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1. Need to include childhood sense of play in stories...7 reasons to use stories:
1. Create bonding/community
2. Give believeability/familiarity
3. Honor complexitity and yet make the complicated simplier
4. Inspire with respect
5. Are long-lasting/memorable
6. Speak to emotions as well as intellect
7. to come...
It's a story when...
* the audience you want to reach can picture a particular time and place where someone they like faces greater and greater obstacles trying to reach his or her goal.
The 7 S's of GREAT STORYTELLING
1.
story setting: tell a story to a certain audience for a certain reason/format, always within the context of your organization's on-going story; if people's experience is different, it will speak louder than your story (ex. how receptionist answers the phone, the way clients are served, etc); TELLER has to connect and match the STORY to the AUDIENCE
2.
story language: stories are not about data/opinions...but sensory descriptions; it influences opinions but doesn't tell them what to do/think; people care much more about their own opinions than what you think; SHOW do not TELL; tell the mental word pictures; story language can be a time machine; Use metaphors for your work...our organization is like BLANK (ex. key, quilt, safety pin, map). More than half of people think visually (in symbols or word pictures). Story language is specific. Give information and provide mental picture even if its just an event announcement.
Idea: Go to store and find random things to use as metaphors.
To Do: Ask sensory questions. Think about what you would need to make a movie.
3.
scenes: in a particular time and place
4.
star or specific person: "If I look at the masses, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will." ~Mother Theresa; people have compassion fatique...need to give people a specific person they can care about (it brings down to the human level); Ex. What is the answer to the question...What if this ORGANIZATION didn't exist?; think of myself as a star in the organization too...who influenced me to do this work?; make the star LIKEABLE!
5.
situation/structure (the Uh-Oh Factor): Get in the story LATE (action) and get out EARLY; 3 rises and falls...then overcome obstacles to get what they want
Seesawing Story Structure: Somebody wanted...but this happened...so...but..so...
* character: plot is in character in action. need to see and feel character. need to ID with them.
* setting: in certain work and place
* trouble is coming:
* crisis:
* insight:
* affirmation
Note: You can get credibility by talking about the issues/holes in your program...and what you did to fix it or how the donor/public can help.
6. solution:
7. story system or story sharing:
Change your Mindset: We are here to serve the reporters who need us. Reporters/the media NEED us!
What is a news story?
Why would our readers be interested in this story now?
1. Our readers- audience profile. Choose targeted audience. Be specific.
2. The Story
3. Now
Brainstorm News and Trends Impacting Us (think BIG; tie your story to other events--not always about the big, direct focus story on their organization)
* election
* economy
* budget deficit
* climate/season change
* bullying suicides
* holiday season
* famous people passionate about or against our work
* ...and more
WORK into a calendar...be ready with a story about what is means for our organization.
Create a STORY CULTURE for your organization. How will you find and maintain your stories? How will you? Create and maintain an internal and public STORY BANK. Share with each other...and with the public. Here are some examples:
http://www.environetwork.org/storybank/default.aspx
http://www.familiesusa.org/tell-us-your-story.html
Ways to get started:
* Brainstorm over lunch once a week...gather our stories; then engage others.
* Give incentives to get people to tell their stories to us. Gather testimonials all the time...always have sheets of paper. Give them a REASON to tell their story.
* Start a story bank.
