5 Key Elements of Storytelling

Imagine you are to give a toast at your best friends wedding. You have to give the speech, there is no way around it. Now, how to go about it?

First of all, consider which story or stories you are going to share. You might want to paint a picture of your friendship over the years, so find a starting point. Then consider what the goal of your story is. To make people see how special your friend is? How lucky you are to have her in your life? Or to embarrass her on her biggest day? The goal will ultimately change the way your story goes. What to focus on. That’s your PLOT.

Now consider the setting of your story. Maybe you don’t want to focus on the parties your bestie got drunk at. Maybe the ones were she shined. Be considerate of your audience, too. The SETTINGS are important. It gives them a feel about your experience as if they are there with you.

You have the power to make them like her – or despise her. So choose how you want to represent your friend, yourself and any other characters within the story. You can be a hero, same as your friend, or ruin the whole speech by going off the rail. CHARACTERS are the main focus of your story.

The POINT OF VIEW in this case, most likely, is yours. How you see your friend, how the events felt to you. You are describing your experience. Let them be a part of that. Let them see how you see your friend. The wonderful person she is. With faults and flaws, but you love her anyways.

Lastly your CONFLICT can be how you both overcome challenges in your relationship or how you both together have overcome an obstacle. Or how the now beginning ‘never ending love story’ will conquer all.

In the end, you can apply those storytelling tools to any story. Giving a speech, writing a book, being a tour guide. You got this!