Gimmickry: The fifth deadly sin of storytelling
“I love to laugh,” sang Uncle Albert in “Mary Poppins.” Laughing made Albert lose his connection with solid ground and float up to ceiling height. Albert’s laughter was infectious. Eventually …
Puffery: The fourth deadly sin of storytelling
“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” We all know this unforgettable line from “The Wizard of Oz.” Oz makes himself out to be godlike. But inevitably he …
Insincerity: The third deadly sin of storytelling
The wolf in sheep’s clothing: that’s the essence of the sin of insincerity. Don’t try to be something that you’re not, said Jonah Sachs in “Winning the Story Wars.” Don’t …
Authority: The second deadly sin of storytelling
We all know the story of the emperor’s new clothes. The emperor trusted experts who told him he had a fine new garment, even though he couldn’t quite see it …
Vanity: The first deadly sin of storytelling
We can’t tell great stories if we fall prey to the five deadly sins, said Jonah Sachs in “Winning the Story Wars.” This is the first of five posts about …
How telling better stories can change the world
I just finished reading an intriguing book about storytelling, “Winning the Story Wars: Why those who tell—and live—the best stories will rule the future,” by Jonah Sachs. Sachs takes a …
Translation is not your friend
“What does this mean?” asked Ha Na Park as she held up one finger in the air. Park was speaking last Monday at Social Marketing SPARKS 2014. If the question …
Rainbow Bend video premieres
“Restoring Rainbow Bend: Good for People and Fish” premiered last week at the annual Cedar River celebration. The video, produced by King County, features the story of the Millers, long-term …
EnviroStars video wins MarCom Gold Award
“EnviroStars: Good for Business, Good for the Environment” has won a 2014 MarCom Gold Award. I produced the video with Rodika Tollefson for the EnviroStars Cooperative. MarCom Awards is an …
Storytelling tips from Star Wars
What can you learn about storytelling from Star Wars? There are many excellent lessons. Let’s start with Luke Skywalker. Luke’s story is a classic “hero’s journey,” a quest to make …