 Storytelling. We're all familiar with storytelling. It's used in so many facets of our daily lives. From the media we consume, to our social interactions. It's no wonder that storytelling can be such a powerful tool. Long before humans had any other form of communication, storytelling was a way to share information and to connect with others, and is still the most effective way to relate to an audience. Hearing a story puts much more of our brain to work than simply reading text, because we automatically attempt to relate to these experiences. In fact, studies have shown that stories can plant ideas, thoughts, and emotions into a listener's brain. Our ancestors listening to stories around the campfire, or seeing images on the walls of caves remembered what they heard because they inserted themselves into these memories. In the same way, when we hear a captivating story, our brains attempt to remember it as our own. Human beings inherently want to share our experiences, and that's why we recommend learning how to write and tell a good story. Telling a story through your presentation, infographics, website, or videos will help your audience to relate to, and ultimately remember the contents. Stories are written very differently from straight information. They have a flow and form. For example, if I told you I had one dog, then I got a second dog, versus I was walking dog Brenda, when suddenly she led me into a creepy abandoned shed. I tried to get her to leave, but she was so determined to sniff something out. We made our way through the cobweb infested structure, until we came across something nestled in the debris against the back wall. At first glance, I thought it might be an old blanket, but then a little tail started wagging. This got Brenda very excited, and she dove into the rubbish, only to return with a puppy trailing behind her. He followed us all the way home, and they've been inseparable ever since. The first statement was just a fact, while the second one drew the listeners in, and got us wanting to know more. So, how do you write a story? There are many ways to tell a story. A story structure, also called a narrative structure, is a tool you can use to help you organize your story. Some popular story structures include three-act structures, such as a dramatic arc, the hero's journey, and the seven point story structure. The three-act structure is a common model used in narrative fiction that divides a story into three parts. These acts are often called the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution, otherwise known as the beginning, middle, and end. You've probably heard of the dramatic arc before, as it is the most common example of a three-act structure, and is the backbone of many of your favorite books, films, and television shows. The first act of the dramatic arc begins with the exposition, where you introduce the story, explain the setup, and the character. Often here is where you'll find a dramatic question. This will be a teaser to lead your viewers throughout the story. It's the, will Indiana Jones get to the arc before the Nazis? Or will both Rose and Jack survive the sinking of the Titanic? The first act concludes with some sort of turning point that launches the action into act two. Then you have a rising action. This is the majority of the story. It's where we see the main characters searching for the answers to the dramatic question. The rising action is building excitement for your audience, all the way up to the beginning of act three, a pre-climax. This consists of events leading up to a climactic confrontation, and what's the hero faces a point of no return? This launches us into the actual climax. This is the big pivotal event in your story, where the answer to the problem or question is clearly stated. The following action follows the events of the climax. When life begins to wind back down into normal. This leads finally to a resolution. The hero's journey is a myth based framework that is often depicted in a circle. This is because the hero's journey in every story begins and ends in their hometown. Often the hero will leave home as an adolescent, and the journey represents the right of passage into adulthood. It typically involves a hero who goes on an adventure, learns a lesson, wins a victory with that newfound knowledge, and then returns home transformed. The hero's journey consists of 12 to 17 steps broken down into three basic stages. The first stage is the departure. This is where we are introduced to the ordinary world of our hero, a world that will be suddenly changed forever when they receive a call to adventure. Something or someone interrupts the hero's familiar life to present a problem, threat, or opportunity. Typically, the hero will be reluctant to step out of their comfort zone or face their fear. The hero will initially refuse the call. This is where the hero will meet the mentor, a supernatural aid who gives the hero the tools and inspiration that they need to accept their call to adventure. The hero will then embark on their quest by crossing the threshold from the ordinary world into the unknown. Thus beginning the second stage, initiation. The hero must face tests, allies, and enemies along the way. Often the hero is tempted to abandon their quest by a temptation such as love, fame, or wealth. Now the hero and often their allies will have to approach the innermost cave, a place where they confront the reason for their journey, or the object of their quest. This is a major turning point in the story. Every prior step has brought the hero here. And every step forward stands from this moment. The hero will then face the supreme ordeal, often a life or death moment that is either physical or psychological, resulting in the hero seizing the reward, getting a new understanding of their purpose, achieving their goal, and fulfilling the call that originally inspired their journey. The final stage, return, begins the road back. On the journey back home, the hero must now deal with the consequences of their actions. Before they can fully return home, they must face one last test for the resurrection slash atonement to be complete. The hero will return with the elixir. Triumphantly, they return to the ordinary world bearing the elixir, be that treasure, love, freedom, wisdom, or knowledge. They can achieve a balance between who they were before and who they are now, becoming a master of two worlds. Finally, we leave the hero at peace with their life and their new found freedom to live. Whatever you do, make sure your story has some sort of emotion. Whether it be funny, heart warming, passionate, sad, whatever, an emotionless story will fall completely flat. One last tip, get to the point. Say only what you need to say to tell your story, and then don't say anymore. Writing a story takes practice. Some people devote their entire lives to the craft. So don't worry if it's not Shakespeare. On your first try, just start by creating a simple outline using one of the storytelling structures we mentioned and go from there.