How do you learn from your storytelling?

Hollywood scriptwriter Blake Snyder* had a coffee-shop test for his stories. He would stand in a queue at the coffee shop, waiting to be served, and ask the man or woman in front of him if he could share a movie idea. Usually they'd say yes (we're surprisingly curious creatures). Then Blake would pitch the synopsis for his script. (eg; "A wealthy businessman hires a prostitute to be his +1 at business dinners, but gradually realises he's falling for her." would be the pitch for Pretty Woman). If Blake couldn't hook the random stranger into wanting to know more, his story wasn't working yet. It's a tough test, but try it. See if you can summarise your story in a way that hooks a total stranger. *See Blake Snyder's book "Save the Cat."

I focus on real-life stories to move people to action. So, the only standard I judge against is "did they get the meaning I intended?" Often, the easiest way to check this is through the questions they ask me or my clients after they deliver the story. Are they asking "I-don't-get-it" questions about things I said in the story or things I believed they already understood? If so, I need to change something...I didn't get my idea into their head. But, if they are asking questions that expand or deepen their understanding, I'm on the right track.

It is a harsh but fair school room. Your readers are your judges. They decide if you have succeeded or failed in telling your story properly. Every feedback, no matter how much it stings, helps make you better

Go to the stage ready, but also be ready to innovate on the spot. While preparing for my first TedX talk, I had a complete draft of the speech ready in my mind, however, I was also able to make rapid changes to it by gauging the mood of the audience. You can only do this if you have practiced your story multiple times, and if you actually believe in what you are saying. The best stories do come from the heart, but the best storytellers are ones who practice telling them multiple times, which allows them to read the audience and make tweaks to their story while they are on the stage.

While giving feedback to someone, ensure that your tone is polite, humble, and uplifting. Don't sound like the know-it-all Marvel.

Don’t ask your audience “What did you understand” ask them “What did you feel?” This will help you get a better understanding of the emotional impact of your narrative. This feedback will help you to refine the emotional arcs, and ensure your story resonates on a deep and emotional level. Storytelling isn’t just about sharing knowledge, it’s about connection. When a story stirs emotions, it becomes memorable, impactful, and it fosters a lasting bond with your audience. Always focus on the experience felt by your audience; it’s the heartbeat of effective storytelling!

Your body is your best friend to enable you to be more present (away from past/future thinking focus). Your body can support you to be with your audience, at that moment, aware of your presence and theirs. The practice is to pay attention to what you are saying and would like to say with your body(head/heart/body). Feel sensations, heartbeat, temperature, sweat, feet (it's endless) even your mouth saying words, see things around you, feel your breath coming in and out - this awareness practice is best started off stage.

Asking for feedback might seem daunting, but remember, it's a gift — an opportunity to grow. In storytelling, the audience is more than just a spectator; they're an active participant in the journey you're narrating. Soliciting their views is like having a co-pilot who helps you navigate and make the experience enjoyable for everyone involved. By actively seeking feedback from trusted sources, you're not just identifying areas of improvement; you're inviting new perspectives that can enrich your narrative. So, lean into that vulnerability and embrace feedback. It's the audience's way of contributing to your story, making it a shared experience that's mutually enriching.

This is extremely helpful. As I started being asked to come speak to large audiences, it was something outside of my comfort zone. So I started talking and rehearsing in a mirror and recording myself and it’s a great method for your own growth as a storyteller. Another thing I did was starting teaching/facilitating an orientation class for my company where I talked about how the company was started. This was all about being a storyteller so it allowed me to practice a few times a month for a year so that I got comfortable with it.

It is important to check yourself using active listening strategies Teaching and being a facilitator helps you to be effective in your mind and the audience, and to see your strengths and check and fix your weaknesses.

Gauging Long-Term impact of Storytelling: Ask if the stories were useful in the long-term. Sharing feedback or emoting just after a session is good, but if someone has been able to learn something and apply it in their lives or work, that would be great. Sometimes, lessons from great stories are reflected in behaviors later on, which is the best possible feedback a story-teller can receive.

Being a Slam Poetry Artist, recording myself and practising in front of a mirror helps me to weave the story in a better way. Watching the recordings helps you to identity the possible improvements and how far you are from using your whole body to tell the story. It can make you aware about the impact it will have on your audience and how well they gonna connect with the story.

Watching different storytellers can give you ideas and show you different styles then you can choose a style for yourself. One thing I always advise, that truly helps, attend acting, drama workshops it will teach you a lot!

5 bites of popcorn. That's all it takes to know if you want to see a movie or not. Movie trailers are one of the most simple yet elegant forms of storytelling, with just a hook, a glimpse of the hero's journey, and a question of how it ends. All in one minute or roughly five bites of warm, buttery popcorn.

This is a huge one. Ted talks, Moth events, and even books and movies. The key, I have found, is to pay attention to what you pay attention to. Then ask, "Why?" Why did that line of prose make you sit up and pay attention? What drew you in? What made you sigh? Equally, pay attention to what bores you. The learning moment is to figure out what works on you. That's more likely to work for you. It's more likely that it will feel authentic when you use that technique, that method, that trick.

This is definitely a way to get better but there is risk. Evaluate others who have styles you like and connect with but make sure you practice them a few times to see if it seamlessly blends into your style. Whatever you do don't try to copy someone if it feels like you are putting on a costume that doesn't fit well. This almost cost me a big job when I tried to copy someone who's style I really liked but it was not me and I was struggling and failing miserably. Only a late-night discussion with my wife who reminded me that I can only be myself, saved me. Take what fits you and can easily adopt, avoid something that takes too much energy and feels like someone else's skin.

There's this old saying: ''Practice makes perfect,''and the only way to truly become a master of your craft is through continuous practice. It helps you find your own unique voice and style.

Practice makes perfect. The more you practice, record and hear yourself; the more you share your story with other people; you start to learn what is catching people’s attention and what bores them to death. Its similar to writing practice, you refine over time. Beginnings are messy, but if you persist, the endings are incredibly beautiful.

Find your unique voice as a storyteller.fine-tune your abilities as storyteller. practice. and remember that twists and turns make the journey interesting. The side roads. Stick to the guidelines you prepared in advance, but also allow yourself escape routes or flexibility to deviate from the course as a storyteller in any form you choose.

There are many ways to practice storytelling in the modern day world, 1) Writing posts on LinkedIn is a great idea to test a story and get live feedback 2) Similarly creating a Facebook post or a YouTube video can also be very impactful 3) I also think trying to come up with an image that depicts your story can bring clarity in thought 4) Keep your story short — a personal anecdote shouldn’t be more than 1-2 mins

Take your story inspirations by observing: ??Top comedians ??Best orators Learn how they begin and engage the audience. Standing on stage and hooking the audience is no easy feat.

Whether you are writing fiction, writing nonfiction or writing books for children, you form part of a publishing revamp. From sticks and stones to “selfie” sticks and drones, every aspect of writing is transforming. Technology vastly affects writer and reader relationships. Formats are evolving to interactive mixes of text, video and audio delivered by voice or clicks upon command. Forward thinkers get ahead of trends.

Officially, I am a trained storyteller with a background in literature who then branched out to journalism, screenwriting, translation, and now business communication and strategy. The above may seem slightly disconnected, but at the heart of everything I do is storytelling. Stories help me to contextualize the world around me. And if there is one takeaway about the secret sauce to great stories is the fact that these stories are told by storytellers with a conviction. Not to dazzle their audience, but that their stories are in fact possible and, in some cases, true. Without conviction, stories can still dazzle, but they often lack meaning or point of resonance.

We are all only experts in our own loved experiences. Through experience and practice and by soliciting honest feedback, we can determine the key points and pivots in our own stories that both resonate and inspire audiences. While it may be uncomfortable at times, standing in our power and owning our vulnerability and authenticity creates pathways and empowers others to do the same.