John McPhee and writing by omission
John McPhee is one of my favorite authors. He makes me feel like I am present in the place and with the people he writes about. Coming into the Country, …
Three great leads to engage your readers
Your lead needs to grab people by the collar or get them asking questions, said Ann Wylie at a recent workshop sponsored by PRSA Puget Sound. There are three good …
Ben the Bear: Ann Wylie and online storytelling
“The bear, known only as Attraction #2, lived in a cage the size of a child’s room.” That is one possible lead for a story about Ben the Bear, said …
Inadequacy marketing and the magic solution
Marketers are letting us down by making us feel inadequate, says Jonah Sachs in Winning the Story Wars. Marketing has enormous power and reach. Each of us has received more …
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 …
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 …
The structure of a story
How do you begin creating a story? Start with plot structure, so you have a skeleton to hang your story on. There are three basic plot structures, according to Gabriel …