How do you tell authentic and creative stories about conflicts?

To tell authentic and creative stories about conflicts, identify the core message. Focus on the underlying themes, emotions, and lessons that the conflict reveals, ensuring that the story resonates with the audience on a deeper level.

If you don't know the core message you're trying to get across to your audience and the core reason for why you're doing what you're doing, you cannot even begin to be authentic. This introspection is key for telling authentic stories, regardless of the topic.

🎭The Heart of Authentic Storytelling The key lies in uncovering the core message, turning challenges into compelling narratives. Imagine you’re a miner, digging deep to find the gold nugget of truth at the heart of every conflict. 🏔️ This core message is your guide to crafting stories that resonate and inspire. Here’s how to find it: 1. Seek the Universal: What universal truth or human experience does this conflict reveal? 🌍 2. Embrace Empathy: Understand all sides. Authentic stories are born from genuine understanding. 💖 3. Highlight Growth: Focus on transformation and resolution. Every conflict has a lesson. 🌱 Authentic storytelling transforms mere conflicts into captivating tales of growth, resilience, and humanity.

In business storytelling, identifying the desired audience action is crucial, beyond the importance even of pinpointing the core message. Effective narratives hinge on conflict, which drives engagement and aligns with brand values. Authenticity is vital; audiences sense genuine stories from the contrived, affecting their brand perception. Conflict isn't just a plot device; it's essential, providing tension and challenges for characters to overcome, mirroring the action-centric nature of business. Stories without conflict are mere descriptions, lacking depth. Thus, storytelling in business should not only entertain but also inspire action, ensuring alignment with the brand's objectives and resonating deeply with the audience.

Your core message for the purpose of business/brand storytelling is just a different way of asking yourself "What's the point of this?" So if you want to tell a story about conflict, start with your why's and your how's; - Why am I sharing this particular story? - How is it going to land with my audience? - Why is it relevant to my dream clients? - How is it going to help me solidify a stronger connection with my audience? Once you've got that figured out, THEN you can start honing in on the core message (ie, the main learning that will actually resonate with your audience) your conflict story is going to convey.

Authentic and creative stories about conflict need the right balance between differing perspectives. For example, there can't be one good and one bad side. There must be two complex sides of the conflict shared. Without this, the story may seem biased or unrealistic.

Your narrative structure should always *always* serve the purpose of the story; the core message you're wanting to convey. How do you do that? You step into the shoes of your reader (your ideal audience) and you go through the story structure through the lens of how it's going to evoke emotion for them. The brilliant thing about narrative structure is that there's no one-size-fits-all. You can play around with it however you like. Just make sure you're touching on those emotional points for your reader through your narrative structure so the story lands the way you want it to.

Choosing the right structure in storytelling is important because it helps keep your audience engaged. It makes your message clear and impactful. Here's why: -Keeps the Audience Engaged -Clarifies the Message -Builds Anticipation -Enhances Emotional Impact Example: Imagine telling a story about achieving a goal. You start with the protagonist facing challenges, then build tension as they overcome obstacles, leading to a triumphant climax where they achieve success. This structure keeps the audience engaged, clarifies the message of perseverance, builds anticipation for the outcome, and enhances the emotional impact of the protagonist's journey.

Choosing the right structure is crucial in storytelling, especially in marketing. It's not just about presenting the sequence of events, characters, and setting, but also about creating a strategic narrative that resonates with your audience. As a consultant, I often advise clients to consider their brand narrative and customer experience when deciding on a structure. This ensures the story is not only engaging but also authentic and aligned with the brand's values and message.

Let your conflict be about something, where your audience would want to pick sides. Say, good vs evil, or liberal vs conservative, or spiritual vs materialistic. And make picking one side: 1) inevitable 2) having consequences. Let the story begin!

I emphasize the power of vivid details in storytelling. Using specific words, images, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings enriches your narrative, making it more engaging and memorable for your audience. These details not only show rather than tell your story but also appeal to the senses and emotions of your listeners, deepening their connection to the narrative. Moreover, vivid details demonstrate your credibility and authenticity as a storyteller by showcasing your firsthand knowledge and experience of the conflict or topic at hand. By incorporating rich and sensory details, you elevate the impact of your story, leaving a lasting impression and fostering a stronger connection with your audience.

While it’s important to use vivid details - I urge people to not get lost in the weeds. Too many details become another form of noise. If you want to be vivid - use it as gift wrap to an already impressive present. I’ve heard from top VCs that the second a person’s pitch or story becomes “fluffy” they tune out. So how do you do this? Map out your entire narrative line. See each bullet point you want to hit? Find a way to amplify the language without using buzz words. And if it begins feeling too long - it’s probably 2x too long.

A great way to figure out which details to use in a story about conflict is to think through the story for yourself and tune into which details are most important to you - as well as how these details would link to and land with your readers (your ideal audience/clients). Once you've done this, pick two-three details that you focus on throughout the story. Too much incoherent detail will just confuse the reader; you're much better off unpacking a few of them for maximum emotional and sensory effect.

Using vivid details in storytelling brings your narrative to life and makes it more engaging for your audience. Here's why it's important: -Creates Mental Images -Elicits Emotions -Adds Authenticity -Increases Memorability Example: Consider a story about a family picnic. Instead of simply saying, "The family had a picnic in the park," you could describe the scene vividly: "The sun cast a warm glow over the lush green grass as the family spread out their checkered blanket under the shade of a towering oak tree. The aroma of freshly grilled burgers filled the air, and children laughed as they chased colourful butterflies among the flowers." This detailed description not only sets the scene but also immerses the audience in the sensory exp.

Paint a vivid picture for your audience by incorporating sensory details, descriptive language, and imagery. Help readers visualize the setting, characters, and emotions involved in the conflict, making the story more immersive and engaging.

Balancing facts with emotion is particularly important when telling stories of real-world conflicts. Facts provide the framework and credibility for the story; emotions drive its impact. Example: CHERNOBYL (HBO Miniseries, 2019) masterfully balances the facts of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster with its characters’ emotions. Its meticulous portrayal of the event’s technical aspects and the bureaucratic response grounds the story in reality. Simultaneously, it explores the personal stories of those involved, from scientists and firefighters to residents, capturing the human cost of the disaster. The emotional depth makes the factual content hit harder, illustrating the consequences of human error and heroism in the face of disaster.

When sharing authentic and creative stories about conflict, anecdotes can develop a connection with your audience. Although doing this will probably take some vulnerability, it can help show your audience you've had experience handling conflicts and recognize they aren't always easy to navigate. However, when sharing an anecdote about your experience handling conflict, it's important to balance the facts and emotions. This can be critical because without having a good balance, your story may become too dramatic or drag on for your audience. If you're unsure about what that right balance is, just test it and get feedback from others whom you trust.

The balance between fact and emotion is a core pillar in successful business storytelling - it sounds simple enough, but it's actually quite tough to master. A good place to start is to write out the conflict story without thinking too much about it as a first draft. Then you go back and edit specifically for the fact/emotion-balance. You need to jump back and forth between these two perspectives throughout in order to ensure you wind up in a place where your story is credible and logical (fact), while also hitting your reader so they can really feel it (emotion).

I don't try to "balance" them, per se. I don't think there is such a thing, and I know that audiences definitely are not checking the scales to see how "balanced" the emotion and logic are. What's more important is adding the right emotion and then making sure the facts are STRONG. A story filled to the brim with emotion but also have one irrefutable fact would not be balanced at all, but it is effective.

While emotions drive the story, facts anchor it. I ensure that the conflict's background is well-researched and presented accurately. This balance helps maintain credibility while still evoking strong emotional responses from the audience.

Respecting different perspectives in storytelling is important because it fosters empathy, understanding, and inclusivity. Here's why it matters: -Promotes Empathy -Reflects Real Life -Builds Inclusivity Example: Imagine telling a story about a community event. Instead of focusing solely on one character's experience, you could incorporate perspectives from different members of the community, such as the young volunteer excited to help, the elderly resident nostalgic for past events, and the newcomer eager to learn about local traditions. By respecting and including these diverse perspectives, the story becomes richer and more inclusive, reflecting the diversity of the community.

Using different perspectives is a great way to make your business/brand storytelling more interesting. You can try telling the conflict story from the perspective of the other party - or switch between your perspective and theirs throughout. Remember, though: The most important person here is the reader. Give them enough emotional detail to care about both perspectives, and your story will come across as balanced and considerably more evocative than if it's told from a single point of view.

I find sharing stories about nature usually get the message across. Stories about the seasons, animals and all it has to offer is probably the least offensive. At the end of the day, we all have different maps of the world so expect differences but respect and learn from the differences.

Here’s a tip I tell writers whenever I develop their shows or films…. Conflict isn’t only different EXTERNAL perspectives. It’s also INTERNAL. How often do you act against your own self interest? See the ex when you know they were bad for you? Splurge on an extra piece of candy even though you told yourself you wouldn’t? We have a million perspectives inside of us - each warring for their own position to be heard. Show that in storytelling. Give credence to that and you’ll have a stronger story. Show your 999 reasons to turn LEFT. And your 1,000 reasons to turn RIGHT. And watch how much harder the audience pulls for the struggle of that decision. It gets them invested.

There are a hundred shades of gray in every turn of a story. Recognizing there might be a number of truths in a situation and showing that complexity for your audience makes your story more realistic and nuanced- and therefore easier to intellectually and emotionally access. Showing different perspectives, either through different characters or some sort of omniscient narrator, can help to give the story the tension that really pulls viewers in.

Feedback, reflection, dancing with your audience is key. Being open to how your story is being responded throughout is very important, and as your audience react to your story, being able to shift with them can make or break the outcome of your storytelling. Even post storytelling ... always reach out to see what worked and what didn't .. it will help your next storytelling scenario!

I’ve had a number of pitches that felt bulletproof. The deck was beautiful. The copy was engaging. We made sure it was the balance of both emotionally compelling and factually informative. And yet when it came to the pitch… silence. At first I thought we missed the mark, until I decided to ask how the listener felt and what parts made them disagree. They proceeded to tell me their issue with the story I was selling, and it had 0 to do with our pitch. The lesson here is: remember your audience is not a blank slate. They come with their own preconceptions, fears, anxieties, dreams. The only difference between that pitch working and failing was by asking for what landed with them. Then addressing that. Try it yourself.

(En fr, parce qu'il manque de contenus francophones) Dites, ya aucun "expert" pour dire que cet article rédigé par l'IA n'a aucun sens ?! On ne raconte pas une histoire "sur un conflit", on raconte une histoire PARCE QU'IL Y A conflit(s) ! Bon sang, okay, on est tous là pour se mettre en scène, mais un peu d'amour-propre ! Apportons quelque chose de concret aux gens ! Oh, tiens, en voilà un conflit narratif sur lequel j'articule mon personal branding, dites donc...

Dig Deep into the Human Element. Conflict isn't just about events; it's about people. I always start by understanding the individuals involved. What are their motivations, fears, and desires? By focusing on the human element, I can create stories that resonate on a personal level.

Without a conflict no story. Inner conflict, conflict between hero and adversary, epic conflict etc. For the big, sometimes intractable conflicts, storytelling can be the way to bring the nuances to the audience. The struggle and humanity on both sides. It can potentially be a hopeful story, when protagonist from both sides find a common higher goal like a peaceful future for their children. Or personal growth through forgiveness. Originality and authenticity comes from real stories, but even if they are only partially real, the story characters need depth, doubts and flaws. Otherwise they cannot carry the message.

First, I would consider WHY I want to tell the story. What is on it for those listening. I’ll shape my storytelling around that, and bear in mind that humour often makes things easier to remember.

The conflict that really matters is the internal one, what it means to the characters, what it makes them feel, how it changes or challenges their view of themselves. You can have a story without outer conflict, but a story without inner conflict is... a Michael Bay movie 😅 Ask yourself why the character cares about the conflict, then ask why two or three more times until you get to the core of the issue. Then you know what your story is about.