Everyone Has A Story

A couple of weeks ago, I had a conversation with a stranger about life. He was much older than me and in a very different stage of life. This man has been through a career and has retired, has a wife and kids that are my age, and is now pursuing things that bring him joy. Me? Well, I have yet to start my career field, am not in a relationship, and I suppose I am pursuing things that bring me joy. That is the only thing we had in common.

Although we are in different phases of life, our conversation was really insightful and we could actually agree on a lot of things. He gave me some advice that went along the lines of: take your time, keep your head on straight, and trust in God. Some pretty good words of wisdom, huh?

Throughout our conversation, I began to realize that each of us have a story to tell. Just like that man has been through so much in life, so have I, and everyone else in this world. We all have unique lives and thus unique stories.

I feel like I have always known this. Maybe that is why I love to write so much. I document almost everything. No matter if they are dreams I've had the night before, this blog that I am currently writing, or just the events in my day. I think it is important to write and document moments in our lives because memories are precious and our brains don't store them forever.

Some people may think it is ridiculous to document their life. They may even feel like that their story is not worth being told. I don't want anyone that lay their eyes on the words of this blog post to feel like their story isn't worth being told. People who may feel that way, simply may not know how to properly tell their story.

Which brings me to the topic at hand. I want to share a few storytelling tips that may help you craft your stories and hopefully encourage you to go and tell them.

Tip #1: Know Your Audience

Before I get into these tips, please know that I am learning these things with you. I chose this topic because it is genuinely a skill that I want to improve on as well.

Anyway, one of the biggest things I have learned when it comes to communication in general is to know your audience. This can apply to literally any type of message. We have to know our audience no matter if we are speaking in public, presenting a presentation, creating a social media post, or even sending an email or text message.

It is important to know who the message is for because you want to make sure that it is recieved and understood by the audience. We wouldn't talk about the formation of an automobile to a 5 year old. As much as they may love a toy car, they are not going to sit through an hour-long lecture about them.

Knowing your audience gives you, as the communicator, a better understanding of how their minds work. When you have that knowledge, you will be able to edit your message and cater it to your audience properly. Literally everyone does this. Artists sometimes do research on the city they are traveling to before they perform. Social media influencers seek out audiences that are interested in their brands.

Sometimes we might have a really good message, but are giving it to the wrong audiences. Don't get discouraged and lose faith in your message, sometimes you might just need new listeners, viewers, followers, subscribers, whatever it may be.

Tip #2: Use a Hook

This tip is the part of storytelling that I wish I was much stronger in. When I am vocally telling a story, I lack structure. I can be a rambler sometimes. The ability to place hooks in your stories strategically and creatively will require practice. Luckily, I am going to offer my two cents on how to start using hooks.

First I want to establish what a hook actually is. This is important because if you don't know what it is, then how will you be able to identify it in your storytelling or others. The hook of a story is simply the thing that keeps the audience listening. Usually they come at the beginning of the story. Depending on your audience you must decide how early you want to throw in the hook.

Nowadays, our attention spans are getting much shorter. I don't know the actual numbers, but to be safe, let's just say you have about 30 seconds to keep your audiences' attention. That time frame applies to article/blog writers like myself. It might be a little longer or shorter depending on what platform you are using. For in-person storytelling, the attention span may be even shorter than 30 seconds.

Having this in mind will remind us that we have to limit the amount of words we use and cut straight to the interesting parts. We have to be quick and creative with our words when trying to entice someone's attention.

My second suggestion is to read and listen to other storytellers. Try to identify their hooks. What made you continue listening to them? What about their story stood out to you?

Being able to recognize those things in other people's stories will help you to structure and style your own stories ultimately teaching you how to use your voice and tell your tale.

Tip #3: Get Personal

This is probably the most important tip out of the three. Don't be afraid to get personal. Storytelling can be extremely easy if you are speaking from experience.

Notice how excited someone may get when they are telling their friends about a first date. The storytelling is usually spot on! The details are there, the story structure is good. Everything gets told from beginning, middle, and to the end.

Making a story personal will allow you to tap into your inner storyteller. And when the story is coming from a genuine experience, it makes telling it all the more easy.

Conclusion

Don't be afraid to tell a story. Yes, it can be a little intimidating; however, just like anything else in life, the more we do it, the easier it will become.

I have been put on the spot before and was asked to tell a story. I froze. Nothing was coming to me and it was at that moment that I realized two things. First, I need to get more comfortable with storytelling. Second, there is always a story to tell.

Even if you can't think of a personal experience, try retelling events from your favorite movie. There is even a story in a simple trip to the grocery store, just maybe add a little twist.

Don't overthink it. And I am not just preaching right now. I need to stop overthinking things when I write and tell stories.

Until the next post.

Jefferson K. Coe