The Missing Ingredient in the Storytelling Hype

More and more attention is being given to the power of storytelling. Understandably so – we comprehend information better through stories than through straight facts, statistics and figures.

As we prepare to share our stories, we spend time thinking about our audience and our community. We think about what they should know and about how we can make that information accessible and easily digestible for them. We try to think about their life experiences and potential biases, as well as how our message will be interpreted as a result.

An overlooked factor in storytelling?
One thing that isn’t given much attention is what influences how we tell the story – our background – the stories that make up our own lives. Whether it happens on a personal, local, national or international level, if a story or experience affects us, it can also impact how we tell our stories. How much time do we spend thinking about ourselves as we strive to tell a good story? Probably not as much as we spend thinking about our audience.

In order to be good storytellers, we need to be aware of the stories that affect us. We need to understand how they change our perspective and the stories we tell.

What stories have impacted you? How do they influence your storytelling?

My next post will share some stories that have shaped my perspective.

Photo credit: DirectDish