look at the image to study it. Remember events that day. The smells and voices. The lessons. Share. As a portrait artist, I get to know people's stories (even if just a blip of time). It's amazing what I learn about someone through their reference photo. ❤️❤️❤️

To improve storytelling, practice by observing everyday moments for inspiration. *Study storytelling techniques from diverse sources, and seek feedback from peers. *Continuously explore different storytelling mediums, genres and experiment with storytelling styles to enhance your skills.

Stories must be told and retold, they are meant to be living versions of a memory and not a one-off occurrence. I love this concept: story launch and story landing. Story launch is when you are ready to test your story and ask for specific feedback from trusted individuals. Story landing is when you take time to sift through the feedback and apply what seems right. Then, repeat the process again! Launch and land, and between these is where your story will find its shape.

Do not overdo descriptions, interludes and changes. Stories have an internal balance. If you get carried away with descriptions and interludes you may upset the balance and trouble the story. The result — boredom of the listener . Pay attention — if you've lost the listener, it's a sign that he got tired because you were busy "twisting" the story and getting smarter, instead of holding the plot line. Do not add a moral or a message. Many people say that you should tell a story "to convey a message". A message is a conclusion, storytelling is the opposite - opens the thought for new questions.

The key to choosing a right story is Resonance. Resonance simply is … reminding someone of an experience they have already had . If you can create resonance .. people will feel connection. Connection is the exchange of energy between between when they feel seen, heard and valued .. better stories .. resonate better

Writing is a form of art, sophisticated art, with many nuances, which can be learned and improved endlessly over many years . like any other form of art.

Another great way to get better at telling stories: Story Notes. Ben Franklin was one of the greatest writers of his time. He practiced writing daily, in a unique way. He sat down with the daily newspaper, selected an article that stood out, and then took notes. He then didn’t look at the notes or the story for a few days, and then tried to recreate the story from his notes. After a while, his stories were better than the original ones. You can do this with stories too! TED talks, presentations, brand videos, … 1. Watch a recording, take notes and put them away 2. After a few days, try to recreate your version of that talk. Don’t look at the talk, just your notes! 3. After a while, you’ll notice your stories may outdo the original!

One of the best quotes on storytelling comes from Tim O’Brien. “I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth.” Storytelling is about making the audience feel something. That’s why the first question any storyteller should think through is what they want the audience to feel. From there they can write, refine, and practice delivery to make it happen.