What people really want to learn about story
When I started StoryCraft in 2017, I was excited, thrilled even, to teach people about story structure so they could tell better stories. What I didn’t know then was that people didn’t need story structure, they really wanted to learn something else. My first clue was when clients and workshop participants asked over and over […]
The Learner’s Journey
This spring at the SIETAR Europa Congress in Leuven, I met Bastian Küntzel. We got to chatting about “what do you do” and “what do I do” and when I told him about my cool new idea to develop a method for using story structure to teach, he said, “I just wrote a book about that.” […]
Your Story Climax
Let’s look at how to create a great climax for your story. You’ve been working on your story for a while now and have figured out who the hero is and what their goal is. Your hero’s been through the beginning, a turning point, and the middle of the story. Now that you’ve gotten this far, […]
The turning point: linking the beginning and middle of your story
Kick your story into gear In every story there comes a moment when the audience has gotten to know your hero and the world they live in. They understand the norms that hero lives with and have an idea of how the hero fits into that world. They know this because you crafted a strong […]
Start your Story Right
My friends, this post is part of a series about story structure. You can catch the overview of story structure and separate posts about the hero and goal in your story by clicking those links. They’ll help you out if you haven’t read them already. We’re going to talk about the beginning of your story. […]
Give Your Story a Great Goal
A benefit of working on a story starting at structure is that you know what you have to do next. After you’ve sketched a basic story structure and figured out who your hero is and how to describe them, it’s time to figure out what the hero’s goal will be. The approach to goal setting […]
Pick and describe your hero to kick-start your story
Last week, I introduced a story structure that you can use to tell all kinds of stories. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to take a closer look at the different parts of that diagram. Together, this series of articles will give you a strong foundation for any story, so I hope you’ll stick […]
The Story Diagram at the Core of the StoryCraft Method
Today, I want to give you a tool for improving your stories. It’s a diagram to show you what your story should look like. I draw it on chalkboards and flip charts and white boards and paper everywhere! This diagram is the core of my approach to storytelling. I use it to plan my stories […]
Show, don’t tell to bring your hero to life!
updated 28 June 2023 The image of a woman walking into the distance, carrying a bucket away from her body, like someone used to carrying heavy loads has lived in my mind for decades. The source of the image escapes me, but the author used the show don’t tell rule so well that I’ve never […]