7 Tips for Telling a Great Story

“What kind of story do I tell?”

“How do I make this story a great one to tell?”

“Who’s going to listen to my story?”

Are these the kind of questions plaguing you right now? Take heart for you’re not alone. Without a doubt, many storytellers do come to a point where they’ve lost the ideas and the words just don’t flow. They find no inspiration in the same things which used to inspire them before. Even for those who already have a story in draft form but cannot get past this stage to where it can become a proper manuscript, it can be very frustrating. If you’ve faced these, then here are 7 tips you can use to help jog the mind and get the creative juices churning again.

Tip # 1

Sit back and think about the events of the last week. Arrange them in chronological order and look for a pattern which emerges - and one always does. Thereafter, create a story around these events which have had a profound and positive impact on you.

Tip # 2

Find universal truth and write a personal story that embodies this personal truth. Need some universal truths? Here are seven you can use:

a.     Love will always find a way.

b.     Evil lurks where we least expect it.

c.     Power corrupts even the most pure.

d.     There is light at the end of the tunnel.

e.     Why fix something that is not broken?

f.      The end never justifies the means.

g.     A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Tip # 3

The use of action, imagery, dialogue will always add colour to your story. Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly. In other words, show, don’t tell. The reader must experience the events and emotions through your words.

Tip # 4

When you write the first draft of your story, block out the inner critic. Tell the story from your heart. Say what you want to say with sheer honesty. Only after this should you worry about all the nitty-gritty things like punctuation and grammar.

Tip # 5

Use the 3 Act Drama to tell your entire story well, namely:

·        Start with a strong point wherein your story should hook the reader. It introduces the main characters, establishes the central theme and sets the scene.

·        The middle of your story depicts the experiences and human emotions that the characters undergo. There should be one pivotal moment that will catapult the story towards a conclusion.

·        A proper conclusion will resolve all conflicts and leave readers feeling fulfilled and duly entertained.

Tip # 6

When your story is complete, print a copy and read it out loud. If there is a single ‘tool’ in making your story a great one, it is this. For only when you read it out loud can you identify the nuances in the story and whether the words are really where you’d like them to be.

Tip # 7

If all else fails, then try putting the entire piece away and read something else. Go watch a movie. Spend some time in the company of friends. Inspiration to complete that story can come from the most unlikely of places.

In conclusion, the 7 tips above will not only help a storyteller tell his story but he will tell his story well. They will also help you connect with your audience and indeed make your story an outstanding one.