The art of storytelling

As part of the Design Thinking course I am currently enrolled in we receive insights into various tools like mind mapping, visualization, storytelling and learning launch. Some of these tools I already use in my work with companies and individuals and for some of the others I am triggered to use them more consciously in the future. 

Storytelling for example is a very powerful tool. I did some more research over the last couple of days and came across a few interesting blogs and articles. For instance, the 22 rules of storytelling by Pixar. Key to their success has been the strong and passionate belief and an extreme dedication to the art of storytelling. Yes, I believe storytelling is an art and there are definitely elements which make the distinction between just a good story and a great one. Your own stories will get better by practicing and learning from your audience's reactions.

Pixar shared their rules of storytelling so we can all learn from them:

1. Admire characters for attempting more than what their successes have been.

2. Keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun as a writer. They can be very different.

3. Trying for theme is important, however you won’t see what the story is about until you’re at the end of that story. Got it? Now rewrite.

4. Once upon a time there was…… Every day, ……One day……Because of that, …… Until finally……

5. Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.

6. What is your character good at or comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at him. Challenge him. How does he deal with it?

7. Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard. Get yours working up front.

8. Finish your story. Let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world, you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

9. When you’re stuck, make a list of what wouldn’t happen next. More often than not, the material that gets you unstuck appears.

10. Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is part of you. Recognise it before you use it.

11. Why must you tell this story in particular? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off? That’s the heart of it.

12. Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th — get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

13. Give your characters opinions. A character being passive or malleable is easy for you as a writer, but it’s poison to your audience.

14. What’s the essence of your story? What’s the most economical way of telling of it? If you know that, you can build out there.

15. If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.

16. What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if he doesn’t succeed? Stack the odds against him.

17. No work is ever wasted. And if it’s not working, let go and move on — if it’s useful, it’ll show up again.

18. You have to know yourself, and know the difference between doing your best & being fussy. Story is testing, not refining.

19. Coincidences that get characters into trouble are great. Coincidences that get them out of it is cheating.

20. Exercise. Take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How would you rearrange them into what you DO like?

21. Identify with your situation/characters. Don’t write “cool.” What would make YOU act that way?

22. Putting it on paper only allows you to start fixing it. If a perfect idea stays in your head, you’ll never share it with anyone.

When you look at your own life and apply storytelling, can you see yourself as a character in a story? How does this character overcome challenges to achieve a goal? 

In case you can’t see yourself like that, you might want to take the opportunity to visualize your dreams & goals you are willing to fight some battles for and the challenges related to these. We all have a power to design the kind of story in which we wish to play the main role!