How To Create Compelling Stories?

The best content tells a story. It's easy to relate to a story and that's why every- rnone loves them. Creating stories is also a good way to cut through all of the dull content on the web with something a bit more interesting. rnThe Elements of a Story rnThere are certain elements that any good story must have in place: • Setting – When and where the action takes place. • Character – This could be you, a customer, or someone with a problem that's rnsimilar to those of your customers. • Conflict – Every good story has a conflict. This is the difficulty the characters are trying to overcome, the thing they must do, or their journey. When the conflict is introduced, this adds forward motion to the story. The reader wants to know what will happen and how it will be resolved. • Resolution – This is the happy ending where the conflict is resolved and everyone lives happily ever after. In storytelling content, the resolution says to rnthe reader, "This can work for you too." rnContent presented as a story usually ends with a call to action. This might be one or a series of action steps that you recommend the reader take to handle the present problem. At the end of the story are takeaways that summarize it and show the reader what to do. Brand Storytelling on thepcmate You can use storytelling in any kind of content, whether it's a blog post, a rnvideo, or even a single image. But you also need to create a brand story for your content brand. rnThe brand story has the same elements: • Setting - When and where you started, the environment in which you started, rnhow and why your brand came into existence. • Characters – Those behind the brand and the supporters who helped it grow. • Conflict – The problem or problems your brand set out to solve and the difficulties, challenges, or setbacks you faced along the way. • Resolution – How your brand overcame the problem to reach where it is now. rnGuidelines for Creating Good Stories rnWhen telling stories, use your natural voice. Let your personality come through in the story. People love reading stories in part because of their personal nature. A good story will help your readers resonate with you. rnAnother thing that will help your story resonate is to create likable characters. rnWhen a reader likes a character or feels an affinity with them, they root for them throughout the story and have a much more emotional experience read- rning it. rnA great element for any story is failure. We love stories about someone who failed or gave up, only to persevere and succeed at the end. Don't be afraid to admit your failures and show a bit of vulnerability. rnDon't stick only to text stories. Experiment with storytelling in as many different media as possible. To-Do's: • Think of a difficulty you overcame that could help your customers and outline the story behind it. • Write your brand story using the elements above of setting, characters, conflict, and resolution. • Select the media you would like to use to communicate your story, such as text, images, video, audio, or even an interactive webinar. It can also be any combination of different media. • Now, produce your story in the media you selected.