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 …
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 …
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 …
Why your brain loves good storytelling
Here’s a link to an interesting article in the Harvard Business Review. It says that character-driven stories turn on oxytocin, a brain chemical that enhances empathy. In order to activate …
Those who tell stories rule the world
“Those who tell stories rule the world” is the title of a TEDx talk by Shane Snow, a technology journalist and self-described geek. On the TEDx stage, Snow said he …
A music video about dog poop?
I enjoyed presenting about storytelling at the 2014 ECO Net Summit. In the next few posts I’ll share insights from some of my co-presenters. If you haven’t seen the “Dog …