Posts Tagged ‘story skills’
What Great Storytellers Know
My idea of a good non-fiction book is one without filler that I read to the end without skimming. I like to invest in a book that will teach me something in an afternoon that I can use for a lifetime. Those are the goals I had in mind when I wrote my new book,…
Read MoreA Stake In The Ground
Years ago, when the owner of our local bakery decided to bake only gluten-free bread and cakes, it would have sounded like a risky strategy. Many people would have advised her to sell both conventional baked goods alongside her gluten-free loaves. Instead, she put a stake in the ground. We are naturally inclined to want…
Read MoreStorytelling For The Rest Of Us
Every decision you’ve ever made was influenced by a story—every single one. From the decision about whether to wear a mask during a pandemic, to the charities you choose to support. A story you heard, the story you believed or that story you told yourself, had an impact on those choices. If stories are our…
Read MoreWe Learn By Doing
When my sons were younger, they loved listening to the straight-talking comedian and radio presenter, Karl Pilkington. One of their favourite Pilkington quotes is: ‘You won’t get anything done by planning.’ They often quoted it to me during exam times when I made hints about the benefits of revision timetables. I’m not sure if Pilkington…
Read MoreThe Case For Storytelling
Every day during the current global pandemic we’ve watched the numbers go up. We’ve listened to our leaders tell us about the number of active cases. We’ve seen unemployment figures published in news articles. We’ve heard about the numbers of lives lost. Our scientists, experts and leaders keep us informed to convince us of the…
Read MoreStories For Good
Stories are our most persuasive technology. The stories we tell can be powerful catalysts for change. But the stories that silence us are the most potent of all. The stories we choose to believe and believe in are the making of us. We can use our voices to raise the voices of those whose stories…
Read MoreTo Whom It May Concern
When an aspiring author is pitching her work to a publisher or agent, she needs to address the agent directly. In her query letter, it’s not enough to be aware of her book’s strengths—she must also know who it’s for and why this particular agent will care enough to read the first few chapters. It…
Read MoreYour Goal Is To Matter To The People You Serve
I once worked with a startup in the financial services industry. The foyer of their office building was all polished floorboards, high white walls and minimal seating. Inspirational magazines were strategically arranged on low tables, next to the espresso machine. The walls were completely bare apart from a big decal that declared how many customers…
Read MoreHow To Save A Story
I had so much fun talking about how to save a story, with my friend and colleague Michael Bungay Stanier on his new podcast. Some of the things we talked about were: The anatomy of a great story Building resilience, trust, and connection through everyday storytelling Why storytelling allows you to navigate the present and…
Read MoreThe Captive Vs. The Captivated
When people are given the microphone or stand on a stage, they have our attention, we listen. They have a captive audience for eighteen minutes, an hour or maybe a day—if they’re lucky. Here’s the thing, you don’t need a captive audience to be heard. You need better true stories, well told. You don’t have…
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