Book review: THE STORYTELLING CODE
10 Simple Rules to shape and tell a brilliant story
Genres:
- Rhetoric
- Public speaking
Review posted on:
28.04.2023
The number of pages:
124 pages
Book rating:
3/5
Year the book was published:
First edition published 2020
Who should read this book:
- People interested in learning how to “craft” unique and intriguing stories from personal experiences and share a lesson or two from them.
Why did I pick up this book and what did I expect to get out of it:
Everyone tells a story now and then for different reasons. I started learning about storytelling to get better at getting my message across be it professionally or in my private time. Some might find it strange to use stories professionally but from my experience using stories to present new information or to change someone’s perspective is a great tool. One of the things that convinced me to pick up “The Storytelling Code” was the promise from the author to provide advice on how to set a goal for each story, gather the best material, and shape a plot to keep your audience engaged.
I expect to learn more about the process of creating a story, developing the “story arc”, and what should I include and what not in the story. What I’m looking for the most is “the order of steps” in the process of writing the story, because sometimes I get stuck at a certain point and don’t know how to develop the story so that I don’t lose “my audience” or even worse to “overshadow” the message of the story.
My thoughts about the book:
This is one of those books you can read in one sitting. The style of writing is simple and the author doesn’t go too much into psychology if she is explaining why something works or not. I really liked that the author added a “practice” and “checklist” section at the end of each chapter which provides additional guidance on how the reader should proceed with developing his storytelling skills. “The Storytelling Code” consists of two parts, the first being “Shape your Story” and the second “Tell your Story”, and each has five chapters. I’m pointing this out because I really enjoyed reading part one of the book, while not so much part two. Most of the things written in part two felt like trying to get the page count up, and those five rules could maybe be two rules at most (but I guess seven simple rules don’t sound as good as ten).
Overall if you are just starting out with storytelling I suggest you pick up “The Storytelling Code” and read it and practice writing and telling your story. Even if you have read a book or two about storytelling I believe you can still find a “nugget” or two which will help you in your process in the future. I did.
If you pick up this book let me know your thoughts about it.
A short summary of the book:
The author (Dana Noriss from now on Dana) starts out with a simple question, why do you want to tell your story? What is your goal, what is the most important outcome? And then she points out that you should stick to only one goal per story otherwise your message may get lost. She then continues by explaining the structure of every successful story which is called the “Plot Arc”. By understanding the Plot Arc you will be able to turn any personal experience into a story. If you have trouble coming up with stories, Dana also at this point provides some narratives you can use. As you develop your Plot Arc you should keep in mind that the conflict is a very important element of your story which you can build up with patterns and then by breaking them. You can also build up the tension by not telling the story in the correct chronological order. For example, you can start in the middle to present the problem and then go back to build up the tension.
Chapter three is all about the story prompts, details, how to tell your story and how much “fiction” you can use in your story for you to stay authentic and not be dishonest. Chapter four is about “polishing” your story by only including the most essential aspects of your story, using all five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell), and sharing unique and surprising details that will grab the audience’s attention. Dana also points out to avoid clichés as every cliché is a missed opportunity to show your point of view of events and the world (in the story). In the fifth chapter Dana talks about the ending and its importance as the ending is what the story means! There are different types of endings, for example, a callback, a fast forward, or a full circle. The type of ending you choose depends on your time frame, your audience, and your goal. Whatever you choose just don’t make an abrupt or unclear ending, remember your ending helps you achieve the goal you have picked for your story.
In the sixth chapter Dana shares ten simple ways to build your confidence that will help you overcome your fear of telling your story live. In the next chapter, she talks about honesty and how being vulnerable by sharing why you care or why something means to you is your advantage and will get your audience on your side. In the eighth chapter, Dana talks about the importance of tailoring your story to the audience you are currently sharing it with and which things you need to consider when assessing your audience. In the last two chapters Dana talks about always practicing and how to get ready before you are going to do your talk or presentation. A good point she made that I didn’t do until now is to practice telling the same story in different variations. Why that is important you might wonder? Well, if you learn a story word by word then if something interrupts you when telling it or if you haven’t told it in a long time you might forget important elements or the correct order of events in the story, which will ruin the story and your message won’t get across. But if you do like Dana suggests remember the first line and the last line and all of the plot points in between then no matter how long you haven’t told the story or if something interrupts you, you will know how to tell the story without losing the message.
My notes from the book:
- It might seem counterintuitive, but to begin crafting a story, think about the end. Decide on the most important outcome, and make it the singular goal of your story. Think about the effect that you want your story to have on your listener. When you are done speaking what do you want your audience to understand?
- Deciding on your goal will help you determine what needs to go into your story. What is the most important piece of information that you want to convey in this particular situation?
- In each story, there is an event, but the event itself is not the point of the story. The story is how we make sense of the event - the NARRATIVE - how we explain it to ourselves and to others (is something that happened good or bad,...).
- The structure all stories have in common is called the "Plot Arc" which consists of the beginning -> the problem -> the failed attempt to solve the problem -> the solution -> the ending.
- The essence of a story is a problem plus the desire for a solution. The problem is the engine of the story. Once the problem is solved the "engine" is out of gas.
- The tension that keeps an audience interested in your story evaporates as soon as you find a solution, so it's important to end your story quickly afterward.
- Our brains are always searching for a pattern. In the context of storytelling, a pattern is an incident that occurs two or more times. The part of the story where you try but fail to solve your problem is a great "place" to use patterns.
- We may like patterns because we like to feel as though we know what's coming next. We also love it when they're broken because we like being surprised even more. Each time you repeat a pattern in your story, you should raise the stakes. The pattern should escalate in terms of speed, intensity, consequences, or risk as it repeats until the moment is broken.
- People tend to be naturally empathetic, so if you show an audience why you are interested in an event, it will pique their interest too.
- If you don't know how to start writing your story, try writing about the event you want to talk about, or a moment you want to dissect.
- When writing your story keep in mind that creating is not editing. First finish writing your story and then fine-tune it. Focus on crafting a complete story.
- Try to be specific as possible with your words. Use sensory details to envoke smell, sight, taste, sound, and touch. As a storyteller, whenever you offer up a general description, you give up control over how listeners may interpret your words. They are not imagining the same thing you are thinking about and because of that, the story may not have the wished understanding of it.
- When introducing a character give us a single detail about him that shows us who he is.
- The ending isn't where the story stops. The ending is what the story means. The ending is what imbues the story with meaning, and it's the last thing you leave with the audience. With an abrupt, unclear ending, even the most amazing tale becomes slightly confusing.
- An ending can be a memorable twist or punch line that catches an audience by surprise. It can be a callback or a leap forward in time that reveals the surprising effects of the story. Or it can be a "full circle" where you arrive back where the story started but with a new sense of purpose or wisdom, you gained during the story.
- One of the key factors to a successful story is thoughtfully tailoring it to fit your audience. You have to consider demographics, the environment in which you will be speaking, what are the expectations of your audience, what should your appearance be like, and whether are there any other speakers.
- You will recognize that your story is ready to perform when You stop making new discoveries each time you tell it. That is why practice is the key to successful storytelling.
