The Perfect Story

Storytelling helps us connect with one another and writing the perfect story is no easy feat, not impossible, but a few key points can ensure you write the Perfect Story!

Planning

Every perfect story has a clearly determined objective.  Is the story meant to entertain, instruct, inspire, motivate the audience? Determining the goal of the story ensures a clear, concise text. In this stage of crafting the perfect story, it also sets in motion the planning for the best platform in which to tell the story.  Decisions around where will this story best be received? If the story is to be told digitally, what are the plans about where to post, how to illustrate, what will be length of story?

Concept

Every perfect story has a clear Beginning, Middle, and End.  This allows the story to introduce the concept of the story, cover any details of the story, and then a wrap up that can also include a call to action.  All great stories share some common elements such as: setting, character, plot, conflict and arc, regardless of the length of the story.

Appeal

Every perfect story has Emotional Appeal.  Using emotion-rich language helps readers activate their decisions and their own reactions to the story.  This engages readers and builds connections to the story the more details that are given.  The perfect story is one that is emotive and memorable.

Audience

Every perfect story Considers its Audience.  The story must resonate with the intended audience.  Need to ensure the story appeals to appropriate readers so that any humour or cultural references are understood and are a fit for getting the message of the story across

Practice, practice, practice!

Crafting the perfect story takes practice. 

We all have a story in us to tell, remembering to make it emotive, relatable, simple and, voilà – the perfect story!

Sources:

https://business.twitter.com/en/blog/how-to-use-storytelling-to-craft-better-tweets.html https://hbr.org/2014/07/how-to-tell-a-great-story https://training.npr.org/2016/12/13/beyond-the-5ws-what-should-you-ask-before-starting-a-story/