How do you refine your stories for a wider audience?

Before starting to draft your story for a wider audience you should have clear audience personas in place. You can build these personas on the basis of observing your audiences needs and interests and also past feedback. Understanding what type of format and tone resonates with the majority of your audience is also important.

Refinar tus historias para un público más amplio empieza con un conocimiento profundo de tu propósito narrativo. Piensa en tu historia como un arquitecto piensa en un edificio. ¿Qué función debe cumplir? ¿Será un refugio, un lugar de encuentro, un espacio para la reflexión? Del mismo modo, tu historia debe construirse con una intención clara. Si deseas inspirar, educa a través de tus palabras; si buscas entretener, que cada frase sea un pincelazo en un lienzo imaginativo. El propósito es tu cimiento, y cada capítulo construido sobre él debe sostener la estructura de tus ambiciones narrativas.

You should ideally also align your story with the audience profile, the theme of the event, and your client's needs. For example, I was once engaged to deliver the opening keynote for an MNC who's ranked #2 in their industry. They wanted me to inspire the audience to relentlessly strive for excellence and stay through to themselves. I dug into my memory lane, and shared the struggles I had of being the perennial #2 in my Primary School class. I was doing well compared to the rest, but no matter what I tried, the #1 was insurmountable. The frustration I felt resonated with the audience, as well as my message that don't let being #1 take you away from your purpose. Being able to follow and express that purpose is the biggest reward.

- Kernbotschaft identifizieren: Bestimmen Sie das zentrale Thema Ihrer Geschichte. Dies bildet das Fundament Ihrer Erzählung. - Zielsetzung klar definieren: Was soll Ihr Publikum nach dem Lesen tun oder fühlen? Definieren Sie eine klare Handlungsaufforderung oder die gewünschte Reaktion. - Emotionale Wirkung verstehen: Überlegen Sie, wie Ihr Publikum sich fühlen oder denken soll. Die emotionale Resonanz ist entscheidend für den Impact Ihrer Geschichte. Fokussieren Sie Ihre Geschichte auf diese Schlüsselelemente, um eine starke, zielgerichtete und resonante Botschaft zu vermitteln.

One big key to finding a bigger audience is to have universal values at stake in your story. Such values as freedom, survival, self-esteem, love, for example. We all react to these. If you can have some new angle to these universal values that will also help to attract a bigger and more resonating audience. Also make sure you climax is memorable. The climax is what the audience should remember most and want to see again. It must have big stakes/vaulies, a twist, and means something to the audience.

When pitching to any publisher or distributor, the key thing they’ll ask for is the audience. Considering your audience when honing your pitch (in addition to something you’ve enjoy reading yourself) is extremely important. It should also be specific. I’m targeting this age, this gender, this location - even if the project will probably resonate with people from outside of the target. Now, creating the concept for something that works for a broader audience works similarly. You consider your main audience - that doesn’t change. Then you start thinking about whether the other demographics will also consider or enjoy your project. I noticed there’s a pretty obvious difference in the mainstream (low risk) projects & the higher risk niche one

Knowing about audience is the foremost thing one should consider before making a content. Find your audience segment. Analyze their level of understanding about topic. Frame content accordingly will help you win. Their level of understanding is the success of any content. If your content doesn't give any benefits for them, it will end in vain.

I call this out in the People Layer of my unique storytelling model. Having a clear understanding of who your audience is, as well as understanding how you plan to emotionally connect with them will help to define what to incorporate to appeal to a wider audience. If you plan to cast your net further, then be sure to acknowledge individual preferences - your story wont be hit with all - but you can broaden its perspective in order to avoid too much detail which could impact appeal.

It all starts with knowing who you’re talking to. I take time to research my audience's demographics, interests, and pain points. This helps me tailor the story's themes and language to better connect with them. For example, when addressing a corporate audience, I might focus on leadership and innovation, whereas a general audience might appreciate more universal themes like resilience and personal growth.

Crafting stories for a broader audience is a delicate dance between creativity and strategy. Before diving into revisions, ensure your format connects with diverse readers. There's no one-size-fits-all; messages resonate uniquely. Refining stories for a wider audience is both an art and a science. Embrace the challenge, keep an open mind, and watch your narrative resonate across different landscapes.

The construction of a good story may vary, but a go-to framework often involves weaving together your story and connecting your experience with your audiences' collective experience. You then bring the takeaways from our shared experience to the story of right now. Implicit in the story of right now is your ask -- how do you want to inspire your audience to act while leveraging your collective narrative?

The wider the audience, the more you need to strategic on the stories you share. Ask yourself "If I were to share this story, can they relate?" If the wider audience is from a certain demographic or background, pick those whom they can relate. Else, work with stories that are general such as family, childhood, sports, vacation etc.

Use the sprout model - my unique storytelling framework. It has 6 layers and 28 ingredients ... applying all of it will dramatically increase the impact of your story / communication - because you are tapping into what is important when it comes to storytelling. The 6 layers are : Impact, People, Start Point, Main Event, End Point and Nurture. These will give you a clear structure and more importantly prompt you to include all of the key ingredients which make great stories and communications.

Seleccionar la estructura de tu historia es como un director que decide el ritmo de una película. Cada escena, cada corte, cada transición debe conducir al espectador por un viaje emocional coherente. Comienza con un gancho que capte la atención como un tráiler intrigante. Desarrolla la trama con el ritmo cuidadoso de la edición, construyendo la tensión hasta un clímax que sea el pico emocional de tu film. Finalmente, la conclusión debe ser el desenlace que deje al público satisfecho y reflexivo, anhelando más pero contento con el viaje completado.

The saying in screenwriting is "the Conflict is the Story." No conflict, no story! Besides choosing a structure, I think it's important to choose the "right conflict!" Different stories have different conflict. For example: Scenario 1: In a love-triangle, you're battling to win crush's heart. Scenario 2: You're competing with a peer for a promotion. Scenario 3: You're stuck in a dead-end job you don't love. How to extricate yourself? The nature of the conflicts in 1) and 2) are similar: Two competing for limited opportunities, One winner. Scenario 3 is a different type conflict - trapped, limited options. Having matching "conflict types" make your stories relatable to the audience and their wants. Wrong type of conflict and it misses.

Be raw in sharing stories. Share as it is, because audience loves that. Sharing as it is helps you to gain trust among people. It also helps them to understand your true side, which in turn builds credibility and authenticity. Always be "YOU" and share both success and failure stories. Sugarcoating stories doesn't earn true value and visibility.

The story does not need refining for wider audience. It needs modification. A story more often than not can have multiple perspectives. To meet the needs of the audience, the appropriate perspective can be expanded upon

Develop a consistent and authentic voice that reflects your personality, values, and style as a storyteller. Tailor your voice to resonate with a broader audience while maintaining authenticity and sincerity.

- Authentizität: Bleiben Sie sich selbst treu und reflektieren Sie Ihre Persönlichkeit und Werte in Ihrer Erzählung. - Klare Sprache: Nutzen Sie eine einfache und direkte Sprache, um Verwirrung zu vermeiden und Klarheit zu schaffen. - Storytelling-Techniken: Verwenden Sie Anekdoten, Metaphern, Dialoge, Humor und sensorische Details, um Ihre Geschichte lebendig und einprägsam zu gestalten. Mit diesen Schritten schaffen Sie eine authentische, klar verständliche und fesselnde Geschichte, die Ihre Zuhörer oder Leser nachhaltig beeindruckt.

Your voice in storytelling is like a fingerprint, unique and instantly recognizable. It's the brushstroke that adds colour to your narrative canvas. When you infuse your stories with your authentic voice, you create an emotional resonance that captivates your audience, drawing them deeper into your world.

Feedback is the key to unlocking your story's full potential. Here are 5 steps that have helped me: 1. Start by fostering a safe space for honest critiques where you can value diverse opinions for your growth. 2. Focus on specific elements like structure, length, frame, and delivery for targeted improvement. 3. Strategically implement feedback that aligns with your vision, and seek it at various writing stages for continuous refinement. 4. Reflect on critiques to discover new perspectives, ensuring your story resonates deeply with both you and your audience. 5. Embrace feedback as a transformative tool, propelling your storytelling to new heights.

Feedback is key. You can get it post preparation to get insights and reflections from trusted people in order to make the necessary changes prior to the moment you share your story. However you can also get it live, while storytelling. I call this The Dance in my unique storytelling model. This is where you are responding to how your audience is reacting to your storytelling ... the level of which you can do this will depend on your storytelling scenario.

The final act in crafting a compelling story isn't the last line, but the feedback loop. It's here where your story transforms from a draft to a polished gem. Don't underestimate the power of fresh eyes. Feedback isn't a judgment; it's a conversation. Engage with your readers, ask follow-up questions, and understand their perspectives. This collaborative process will transform your story into a work that truly connects with your audience.

If you’re giving feedback, you want to emphasize that your feedback isn’t necessarily advice—your thoughts aren’t gospel—but merely ideas that the recipient can use along with their own. If what you’re saying is helpful, then great. If not, well, maybe it was good as a sober second thought. Before the story is finished, at least it will be exposed to another consciousness outside the echo chamber of a single mind. If you’re receiving feedback, you want to make it clear that you’re not going to take things personally. It’s easy to take things personally—after all, it’s your story—but try, to the best of your ability, to be dispassionate (or pretend to be).

- Diverse Perspektiven einholen: Suchen Sie Feedback von Menschen mit unterschiedlichen Hintergründen und Erfahrungen. - Spezifische Fragen stellen: Fokussieren Sie auf bestimmte Aspekte Ihrer Geschichte, um gezieltes und nützliches Feedback zu erhalten. - Offen für Kritik sein: Nehmen Sie Kritik als Chance zum Lernen und Verbessern an, nicht als persönlichen Angriff. - Dankbarkeit ausdrücken: Schätzen Sie den Zeitaufwand und die Beiträge der Feedbackgeber. Durch diese Schritte erhalten Sie wertvolle Einblicke und können Ihre Geschichte effektiver und ansprechender für Ihr Publikum gestalten.

If you want to refine it for a wider audience, 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲 and add more information that can resonate with the majority of your readers.

Para un público amplio la mejor estrategia es no tener estrategia y apelar a lo único que tenemos en común todos los públicos: ser humanos. Habla claro, natural y con un lenguaje simple. Es la mejor forma de ampliar tu público de forma orgánica.

We are long past the mass media world; this information age is revolutionized and defined by personalization. As former Florida Rep, Stephanie Murphy, noted on the challenge of reaching people with stories, messages and facts, “people have really separated into their own information cul-de-sacs”. We live in a time of the “disaggregated and/or decentralized information network”. If you’re asking how to refine your story for a wider audience, you’re asking the wrong question.

In refining stories for a wider audience, it's crucial to have a strategic narrative that guides all your storytelling efforts. This ensures consistency in your brand's messaging and helps build a robust and recognizable identity. As a business storyteller, I create strategic narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. It's thrilling to see how excited clients get for their ability to use their narrative to foster a sense of authenticity and honesty that leads to deeper customer engagement.

Firstly YOU MUST HAVE A CLEAR STRUCTURE TO YOUR STORYTELLING! This is very important. If you have a clear process and structure then you will be able to use this for both niche all the way up to wider and greater scaled audiences. In fact the process and structure is exactly the same - the content just changes. My unique storytelling model - the sprout model - lays out the 6 key layers of storytelling .. AKA all communication. They are: Impact, People, Start Point, Main Event, End Point and Nurture. Build your story against these 6 layers and you will be able to tailor it to any size of audience.