EXSM 3989 - Digital Storytelling Class Blog

November 22, 2022 By Joanna Chu

When I first set out to do this Twitter assignment, I tried to incorporate elements of short-form storytelling but found it oddly challenging and the results left me disappointed with myself.

I wanted to tell a story about a topical event that was happening to me which was receiving my MRI, finally after waiting 3, almost 4 months. I thought that this would be a good story to tell because there might be people who resonated with the long wait times, receiving a major injury and also find it educational. However, after I was re-reading my tweets and story, I found it very messy, at points un-engaging and honestly, rambling. This is the link to my first attempt. I wanted to keep it on my Twitter account as a great lesson and an example to learn from while putting the elements of snippet storytelling to life.

What I was able to determine and critique from my old tweets is that it didn’t do the job of capturing audience attention in a short span of time. It also did not have a clear focus or purpose. I jump from one topic of my MRI to the next topic of how I started playing hockey, etc. I thought that I was doing a good job of tying the story together but I think that there are ways I could’ve cut it down into less tweets that are more purposeful.

This is the link to my second attempt at live-tweeting. I think that this story does a better job of conveying a message in snippet form because it captures the audience’s attention and each tweet is short, sweet and purposeful.

Nick Reese thoroughly explains in this article, which important elements of storytelling we should include in Twitter threads. The setting, characters, plot, conflict and the inclusion of the story arc.

In my second set of tweets the following elements of story telling are outlined:

• Setting is established at beginning of tweets: bathroom/at home-this is a setting that many users can resonate with and may capture attention due to familiarity
• Characters in the set of tweets serve a purpose for the story. In this story, I am the narrator and Ryan, my partner and Penny, my unnamed dog are established as the main characters.
• The plot is established with the goal of bath time for my dog.
• Conflict arises when we run out of shampoo!
• The arc is complete when we end the story with a clean and beautiful dog.

In this story, I also strategically decided to cut down copy (compared to my old story) and use more photos, videos and gifs to evoke emotion and engagement. This is a true testament to how digital mediums can enhance stories in a fashion that is brief, purposeful and relevant.

My co-worker turns 50 this week and a big milestone birthday like this needs to be celebrated… what better way to do that than to redecorate his office while he’s away on vacation! This is how Operation Balloon Blitz was born. Myself and the rest of my team took it upon ourselves to FILL his office with balloons, and cover his walls with old pictures of himself.

To read about Operation Balloon Blitz unfolded check out my Twitter thread here!

My Twitter thread outlining the unfolding of Operation Balloon Blitz seeked to use storytelling techniques and principles by:

• Writing simply and not using unnecessary adjective words (this is definitely something I struggle with so I am sure I can still improve on this with this thread).
• Trying to keep each Tweet short and succint.
• Trying to incorporate humor into my Tweets to hopefully engage and maintain the audiences attention.
• Included photos to help the reader visualize the story and to help grab their attention.

My Twitter thread is about the daily saga that goes on in my back yard among a group of Blue Jays and a single source of food. Everyday, it is this squawk-fest on whose turn it is to take a peanut. Blue Jays are pretty aggressive anyway so its cool to watch.

Eventually though, they get down to the last peanut and that’s when the shit show really starts.

I liked this format on Twitter using a thread, telling a bit of the story at a time. The format itself naturally builds suspense if you take breaks at the right parts. And, it allows you to gather your thoughts, you can plan it out with a beginning, middle and end. You can establish a regular routine and then something happens. Then comes the climax and the big reveal.

Here’s the link to see for yourself:

Blue Jays are a breed of bird that stay around during the winter months. So like last year, I hung up a feeder ring and filled it with shelled peanuts…their favourite food. #exsm3989

— Heather Bell (@HbellEXSM3989) November 20, 2022

Thanks, Heather Bell

I have dentist-phobia. I have defined this as: “my personal and irrational fear of a dentist stemming from what I deemed to be a traumatic childhood trauma involving a dentist that has consumed me for the last decade”.

You can find the details of how this dentist-phobia came about in my life and what made me remember why I struggle so much with dentists and dental offices in general on my Twitter post.

I have attempted to utilize storytelling techniques in my Twitter thread to try and make it an appealing story even in snippet-form.

• I’ve written it to be just how I would talk, to try and keep it authentic, natura and most importantly – easy to read.
• I’ve also attempted to combine my story with visuals to keep it engaging. Especially as a thread, where snippets of text alone can be an eyesore and interest can be easily lost.
• I’ve tried to keep it engaging by asking for audience input in the beginning and the end of my tweet thread in an attempt to make it feel like they are part of my decision-making. Thus, this ‘live-tweet’ just became interactive in some form.

I hope you enjoy the snippet. And I am for real… if you know of any kind, non-judgmental dental offices that are great with anxious patients – please let me know!

Much to my husband’s dismay, I absolutely love to watch true crime stories on TV.  He finds it upsetting and I find it intriguing!  Hence, I’ve taken to recording it on the PVR and watching it early Saturday mornings, when he’s still fast asleep.  I get my freshly brewed cup of coffee, curl up with a blanket and settle in for a good murder story…I’m not sure what that says about me, but I do it non-the-less.

I used this week’s Dateline story to create my live-tweet thread on Twitter.  While watching the show, I observed the principles that make a good story even better!  They begin with a question that keeps the audience guessing.  The set the scene and use dramatic style and language to convey what happens.  They throw in some twists and a cliff hanger…or two.  They have the beauty of a commercial pause, to add extra suspense.  Just when you think you know who did it, they throw a curve ball.  It ends with a neatly wrapped up resolution…most times anyway.  Sometimes it ends with more questions than when it began.

“A figure in the House” tells a dramatic story of a murder in a quaint and upscale Florida neighbourhood and follows the investigation to find a killer.  https://twitter.com/krisfleur13/status/1594053487410941952

The story begins when a husband notices a figure appear on his live home security camera, while he happened to check it at work. He’s thinking it’s probably his son, and he calls him to see if he’s at home.  He soon discovers that this is not the case.  He calls home to check on his wife and she doesn’t answer.  He’s now alarmed. https://twitter.com/krisfleur13/status/1594053491441684481

The son rushes home to see if everything is ok and instead finds his mother dead, in the bathtub in a pool of blood.  His first thought is that she’s committed suicide and that’s what he reports to his 911 call.  While on that 911 call, he says that his mother’s hands and feet are tied up and he now thinks, she must have been murdered.  A strange beginning, to an even stranger story.  It turns out to be a brutal and gruesome killing.

As usual, the investigation always starts close to home and the son finds himself in the hot seat.  Hours and hours of interrogation and he realizes they are pointing the finger at him.  Meanwhile, the father is also being talked to in the next room and cops try to get them to turn on each other.  Upon further questioning, they soon discover that the son recently had a house party while his parents were out of town…so they are now faced with multiple possible suspects to begin to investigate. https://twitter.com/krisfleur13/status/1594053498563616768

Finally, a suspect is arrested and goes on trial.  You’d think this was the end of this story, but nope!  Like something only seen in movies, this suspect escapes in the middle of the court room.  How does that even happen?  He could not have pulled that off on his own, and so…another twist.

After being caught again, the trial begins…and yet another dramatic event happens, and they are back to square one and a second trial.

In the end, the suspect is found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no parole.  Justice. https://twitter.com/krisfleur13/status/1594053505643610112

So…another satisfying Saturday morning. 🙂

Tonight I had to face a few of my fears to solve a problem that I knew I would encounter one day, but still not ready for as a parent.

I attend weekly support group meetings and am active in the support community. I’ve been involved in this since my kids were very young (he was 8, she was 4). As such they are very used to my schedule and know not to call or text during certain times unless its any emergency. They are even pretty good about remembering time zone differences, as they were born and raised in Winnipeg and my oldest is in University there. There were a lot of “your time” conversion conversations in their childhood. 

So tonight when halfway through my support group a text came in from her (now a teenage girl living in rural Alberta) I knew it couldn’t be good. As it turns out she had gone to a bush party/bonfire with some friends, and thought she had a ride back. Turns out there wasn’t room for her and she was stranded 45 minutes away in the sandhills of Vega, Alberta. 

And I panicked. I did’t have access to a car but knew I needed to get to her. So I dug deep and found the courage to ask someone for help. Which he willingly gave. And the rest of my night was a wild ride (literally and figuratively) that I documented via my Twitter account as a live stream. 

So my night… at a support group that I’ve been a part of since my kids were 4 & 8. They know the schedule and when to not text outside of an emergency 🚨
Youngest (now a teen ) texts. I panic. #EXSM3989 #livestreamstory

— Regan Macdonald (@blondrwandrlust) November 19, 2022

In the end everyone was fine. I was grateful. I’m glad she knew enough to ask for help when she knew she was in over her head, and I was able to do the same. And she’s safe. Which is all that matters.

For those of you who remember my assignment “What Makes A Good Story?” – my ex-husband would have told that story as “she didn’t have a ride so we had to go and get her.”

Both true. Only one good story though. That’s why he’s in insurance.

Let’s Get It Started

I am a full-time working woman. Seven hours a day and 35 hours per week. I’ve always worked outside the home except for a couple of breaks in my career. I was or am still a mom. My children are grown. Adults now. Are you still a mom when your children are living on their own, leading their own lives? Yes, you sure are. It’s a role that you never give up. The relationship changes, as it should, but it is one you have for your entire life.

“Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.” –Anthony Brandt

https://www.shutterfly.com/ideas/family-quotes/

Working full-time has become easier without having to drop children at school, pick them up, and maneuver around their schedules. Over the years with my mom-independence, my career has changed, grown, and I’ve had very fulfilling work experiences. I found my groove with routine, discipline, and priorities in my life. It’s the constant in my life and I’m here to share what my typical Monday to Friday work week looks like for me:

5:30 a.m. my alarm sounds off. I’d like to say that I’ve had a restful, full night’s sleep, but some nights that is elusive and that is a story for another blog post. I grab my phone and click on my Radioplayer app, which has my news radio channel selected. While I listen to the news, weather, and sports, I scroll through my calendar and email mentally preparing for my day. My husband is already up and usually dressed bringing me my complimentary morning cup of tea.

6:00 a.m. I am wide awake but still in bed. The dog is snuggled in the blankets, warm, and toasty. I roll over to grab the water with lemon on my bedside table and drink a healthy 16 oz. I take my cup of hot tea with me to the shower.

6:45 a.m. Dressed and ready for the day, I walk down the hallway to the kitchen. I prepare my cucumbers, celery, and ginger for my morning juice smoothie. Into my high-powered blender, it goes. The machine whirs as I prepare the dog’s breakfast.

7:00 a.m. I am one of those people who set several alarms in the morning. Weird, I know, but it keeps me on track and gets me to the office on time. Anyhow, my alarm goes off, I grab my laptop and my backpack, and out the door, I go. It takes a few moments on a cold day for the vehicle to catch its breath and warm up. I back out of the driveway and down the cul-de-sac to the main avenue.

7:10 a.m. The perks of living in a small city are that it’s a quick drive to the office. I find a parking stall, grab my belongings, and head inside an already brightly lit building. I settle my things, make a carafe of coffee for the team, and begin my day.

7:30 a.m. My workday, the part that I get paid for, officially begins. I shift into businesswoman and professional mode, spending a good lot of my day in front of my computer, researching, responding to emails, reading, writing, and on video calls. Some days, I am planning events and attending meetings or workshops.

11:30 a.m. This is one moment I look forward to; lunchtime. I take a break and leave the office to grab lunch and walk. There are some scenic trails just behind the office building. The one trail I walk takes 20 minutes. It makes for a nice break to prepare for the afternoon.

4:00 p.m. It’s quitting time. I shut my laptop down, papers are filed and put away, my jacket is on, and I’m out! I contemplate if I am making supper, SKIPping supper (forgive the bad grammar using SKIP the Dishes as a verb), or just venturing out on the town for supper! Mom independence allows me to do that!

I arrive home, tidy up some breakfast dishes, maybe throw in a load of laundry and wait for my hubby to arrive home. He works in the ‘bigger’ city, and the drive takes about 45 minutes. Gives me some time to decompress, leave any business and professional responsibilities at the door, and relax into me.

I found that as I wrote this piece and learned the nuances of blogging and Twitter submission; I incorporated some of the following storytelling techniques. The story started with the title of 7/35.  It piques the interest of readers to stop and find out want this actually means. I feel that it grabs the attention of the person scrolling. The story is told from the point of view of a working mom with grown children and how working full-time and life has changed for her. It’s told with simplicity and in plain language, speaking from the heart.

In conclusion, during the week, this is my day-to-day 7/35 routine. While it plays like a scene out of the movie Ground Hog Day, it has variety and is fulfilling. A typical day for me includes approximately 7 hours of creative work in my field of choice. Of course, this does not include the role I play after hours. The coffee dates with friends, the moments with my husband, and the visits with my grown daughters. Family time is a priority and belongs to us.

7/35 WHAT DOES IT MEAN #EXSM3989

— Prairie Student (@PrairieStudent1) November 17, 2022

Prioritizing family has created strong bonds between us and has made for a comfortable home that is a place of refuge and peace in a busy work world.