Reflection- Story Telling

Challenge and Selection

Stories have always been a way to communicate. Before people learned how to write, they would  tell each other stories. Stories are much easier to remember than simple facts. Also, stories are  enjoyable; they stimulate your imagination. That’s why parents tell their children stories. That’s  why we like to see movies and read books. People love stories, people are addicted to stories. I  spend a lot of time “opening people up” and finding ways to inspire them to improve their  circumstances. When I work with seniors, we share stories for different reasons. Often they're  lonely and are so happy to share stories of their lives with me to connect and they find meaning  in sharing these experiences as a form of teaching and/or legacy, in a sense. The difference  between virtual reality and other storytelling mediums is interactivity. In all forms of virtual  reality, the user’s experience is interactive. That can be as simple as moving their head to decide  where they want to look, and as complicated as manipulating virtual environments with haptic  gloves. There are two ways that the brain does this amazing selection process. One is our  attention. The things we pay attention to are the things we see; the things we don’t pay attention  to disappear. The second way information is filtered is through automatic processes. These have  a name that has very negative connotations these days. They’re called biases, and they help our  brain determine what information to select or ignore.

Application

Stories need a good guy and a bad guy – also called a hero and an enemy. The enemy can be a  thing, like a desert or “the system” or even a fear within the hero. The arc of the story is how the  hero beats the enemy.

Questions to ask yourself about this might include: What’s the core enemy of my customers or  clients? Is it danger? Wasted money? Unfulfilled dreams? Bad hair?

Conflict is how the friction between the enemy and hero manifests. Maybe it shows up as the  hero deciding to cross the desert, or when you, the business owner, decided to figure out how to  defeat a problem. Conflict also describes the obstacles you encountered on your way to success,  whether they were problems with your bank or with a tornado. If the hero has no struggle, then  it’s a lame story.

Omit any detail that doesn’t move the story forward or develop the characters. This is about  keeping the readers’ attention. If they don’t need to know about your red bicycle to understand  the arc of your story, don’t tell them about the bicycle. If they don’t need to know what kind of  awesome, high-tech sneakers you used to cross the desert, don’t tell them about the sneakers.

This one’s pretty simple. Corporate-speak ruins stories. Talk like you would normally talk. If  you sound a little too corporate to pass as an average person, hire a storyteller.

Insight and Aproach

There’s a reason children’s storybooks are mostly pictures, and that so many of the greatest  stories ever told have been made into movies. Images bring a story to life. You can tell a story  just by standing up and talking, but it had better be one heart-clutcher of a story. And even then,  added images will make it more powerful.

To immediately borrow from the last point: Use images of what actually happened, or where it  happened. Use images of the real people in the story, not stock photo models.

And again, talk like you talk. Show your personality. Reveal a bit of your weaknesses and your  fears. Everybody else has those weaknesses and fears, too. This leverages a subtle power of  storytelling: When we tell our own story, often we are telling other people’s story too. Those  people are your ideal audience, and your ideal customers or clients.

A story with no surprises is boring. You knew this already (because you’re already a storyteller,  remember?), but it bears repeating. Whether it’s a good surprise or a bad surprise, every good  story has at least one surprise. This is an essential to a story as conflict.

The policies are being reevaluated and the caseworkers are going through new training.  Sometimes a little story can do a lot of good. This course made me see this as a tool in a new  way. When I've done it before it was really "ad hoc," but now I can prepare ahead and think of  stories that will assist me in presenting my ideas and best illuminate them.


Reflection- Story Telling Challenge and Selection Stories have always been a way to communicate . Before people learned how to write , they would tell each other stories . Stories are much easier to remember than simple facts . Also , stories are enjoyable ; they stimulate your imagination . That ’s why parents tell their children stories . That ’s why we like to see movies and read books . People love stories , people are addicted to stories . I spend a lot of time “ opening people up ” and finding ways to inspire them to improve their circumstances . When I work with seniors , we share stories for different reasons . Often they 're lonely and are so happy to share stories of their lives with me to connect and they find meaning in sharing these experiences as a form of teaching and/or legacy , in a sense . The difference between virtual reality and other storytelling mediums is interactivity . In all forms of virtual reality , the user ’s experience is interactive . That can be as simple as moving their head to decide where they want to look , and as complicated as manipulating virtual environments with haptic gloves . There are two ways that the brain does this amazing selection process . One is our attention . The things we pay attention to are the things we see ; the things we do n’t pay attention to disappear . The second way information is filtered is through automatic processes . These have a name that has very negative connotations these days . They ’re called biases , and they help our brain determine what information to select or ignore . Application Stories need a good guy and a bad guy – also called a hero and an enemy . The enemy can be a thing , like a desert or “ the system ” or even a fear within the hero . The arc of the story is how the hero beats the enemy . Questions to ask yourself about this might include : What ’s the core enemy of my customers or clients ? Is it danger ? Wasted money ? Unfulfilled dreams ? Bad hair ? Conflict is how the friction between the enemy and hero manifests . Maybe it shows up as the hero deciding to cross the desert , or when you , the business owner , decided to figure out how to defeat a problem . Conflict also describes the obstacles you encountered on your way to success , whether they were problems with your bank or with a tornado . If the hero has no struggle , then it ’s a lame story . Omit any detail that does n’t move the story forward or develop the characters . This is about keeping the readers ’ attention . If they do n’t need to know about your red bicycle to understand the arc of your story , do n’t tell them about the bicycle . If they do n’t need to know what kind of awesome , high - tech sneakers you used to cross the desert , do n’t tell them about the sneakers . This one ’s pretty simple . Corporate - speak ruins stories . Talk like you would normally talk . If you sound a little too corporate to pass as an average person , hire a storyteller . Insight and Aproach There ’s a reason children ’s storybooks are mostly pictures , and that so many of the greatest stories ever told have been made into movies . Images bring a story to life . You can tell a story just by standing up and talking , but it had better be one heart - clutcher of a story . And even then , added images will make it more powerful . To immediately borrow from the last point : Use images of what actually happened , or where it happened . Use images of the real people in the story , not stock photo models . And again , talk like you talk . Show your personality . Reveal a bit of your weaknesses and your fears . Everybody else has those weaknesses and fears , too . This leverages a subtle power of storytelling : When we tell our own story , often we are telling other people ’s story too . Those people are your ideal audience , and your ideal customers or clients . A story with no surprises is boring . You knew this already ( because you ’re already a storyteller , remember ? ) , but it bears repeating . Whether it ’s a good surprise or a bad surprise , every good story has at least one surprise . This is an essential to a story as conflict . The policies are being reevaluated and the caseworkers are going through new training . Sometimes a little story can do a lot of good . This course made me see this as a tool in a new way . When I 've done it before it was really " ad hoc , " but now I can prepare ahead and think of stories that will assist me in presenting my ideas and best illuminate them .