There are two halves to the word “Storytelling:” Story —and— Telling

1. SECRETS from the “OTHER HALF”of STORYTELLINGor, “What, really, IS a Story?”byKendall HavenStory Consultant/Author/Storytellerwww.KendallHaven.comKendallHaven@sbcglobal.netShared with Permission from Kendall Haven, May 2012

2. There are two halves to the word“Storytelling:”Story—and—Telling

3. When youorally tellit,HOW you say ithas more impact thanWHATyou say.

4. STORY:THE LANGUAGE OF THE MINDThe Amazing Power of Story(And What It Means to You)

5. PEOPLE LEARNED:• To read……200 YAG (years ago)

6. PEOPLE LEARNED:• To read 200 YAG• Logic & argumentativeforms……3,200 YAG

7. PEOPLE LEARNED:• To read 200 YAG• Logic & argumentative forms 3,200 YAG• To write……7,000 YAG

8. PEOPLE LEARNED:• To read 200 YAG• Logic & argumentative 3,200 YAG• To write 7,000 YAG• To use storytelling...…>100,000 YAG!

9. 100,000 yearsof storytelling dominancein human interactionto communicate and to archivelearning, wisdom, fact, knowledge,values, beliefs, history, etc.has evolutionarily rewired the human brain to think in specific story terms.

10. The human brain is predisposed to think instory terms. • To Understand • To Make Sense • To Remember

11. Person #1: “Where’s John?”Person #2: “Well….I didn’t want to say anything. But…I saw a green VW parked in front of Carol’s.”

12. • Did anyone say that there is no connection?• Did anyone say that it makes no sense?NO!Human minds automatically assume a connectionand assume it makes senseand use STORY Structuresto fill in missing information.

13. Our Storied Minds in Action: • Person 1: “Hi John.” • Person 2: “Shhhh! I’m not here! You never saw me. I’m not here!” • Person 1: “It’s okay. Carol’s gone home.”

14. STORY:The root form of all narratives.The quintessential, intrinsic base of allhuman communication.

15. Question: Does the form and structure of story improvea reader’s/listener’s:• Understanding(comprehension),• Ability to create meaning,• Retention (memory & recall)

16. Not only YES…… But ABSOLUTELY, YES!!!

17. The Central Thesis:Research clearly shows thatSTORY architecture:• Provides superior retention (memory and recall)• Provides improved understanding• Creates context and relevance• • Creates empathy• Makes readers/listeners pay attention• Enhances the creation of meaning

18. THERE ARE ONLYTHREE RULESTO CREATING GREAT STORIES....

19. THERE ARE ONLYTHREE RULESTO CREATING GREAT STORIES....Unfortunately,Nobody Knows What Any of Them Are.....

20. What is a story?What makes a story stick… …while you tell?…long after you’ve finished?

21. What’s the difference between a story and…• A magazine article? • An essay? • An encyclopedia entry? • A memo? • A recipe? • A poem? • A directive? • A conversation? • A newspaper column? • A joke?

22. “STORY”doesn’t refer to the content.“STORY”refers to the structure, the framework, to how the content is organized.STORYis the most effective delivery vehiclefor your content.

23. “STORY”guides the interpretation of;“STORY”guides the creation of meaning from;“STORY”controls the memory of your information & facts

24. Your goal is NOTto present nonfiction information.Your goal is to have listenersunderstand, remember,and apply your informationto affect their beliefs, attitudes, and behavior. That requires STICKY STORIES.

25. So, whatisa story?

27. What the Dictionary says:Story: “A narrative account of a real or imagined event or events.”

28. HE WENT TO THE STORE.

29. The dictionary is wrong!And we are left without an understanding of what a story is or how to use this mighty architecture.

30. HE WENT TO THE STORE.

31. Eight Essential Elements 1. 2. 3. Goal 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

32. Goal: “What the main character needs or wants to do or get in this story.”NOT what they DO;NOT what they ACCOMPLISH; But what they are AFTER!

33. The Power of a GOAL:Sally let loose a team of gophers. The plan backfired when a dog chased them away. She then threw a party but the guests failed to bring their motorcycles. Furthermore, her stereo system was not loud enough. Sally spent the next day looking for a “Peeping Tom” but was unable to find one in the Yellow Pages. Obscene phone calls gave her some hope until the number was changed. It was the installation of a blinking neon light across the street that finally did the trick. Sally framed the ad from the classified section and now has it hanging on her wall.

34. Let’s add a goal:Sallyhates the woman who moved in next door and wants to drive her out.Now does it make sense?Sally let loose a team of gophers. The plan backfired when a dog chased them away. She then threw a party but the guests failed to bring their motorcycles. Furthermore, her stereo system was not loud enough. Sally spent the next day looking for a “Peeping Tom” but was unable to find one in the Yellow Pages. Obscene phone calls gave her some hope until the number was changed. It was the installation of a blinking neon light across the street that finally did the trick. Sally framed the ad from the classified section and now has it hanging on her wall.

35. An Example:Read once and try to remember:The fat one bought the padlock. The skinny one purchased the scissors. The toothless one plugged in the cord. The barefoot one climbed the steps. The bald one cut out the coupon.

36. Do you remember:• Which one purchased scissors? • Which cut out a coupon? • Which one climbed steps? • Etc. Etc.Probably not.

37. Now reread with the addition of a stated (or implied) goal.• The fat one bought the padlock to place on the refrigerator door.• The skinny one purchased the scissors to use when taking in her pants.• The toothless one plugged in the cord to the food blender.• The barefoot one climbed the steps leading to the vat of grapes.• The bald one cut out the coupon for a hair restoration clinic.Goal creates context, meaning, relevance and memory.

38. Eight Essential Elements 1. 2. 3. Goal 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

39. He went to the store for some milk.He got some.The End

40. Eight Essential Elements 1. 2. 3. Goal 4. 5. Conflicts & Problems 6. 7. 8.

41. Anything that blocks a character (even temporarily) from reaching a goal is aPROBLEM.If the problem places a character in opposition to some other entity in the storyit is aCONFLICT.

42. He went to the store for some milk. A whimpering three-year-old toddlersat in his wayand sobbed, “You can’t come in!”He stepped over him and got his milk.The End

43. Eight Essential Elements 1. 2. 3. Goal 4. 5. Conflicts & Problems 6. Risk & Danger 7. 8.

44. The magic ingredients:RISK & DANGERThey create excitement, tension, drama Riskis the probability of failure.Dangeris the consequences of failure.

45. Problems & Conflicts and Risk & Danger • Are always there • Drive all stories • Do not mean stories about failure • They are challenges along the road to success.

46. Does “Danger” automatically mean “Physical Danger?” Absolutely NOT!Any emotional, mental, social, or physical danger will do.(embarrassment, rejection, ridicule, belittlement, being laughed at, being abandoned, being scorned, being unwanted, lack of knowledge, fears, etc.) These are the best dangers!

47. He went to the store for some milk. Threegun-totin’, bullyin’ Bad Guys blocked the front door threatening his life. So he went in the back door and got his milk.The End

48. Eight Essential Elements 1. 2. 3. Goal 4. 5. Conflicts & Problems 6. Risk & Danger 7. Struggles 8.

49. To struggle:“to contend, to engage,to exert a great effort, to fight, to stand against, to oppose”

50. Sticky Storiesrequire characters to struggle.Readers/listeners won’t appreciate successwithout first SEEINGstruggle.The greater the struggle, the more we care!