Episode 13: Real Talking Tips – Storytelling – Creating a 3-D World
How to be a visual and emotional storyteller and create a three-dimensional world where the listener sees, hears, and feels what you’re saying. Hi, I’m #ElaineClark. And welcome to #RealTalkingTips Episode 13. #Storytelling. It’s the buzzword these in #business, #publicspeaking, #presentations, #podcasting, and #voice-overs. On the surface, it means telling an engaging story from a narrative point of view. In other words, storytelling is taking the listener on a journey of exploration and discovery, holding the listener’s attention, and guiding the listener out of logical thought and into a creative and imaginative 3-D world. But how does a speaker take thoughts, images and experiences that live in their head and share them with others? I have 3 storytelling tips that will help bring your message to life!
Be a visual and emotional storyteller. Create a three dimensional world. Communicate with your audience what you see, hear, and feel. Hi, I’m Elaine Clark. Welcome to Real Talking Tips. Join me as we explore 3 storytelling tips that will help bring your message to life!
Storytelling is the buzzword in business, public speaking, presentations, podcasting, and voice-overs. On the surface, storytelling means telling an engaging story from a narrative point of view. Storytelling is taking the listener on a journey of exploration and discovery.
Storytelling is engaging the audience and holding the listener’s attention. Storytelling is guiding the listener out of logical thought and into a creative and imaginative 3-D world.
But how can a speaker who has thoughts, images and experiences inside their heads share that three-dimensional world with others?
How to speak so people will listen? Here are 3 important storytelling tips to help your message come alive.
- Know where everything and everyone are located. Point and gesture in the appropriate direction to establish where things are in this 3-D world. In real life, we gesture and point to places, things, and people all the time. By not gesturing, it’s hard for audiences to visualize the location, people, and situation.
- Relate to the person you’re talking to by having more emotion at the end of the sentence than at the beginning. If you have more emotion at the beginning of the sentence and less emotion at the end, the attitude unintentionally changes from positive to negative. If the beginning of the sentence has less emotion and a smile or positive attitude is added at the end of the sentence, the message will sound kinder and more uplifting.
- Let us know how you feel about everyone and everything. Why? Neutral = Bad. Let us know what you like and dislike. Your attitude establishes your authority. That’s your opinion and point-of-view.
Here’s a section of narration script from my book, There’s Money Where Your Mouth Is. As I read it, notice how I gesture with opposing hands to represent the different animals. As the deer and cougar react and move, I follow that action with the hand that represents that animal. When a third animal is introduced, I split the difference and put it in the middle. When another cougar is heard howling in the distance, I gesture up and away.
The deer approaches the opening, unaware of the cougar’s presence. Slowly and quietly, Shuka creeps toward his prey. Hearing a twig crack, the deer turns and faces impending danger. There is no time to run before the six-foot-long, 200-pound male cougar pounces on its back and bites its neck. The deer, a favorite food of the cougar, has met its match. He has fallen victim to the balance of nature.
Meanwhile, Carla is at the den watching her kittens. In a few months, Carla will teach them how to hunt.
Shuka returns carrying part of his kill. Carla seems pleased with his hunt. As she stands up to eat, the kittens scramble around looking for milk. They mew for their mother, who seems disinterested at the moment.
Off in the distance another cougar howls.
Now it’s your turn to bring this story to life.
- See and visualize the location and characters.
- Connect with the situation and emotions of each characters.
- Put it in your body by gesturing in the various locations.
- Tell the 3-D story and let the situation come to life in your body, mind, and senses.
