Inspiration, Imagination, Innovation

              

Creative idea of the week     This week: Are you sitting comfortably, then lets carry on...

Continuing with the theme of storytelling, this week we look at another method to exercise your storytelling muscles.

Last weeks opening - A major barrier to getting a message across to other people is the fact that we do not create a 'picture' to which they can relate.  Therefore, to be able to tell a compelling and relevant story is very powerful in getting across a message. It can be effective for many things, e.g. selling something or persuading someone to behave a certain way.

Storytelling is an art that can be learnt and here we have included a simple exercise which starts to exercise those storytelling muscles.

The story spine

The 'spine' is a template for creating full length narratives.  It is valued by improvisers, keynote speakers, CEO's, screenwriters, advertising departments and trainers.  It is simple and builds in a structure which gives you a story platform, significant changes and the consequences that virtually all stories contain in order to make the reader feel fulfilled. The template looks like this:

Once upon a time.....
everyday.......
but one day.......
because of that...
because of that...
because of that... (repeat this stage as often as needed for the story to grow)
until finally...
ever since then...
The moral of the story is....... (optional)

The purpose of this exercise is to build a story using the template and input from different people, so you build up a 'team' story. 

You can do this in pairs or as a small group  (5-6 people).  Give the exercise about 15-30 minutes depending on the size of the group.

One person starts the story by saying "Once upon a time.." and adding his own version of the beginning of the story (it can be related to the situation or complete fantasy).

The next person continues the story by adding "Everyday.." and then how he sees that applying to the beginning piece.

This carries on through the template until you have a story.. you can add as many "because of that..." pieces as you like ...it really depends on how the pair/group or facilitator feel the story is evolving.

Now summarise the story on paper, each member involved in the story should input/comment on the summary - it must effectively reflect the beginning, key change(s), the consequence and moral (if included).

Now debrief:

• How did you feel about your own input?
• How did you feel about the person who added to your piece - did they say what you expected?
• What was easy and what was difficult about the exercise?
• Did the template work, how did it help?
• Was the story fun/compelling/complete/ when read back from the summary?
• How is this like working together in real life?
• What did you learn?

Have fun and 'live happily ever after'.

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Last modified: 19 May 2007