Category: Simple Stories
10 posts
The steps involved in crafting a simple and effective story
Don’t bombard people with details
This is one of the biggest story killers of all time. Whether it’s technical details about a product or random facts about the situation (…the guy was wearing a yellow t-shirt, Fruit of the Loom I think, he must have bought it on Amazon but I can’t be sure…) too…
August 10, 2022
Speak like a human
Use the same type of language you would use when you’re telling a story face-to-face. Just because you’re writing an article, creating a presentation, or producing a video doesn’t mean you have to speak like a poet – or worse – like a corporate robot. Keep it natural and give…
August 10, 2022
Take your time
We all know about ever decreasing attention spans and the temptation is to try and rush through the story and get to the call to action as quickly as possible. Don’t! Spend some time developing the story to draw people in. The punchline doesn’t need a lot of time in…
August 10, 2022
Humour is good but don’t overdo it
Unless you’re Ryan Reynolds, humour is tricky. One or two little bits of humour is fine but no more and definitely don’t signpost the places where you expect them to laugh. This isn’t a 70s sitcom so don’t need a laugh track.
August 10, 2022
Find a good metaphor to tell the story
You don’t have to be blunt and say “a person just like you, didn’t buy our software, and now they’re bankrupt and everyone hates them“. Instead find some metaphor about missed opportunities, fear of change, self-belief. These can come from anywhere and should encourage audiences to imagine the scenario –…
August 10, 2022
Don’t tell people how they should feel
It’s just plain preachy and will probably blow up in your face because you can’t definitively know how people will react to a particular stimulus. Instead, set up the scenario, characters and events, and trust that your audience will experience the emotions and feelings you anticipated.
August 10, 2022
Don’t be blatant with emotions
Yes, you want to trigger an emotion but it should be natural – otherwise people will feel manipulated. In other words, put away the sad piano soundtrack, the cute puppy pictures, or the footage of people winning gold medals. Cheap sentimentality and over-the-top enthusiasm will backfire on you..
August 10, 2022
Find a character people identify with
It’s no use introducing characters so far removed from your audiences’ own experiences that they can’t relate to them or who they can empathise with. The more specific this persona, the less likely people are to relate to them and the more likely they are to not care (Think about…
August 10, 2022
Talk about a relatable problem
In the situation you’ve just identified, find a problem which people have experienced, can recognise, or can empathise with.
August 10, 2022
Use a recognisable situation
Avoid the temptation to base your story on wildly hypothetical scenarios that most people won’t recognise or believe. Not everyone wants to explore parallel universes or futuristic metaverses.
August 10, 2022