We are inundated with information everywhere we turn – from facts and messages passed on by family members or colleagues to the information we see in books, TV, advertisements, websites and social media. But how much of that information do you absorb?
Storytelling remains a timeless and indispensable tool for captivating audiences and conveying messages effectively. Mastering the art of storytelling is essential, whether you’re aiming to entertain, educate or persuade.
This article delves into the storytelling techniques you can use to elevate your narratives to new heights. From crafting compelling characters and plotlines to mastering the art of pacing and suspense, we explore the fundamental elements that make stories resonate with audiences. You’ll also find actionable tips on how to hone your storytelling skills, empowering you to become a proficient and engaging storyteller in any setting.
Why is storytelling important?
Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of human communication. It allows you to convey complex ideas, emotions and experiences in a compelling and memorable way.
Through stories, we can connect with others on a deep emotional level, fostering empathy, understanding and a sense of community. Stories can transcend cultural barriers, sharing universal truths and values across diverse backgrounds and enriching our collective human experience.
In professional contexts, storytelling is a powerful means of persuasion and influence. Whether in marketing, education or leadership, stories captivate audiences, making information more engaging and memorable. You can use stories to shape perceptions, evoke emotions and drive action.
Storytelling techniques for engaging presentations
Good stories need a strong narrative structure. Below, you’ll find 14 of the most engaging story structures you can choose from. While many of the examples we’ll provide are from works of fiction, these same techniques can apply to any type of storytelling.
1. Allegorical storytelling
Allegory is all about symbolism. In allegorical storytelling, symbolic figures, actions or representations express a broader message. The message is typically moral, political or spiritual in nature.
Embedding a deeper meaning within narratives enables you to explore complex ideas in a more approachable way. This type of structure requires careful balance to work well. The symbolism should be clear without being over the top. Otherwise, you risk sacrificing your main point in the name of entertainment and weakening the impact.
Classic literature is full of allegory. George Orwell’s Animal Farm, for example, is an allegory of the Russian Revolution, with the animals representing significant players in that era.
2. Anecdotal storytelling
An anecdote is a short story that’s interesting or amusing in some way. It describes real incidents or people. It aims to illustrate a point or provide insight into a person’s character or situation.
Anecdotes are powerful ways to connect with an audience as it’s easy for them to relate to and empathize with them. These types of stories do well in informal settings, where humanizing the content is a priority.
The key to using this strategy successfully is selecting stories that have universal appeal and a clear connection to the topic. For example, a speaker on cybersecurity could tell a story about one of their own accounts getting hacked.
3. Circular storytelling
Circular stories conclude where they began, except with the characters having undergone some significant change.
For example, the movie The Lion King starts with Simba’s birth and presentation to the kingdom. It ends with Simba presenting his own newborn son. Storytelling like this emphasizes the changes the characters undergo. It provides a great vehicle for stories of growth, change and the cyclical nature of life.
Often, returning to the beginning themes provides a more solid sense of resolution to the story. To work well, it must highlight the changes that have occurred from beginning to end, otherwise, it just seems repetitive.
4. Converging ideas
Using converging ideas in storytelling helps you create a multifaceted perspective on a topic. These stories have several narratives that may seem unrelated at first but merge to reveal a unified theme as the story ends.
For example, a story about the impact of climate change may start with separate, seemingly unrelated stories of wildlife and then gradually reveal the ways in which they’re all impacted by a changing climate.
Careful balance is required here. The main narrative needs to tie everything together, but each sub-story should be compelling on its own.
5. False start
The false start technique can help keep an audience engaged with a story. The narrative begins setting up the expectation for one thing to happen before pivoting sharply to something else. This pivot re-engages the audience by subverting their expectations.
This type of storytelling can be advantageous for stories that want to stress the unpredictability of life or the importance of adaptability.
Here’s an example of a false start storytelling approach: a murder mystery begins as a simple robbery case, but as the protagonists investigate the crime, their mundane task becomes much more dangerous and compelling.
6. Flashback
Flashbacks temporarily take the audience back in time from the current point in the story. Storytellers typically use this method to provide key background information.
Flashbacks can distract from the core story if you don’t handle them well. You should, therefore, reveal the information in a flashback that’s relevant to the story, and this relevance must be clear.
To avoid confusion, clearly demarcate the past and the present. A good example of this is Forrest Gump, where most of the titular character’s story is revealed through flashbacks.
7. In media res
This Latin phrase means “into the middle of things”. As the name implies, the technique starts the narrative at a middle point instead of at the beginning. It’s good for immediately engaging the audience because the first thing they see or hear is a crucial moment in the story.
For example, a war movie may begin in the middle of an intense battle. After the initial impact, the story is backfilled with the events that led up to that event and those that occurred after.
When starting off your story in a crucial moment, clearly highlight what made that moment so pivotal throughout the story.
8. Interactive storytelling
Interactive storytelling is a popular method of engaging an audience. Computers have made this easy, but before that, books allowed users to pick an action that told them the page to turn to in order to continue the story along their chosen path.
Several video games, such as those by Telltale Games, function less as action adventures and more as animated movies that the player occasionally interacts with to guide the action.
To do this type of storytelling right, the choices you present to the audience should feel meaningful. These choices should impact the story in a way that makes it worth the effort for the audience to make careful decisions.
9. Monomyth
This narrative framework is also referred to as the “hero’s journey”. It follows a hero’s path from the ordinary world into a realm of wonder or the supernatural. The hero faces a series of challenges that transform them in some way while they are on their journey.
The story structure resonates across cultures and ages for the same reasons that other myths have stood the test of time; stories like this are deeply rooted in human psychology. Nearly any mythological story you can think of provides a good example of this structure.
10. Nested loops
This structure enables you to add depth and complexity to a narrative. This allows for a richer exploration of the themes at play.
In a nested loop structure, the story opens with a narrative. Then, another distinct narrative unfolds from within that one. There may be a third narrative that begins within the second.
As the stories progress, conclude each in reverse order so that the initial story is the last to end. Each nested story must be engaging and relevant to the overall message if it’s to work. For example, you might start a presentation by expressing your company’s desire to innovate and then start a story about how you developed an innovative product.
11. Narrative relay
This narrative structure is similar to a relay race. Just as the baton is passed from one runner to the next in a race, a narrative relay features a series of stories shared in succession. A common theme or moral should connect them.
A narrative relay allows the storyteller to either address the topic from multiple angles or develop the theme through a series of examples. Although the stories should differ from one another, the theme must remain consistent throughout. For example, a story about a family’s legacy could start with one family member and continue through their descendants, with each contributing to the overall legacy.
12. Petal structure
The petal structure is similar to the narrative relay, except that it’s less linear. Rather than telling multiple stories back to back, this structure organizes them like flower petals. Each of the story’s “petals” stands alone but is linked to the central theme.
This structure allows you to explore the theme from multiple angles at once instead of exploring its evolution over time, like a narrative relay. For example, a presentation on a successful project could tell individual stories about how each team member or department contributed to the final product.
13. Sparklines
Sparklines highlight the contrast between what is and what could be. The idea is to craft a narrative that highlights the potential for change or improvement.
A Christmas Carol is perhaps the best-known example of this structure. Ebenezer Scrooge sees visions of his future that inspire him to change his present.
The structure could also focus on showing an ideal future to inspire the audience to follow the protagonist’s path in hopes of achieving that future for themselves.
14. The mountain
The mountain is much like the traditional three-act story structure most of us learned in grade school. There’s a gradual ascent as the story builds up, a climax at the peak and then a descent into the resolution.
When done correctly, the mountain technique is great at creating suspense and building momentum. Getting the pacing right is key to pulling off this narrative type. The build-up should be gradual, but it should still engage the audience. As the story climbs its way up the mountain, increase the stakes until you reach the climax at the mountain’s peak.
How to choose the right storytelling technique for your presentation
Thinking of the core message you want to get across and the best way to communicate that message are the first steps in finding your story’s ideal storytelling technique.
Next, consider your theme’s complexity. Some story structures, like the mountain, are very direct. Others, like the petal, allow you to weave in a lot more complexity.
Consider your audience’s expectations and experiences in addition to your own narrative needs. Having information on the types of stories your audience typically enjoys can help you choose between several techniques or structures that match your needs.
The audience’s current level of knowledge is also important. If you’re teaching something new, which structure will best allow you to introduce relevant information at the right time?
How to be a good storyteller
Getting the right structure is only the first part of the equation. The tips below will help you become a better storyteller so that you can make the most of whatever structure you choose.
- Know your audience: craft your story around your audience’s age, interests and cultural background. Has the audience engaged well with a particular format before? If so, try that again. Also, why is your audience here? What do they want/expect from your presentation?
- Define your goal: be clear on what you want to achieve with your story. This will guide how you structure and deliver it. Outlining your initial thoughts and the themes you’d like to cover can help you.
- Consider the setting: where and when your story takes place can enhance its impact on the audience. This includes the setting of the story itself as well as the setting in which you tell it. Consider the environment and timing to maximize engagement.
- Start strong: some of the best stories use an intriguing question, a provocative statement or a surprising fact to grab attention right away. The sooner you can pull your audience in, the more engaged they will be.
- Be clear and concise: although complex themes and narratives are fine, your story should stay focused on whatever those themes are. The more you meander away from the core message, the easier it is for the audience to lose interest.
- Get personal: it’s often easier to connect with an audience when you’re being authentic. This doesn’t mean the story must be non-fiction, but it does mean that you should have some familiarity with the topic and themes so aspects of your own personality can shine through. Personal doesn’t mean the story has to be about you; it’s a vehicle for showing why you care about the topic.
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