Two Stories
The Art of Story Telling
Being a good story teller is one of the most effective ways to be interesting to people. Not only is it a skill that is great when meeting people but one that lends itself fantastically to public speaking and interviews. A story well told can convey many of your own positive traits without coming across as arrogant or it can simply provide an amusing anecdote. People who are really good at this can make a simple bus journey or their grocery shopping sound interesting!
So what elements lead to a good story?
If you live an interesting life, then you will easily have the foundations for creating an interesting story. If you don’t live an interesting life, then now might be the time to consider living one! Go out and see the world, travel, do things that scare you. They will make you a more well rounded person and you will have some great experiences that you can share with others.
However, your story does not have to have particularly interesting content. Recently I heard a very charismatic friend of mine tell a little anecdote about a bus journey he had, there was nothing particularly interesting about the story but someone did exclaim, “What a great story!”. (And no, it was not sarcasm.) So if it is not content that makes a story interesting, then what is it? It’s the way you tell it.
A well told story often has a certain structure to them, particularly in comedy. For a story to hold attention, it usually requires a strong start and the way you build it up will depend on your relationship with the other person. Comedians are masters at story telling, but they often have the advantage of a reputation which sets the context of the story as you understand their character so when you tell a story to a stranger, you may have to build it up so they understand the context but not to the point that you are boring the listener with the details.
A strong start that catches attention early is always great, it will offset some of the slower parts of the story but keep the listener interested. Think of how many films start with a dramatic part from the middle to end of the story, but then cut back to the slower build up. Fight Club is a great example of this, and if you haven’t seen it, watch it because it’s a fantastic film.
When telling the story, the important thing is to convey emotion. This is what makes the mundane interesting. Being expressive, well timed pauses and hooks are the things that will really bring the story to life. Use descriptive language and let the emotions of the story show in your voice. Ups and downs with twists in the story make it more dramatic and interesting, you almost want to create an emotional rollercoaster.
Finally, many stories have a good punchline and whilst I’d argue that the more important part of the story is how you tell it, a good punchline can really round off a good story. An unexpected twist, or what you learnt from the story is good here. Well used, something a bit controversial can always generate laughter. One key is when you finish the story, just hold eye contact and look at the other person as if you expect them to laugh. More times than not, they will laugh, even if they don’t quite get it. Also, if they don’t get it, don’t try to explain the story, instead it is best to let the moment pass and move on.
There are of course many other elements that can help you craft a good story, however the above are some of the basics on how to tell it.
About the Author
Martin writes for SmallTalkSite, providing free articles to help people develop better conversation skills and to improve their confidence in social situations.
Jason Becker the second of two stories
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