The Fine Art of Storytelling
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Storytelling is a fine art when speaking to supporters about your cause. It has the power to rally new supporters, educate the masses, and inspire the already engaged. Crafting a memorable and impactful story can be a challenge. Writer’s block haunts even the most brilliant of us all.
So with that, here are our tips for writing an inspiring journey for your audience.
Introduce Your Character
Like any powerful story, yours will need a main character. For your organization this is can be individual, a group or a community who is affected by your work. You might imagine person who is battling cancer, a community torn apart by natural disaster, a child who needs a new home. Introduce your character by setting the scene at with the start of their journey. Provide your reader with details they can relate to. Use descriptive language, paint a picture with your words.
Motivations
The reader needs to know the aims of your organization and the effects they will have on your character. Spell out your mission. And refer back to it often. This is the foundation of your story and everything should build around it. For example, the aim of your organization might be to provide your story’s central figure with aid during an emergency. Weave this into your story as you take your reader on a journey.
Conflict
The best stories, have a clear conflict, or negative force at work. Describe how your character discovers the conflict, and the emotions and affects it has on them. The conflict is a key part of your story. You want your reader to feel the concern, the fear, the distress that your main character feels. From here, you will be able to show how your character overcomes this challenge with your support.
The Journey
The middle of your story is the journey you and your main character go on together. Describe how your main character came to learn about your organization. Paint a picture of your interactions. Share specifics about the support you gave to your main character. Show the impact you had and how you helped the main character overcome the conflict or challenge. Refer to your mission. Talk about the actions you took and why you took them. For example, explain how 6 volunteers showed up to provide clean water for a community. Or, how a volunteer spent time with the child in need every day after school for a year.
The Resolution
Without a strong and moving ending, your story will not be complete. Explain how your journey together ended, and where your main character is now. Finally, be sure that you explain that this is not the end of the story. There is more work to be done. Outlining your plans for the future, and let readers know how they can get involved.
Want more? Join us on August 15th for our webinar focused on Helping Participants Raise More through Storytelling.
So with that, here are our tips for writing an inspiring journey for your audience.
Introduce Your Character
Like any powerful story, yours will need a main character. For your organization this is can be individual, a group or a community who is affected by your work. You might imagine person who is battling cancer, a community torn apart by natural disaster, a child who needs a new home. Introduce your character by setting the scene at with the start of their journey. Provide your reader with details they can relate to. Use descriptive language, paint a picture with your words.
Motivations
The reader needs to know the aims of your organization and the effects they will have on your character. Spell out your mission. And refer back to it often. This is the foundation of your story and everything should build around it. For example, the aim of your organization might be to provide your story’s central figure with aid during an emergency. Weave this into your story as you take your reader on a journey.
Conflict
The best stories, have a clear conflict, or negative force at work. Describe how your character discovers the conflict, and the emotions and affects it has on them. The conflict is a key part of your story. You want your reader to feel the concern, the fear, the distress that your main character feels. From here, you will be able to show how your character overcomes this challenge with your support.
The Journey
The middle of your story is the journey you and your main character go on together. Describe how your main character came to learn about your organization. Paint a picture of your interactions. Share specifics about the support you gave to your main character. Show the impact you had and how you helped the main character overcome the conflict or challenge. Refer to your mission. Talk about the actions you took and why you took them. For example, explain how 6 volunteers showed up to provide clean water for a community. Or, how a volunteer spent time with the child in need every day after school for a year.
The Resolution
Without a strong and moving ending, your story will not be complete. Explain how your journey together ended, and where your main character is now. Finally, be sure that you explain that this is not the end of the story. There is more work to be done. Outlining your plans for the future, and let readers know how they can get involved.
Want more? Join us on August 15th for our webinar focused on Helping Participants Raise More through Storytelling.
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everydayhero Blog
05/02/2017 8:30am EDT
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