Effective communication is difficult. Too often, we get lost in jargon and in reiterating the same used phrases, resulting in us saying something of very little or no consequence. That’s why the art of storytelling is essential- to inspire your colleagues to go along with your marketing strategy, for customers to buy your product, and for your kid to eat his vegetables. Great stories inspire people to take action and enable us to learn the most important lessons and messages.

The art of Storytelling is a skill that we are all capable of learning. At its heart lies the universal human experience; the stories we remember are the ones that touch us deep inside. We empathize with the people, seeing something of our own fears, struggles, and ambitions in them. Sometimes they have us thinking and sometimes they have us laughing.

Like any other artform, storytelling requires creativity, vision, skill, and practice. Good storytellers are completely in control of their story. They’ve thought ahead, predicted how their audience will react in certain parts. They know what to say and how to say it.

Good storytellers have a process; before starting, they consider:

• The purpose of the story and why they’re telling it
• Who their audience is and why they should care for the story’s message
• What core message they’re trying to convey
• What form a story should take and how lengthy it should be- a short video, 20 pages in writing, a song

This process applies to any story. If what you’re trying to communicate is that we should work together to have cleaner parks, you need to express how and pollution is for animals and the environment. If most of the people who frequent the park are 30-year-olds, you need to tell your story in a way they will understand it. In this case, the park-dwellers probably wouldn’t bother to read 20 pages, but might respond to a short, educational video detailing the urgent need for cleaning up waste and the ways to do it.

Think of any story- one on Instagram, a novel, a movie, a speech, or some stand-up comedy. They all have other aspects in common:

• A beginning, middle, and end. 
  • An introduction to the people and the situation. 
  • Then, the problem and a lot of tension. 
  • And finally, a resolution. An ending that leaves us feeling some sort of way. 
• A setting and characteristic which makes sense.