What's your method for staying up-to-date on storytelling trends?

Stay ahead in storytelling by reading widely and critically, engaging with diverse perspectives, and continuously exploring new formats and technologies to enrich your narrative toolkit.

A key strategy that will support your method for staying informed and updated about storytelling trends is to take some time to learn more narrative theory. Janet Burroway's Writing Fiction is a particularly good book for this purpose. Once you've acquainted yourself with the foundations for good storytelling and its field-specific terminology, you'll be able to contextualise trends in a much clearer manner. It will enhance your analytical skills, which in turn will allow you to identify what the trends actually are - and which ones are working.

One of the most powerful tools for honing your storytelling skills lies right at your fingertips: READING. But simply consuming content isn't enough. To truly learn and grow as a storyteller, you need to adopt a wide-eyed and critical approach to your reading habits.

I keep up with storytelling trends by reading industry blogs, attending webinars, and following influential storytellers on social media. Engaging in discussions with fellow storytellers and attending relevant workshops also help me stay current. Additionally, I make it a point to analyze successful storytelling campaigns and adapt my approach accordingly. By staying connected with the storytelling community and continuously learning from others, I ensure that my storytelling remains relevant and resonates with my audience.

"It is fashionable to talk about changing man. A communicator must be concerned with unchanging man" - Bill Bernbach, Advertising Legend When it comes to telling stories, best to ditch the trends and fads. Stories are an ancient thing. They are a creation of our neurology and psychology. Not of our technology. So, you're far better off going to the roots of how stories are told. Things like: Aristotle's poetics. Hero's journeys. Dramatic structure. A clear red thread. Closure. etc Best part: they work across channels, tech & media. Because they're a creation of the 'unchanged' part of man.

Watching and listening to stories is indeed a powerful way to learn storytelling. As a business storyteller professional, I've found that immersing myself in real-life stories, not just those in movies or shows, offers rich insights. I encourage people to listen to their own stories and those of others around them, and to document these in a 'story bank'. This practice can help you understand the elements of a compelling narrative, such as the character's desires, the challenges they face, and their journey toward resolution.

Diving into stories across genres and platforms isn’t just fun—it’s a fun way to learn. Notice how visuals, sound, and narrative pacing enhance stories. Go Beyond Watching: Reverse-Engineer Stories Go further by dissecting stories. Explore narrative structures (3-act, hero’s journey, etc.) and character Goals, Motivations, and Conflicts (GMCs). This isn’t just about enjoying the story; it’s about understanding how it’s built. Ask yourself: ❓ What structure guides the story? ❓ What drives the characters forward? ❓ How do conflicts shape the narrative? This turns every story into a fun lesson in storytelling, offering insights and tools to craft engaging narratives. 🖤

I love looking for inspiration in non-conventional places. In college, I spent 3 years as a music producer and songwriter. That experience taught me so many lessons about structure, intros, hooks, "ear candy", emotion, and creating a strong throughput between beginning and end. Today, I love diving into songwriting/producing masterclasses to learn how Grammy nominated artists have changed their songwriting approach to grab (and keep) attention in the new "Tik Tok" era of low attention spans.

There are two storytelling podcasts that I listen to regularly for inspiration: 1. ANECDOTALLY SPEAKING (for business storytelling) 2. THE MOTH (for personal storytelling). Both are fantastic resources to listen incredible stories and build your own library of stories!

What on earth is a storytelling trend. My word. When did something as basic as storytelling get into the business of trending. This title makes no sense whatsover. Storytelling like Yoda says is something you DO or DO NOT It is not something you TRY or TREND, Having said that a Good Storyteller maintains their edge by listening to others tell stories ALL kinds of stories. Even the personal ones that make you cringe. I confess I am not a fan of the genre that is about letting it all hang out. I really do not need to hear you speak of your shenanigans while drunk in N'Awlins. But even those stories can offer a lesson in what to do and do not.

When you immerse yourself in current storytelling trends and combine it with an understanding of the storytelling theoretical field, the next logical step is to use the learnings for your own experimentation. You might discover your audience resonates deeper with visuals than with words - or develop a multimedia format that starts a trend of its own. So long as you are developing your storytelling contextually from your core message and in conformity with your brand storytelling strategy, the possibilities for innovative storytelling are near-endless.

I've experimented with interactive storytelling platforms and digital tools that allow for nonlinear narratives, such as Twine for creating interactive stories or using AR/VR technologies for immersive experiences. These experiments have greatly expanded my view of what's possible in storytelling.

I might remind you that cave dwellers drew pictures to tell stories. Using visuals to tell stories is not a new trend. There is no trend to storytelling. All of this 'trend language' is from those wanting to sell their products or services or themselves as marketing gurus Let the Buyer Beware. Consumers can smell when brand stories are just trying to sell. A story told with truth is a good story. Each teller just has to find the best way to their truth and tell the story from that place of truth.

So storytelling in its conceptual form has a method to it. The storycrafting part specifically will always adhere to a framework. But the story delivery will evolve with the trends. And that's what we need to be aware about and experiment with. What works on the stage may not work on a social media platform. The magic that you create with spoken word is different from what is created in print. So yes, the same story needs to evolve for the ever changing outer landscape.

Storytelling doesn't have to be one-dimensional. In fact, it should be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, etc., and be engaging. By adding visual elements or using non-standard formats, you're often able to tell more memorable stories with your audience. Some examples of visual elements and formats you could consider are: - Videos - Infographics - Short or long-form animations - Photography or graphic images - Interactive presentations - Augmented or Virtual reality I remember when I was working in higher education for a university; I created a unique Halloween choose-your-own-adventure online experience. This was one piece of content that had some of the highest engagement. All that to say, don't be afraid to experiment!

A few years back, when I was just starting to promote my work as a speaker and story coach, I had the terrible idea of starting a podcast about storytelling to promote myself - it didn't work terribly well 😅 But what did work was that no only I got to connect to some of the best storytelling minds on the planet, but I also learned a ton from doing prepping for the episodes AND then got an hour to go deeper into their material. It was like my own Storytelling MBA - for free! So, you can do the same and start your own podcast, or just save yourself the trouble and listen to mine ;-)

I keep an eye on the work of leading storytellers, authors, and content creators. By following their blogs, social media, and attending their webinars, I gain insights into their creative processes and the trends they’re adopting. Learning from the best helps me refine my own storytelling skills.

Be intentional about seeking out different types and styles of stories and storytelling. Be even more intentional about listening. The listening is the most important. We want to grasp information so we can spit it back out, but what's even more powerful is letting the stories permeate and then organically we will find ways in which to use what we've been blessed to receive.

Your environment dictates your performance, so if you surround yourself with likeminded people, you'll be learning and growing constantly!

Engaging with storytellers through various digital platforms provides a wealth of opportunities to amass insights and inspiration. These interactions cultivate a cohesive environment where creativity flourishes, leading to continuous growth and innovation even beyond storytelling.

Feedback is crucial for growth. Sharing your stories and seeking constructive criticism from peers, mentors, or audiences helps identify areas for improvement and adapt to changing storytelling trends.

Not only should you seek feedback but if you check your analytics every week you'll be able to improve - you will be able to see what worked well and what didn't do as well.

Growth is the heartbeat of every great storyteller. Embrace critique as a guiding light on your path to mastery, for in the crucible of feedback lies the alchemy of improvement. Let every word of praise be a testament to your journey, and every criticism a stepping stone towards excellence. With each iteration, you polish your craft, honing it into a beacon that illuminates the darkest corners of the human soul.

Engaging with a range of individuals from different backgrounds, industries, and cultural contexts can provide invaluable insights into how your stories resonate with various audiences. Don't shy away from constructive criticism, instead, embrace it as an opportunity for growth and refinement.

🔗 Connecting with other storytellers is like attending a never-ending TED Talk. Follow thought leaders and join communities.

Il manque une chose cruciale : faire. Écrire et écrire. Testez de raconter ses histoires. C'est un peu comme le sport. À force de faire, tester, échouer, s'améliorer, une chose arrive : le progrès.

Think less about "storytelling trends" and think more about doing the fundamentals better. There are very few, and very clear storytelling structures which have existed since cave-people first painted on walls. Those have not changed and will not change because they line up perfectly with deep-seated behavioural paradigms which all humans have and will continue to use. The only thing you can do is try to find a way to tell your story in a DIFFERENT (not better, or trendier) manner. Our brains are hotwired to see the DIFFERENT, so if anything do the basics better and forget the "trends" which force you to be "the same"

I’m a firm believer in lifelong learning. I take online courses, read books on storytelling and creativity, and stay updated with academic research. This continuous learning process ensures that I’m always aware of the evolving landscape of storytelling.

My best advice for staying up to date on story telling trends... don't bother! Trends come and trends go, good stories withstand the test of time! Like someone once said comparing Star Trek into Darkness with Wrath of Khan. Darkness made a lot of money and was well loved, until the next big blockbuster came along and it was promptly forgotten. Wrath of Khan by contrast is only a few months older than I am, yet it's still regarded as a classic. Trendy works are loved today, forgotten tomorrow. Works that deal with timeless issues are loved today and forever. I only hope my books "Mystical Force" and "Liberator: The People's Guard" still resonate long after I'm dead and gone.

Trends can influence the flavours of your storytelling for sure ... but the essence of your storytelling and the principles should always be the same, this is timeless. I talk about these as the 6 core layers of storytelling in my unique sprout model, found within my new book. Impact, People, Starting Point, Main Event, End Point and Nurture all need to be used for impactful storytelling. Keep practicing these, for sure incorporate your trending themes and ideas .. but keep working on the core layers and your storytelling impact will grow.