Storytelling - a framework

Klingenthal Online 2021

by Lena Christin Ohm

Storytelling - a framework

The psychology of storytelling

Basic Plots

Discussion

How to communicate

Different narratives

Ingredients of storytelling

What to expect

Reasons why it's easier to remember a story

The psychology of storytelling

Because it relies on visual stimuli

Our brains can process pictures faster than texts, they are easier to understand and to be kept in mind. They provoke emotions and can be remembered easily.

Because it creates identification

Stories make it easy to relate to and form a connection to things that someone has experienced themselves.

Because it activates our limbic system

Why is (digital) storytelling so effective?

The limbic system is the home of our emotions and the part that connects it with our memory and makes memories. Evolutionarily speaking, our brains focussed on and specialized in telling, understanding and remembering stories.

A fact or a message aren't a story

Ingredients of storytelling

1. A protagonist,
2. a goal that he or she aims for
3. and a conflict that's standing in his or her way

What a story needs

Christian Riedel

Every story has a moral that the narrator wants to convey.

A well-known story told differently

Different narratives

Top Gun as a homo-erotic romance

VIDEOS

Mrs. Doubtfire as a horror-movie

Searching for the similarities in all stories

BASIC PLOTS

1. Overcoming the monster
2. Rags to riches
3. The quest
4. Voyage and return
5. Comedy
6. Tragedy
7. Rebirth

BASIC PLOTS (according to Christopher Booker)

1. Anticipation
2. Dream
3. Frustration
4. Nightmare
5. Miraculous Escape/Redemption/Achievement of the Prize or (in the case of Tragedy) the Hero's Destruction

BASIC PATTERNS (according to Christopher Booker)

Different approaches: The Golden Circle or the metaphor

How to communicate

John Locke

In my opinion, understanding who your target audience is, and what they want, and writing to them (and only them!) is the most important component of being successful as an author.

Oodi is a library in Finland's capital Helsinki. But at the same time, Oodi is more than library, more than a place to store books. It is the favorite place for a lot of people. Why? Because the designers didn't ask what a library actually IS, they designed a place a library CAN be for its users. They started with WHY!

Oodi is what you want it to be

Why?

Why are you doing what you are doing? What do you believe in? What is your fundamental purpose?

How?

How are you doing what you are doing? What are your value propositions or your unique selling points?

What?

The golden Circle (according to Simon Sinek)

What are you doing?

Translating

Step-by-step, the main stages of the project will be translated in those three metaphors.

Choosing

The three strongest metaphors are chosen.

Collecting

People build small groups to collect all the metaphors the people have thought about.

Finding

7 steps to find a metaphor for your project

Each person finds possible metaphors.

Presenting

High quality pictures and videos are used in order to present the project.

Optimizing

The whole project will be translated into the strongest metaphor.

Learning

7 steps to find a metaphor for your project

The metaphors will be presented to the colleagues. Which one do they like best?

Practical Uses

DISCUSSION

1. Choose your target audience (children, parents, teachers, or politicians)
2. Identify your vision
3. Develop your message (Golden Circle) and then either tell your story through one of the basic plots or through a visual (metaphor).
4. Make an elevator pitch

Why do we still need religion in public education?

1. Choose your target audience (children, parents, teachers, or politicians)
2. Identify your vision
3. Develop your message (Golden Circle) and then either tell your story through one of the basic plots or through a visual (metaphor).
4. Make an elevator pitch

Why do we still need religion in public education?

Thank you

for your attention