Lithgow on Storytelling

Actor John Lithgow muses about art and the essence of storytelling in his new one man show, "John Lithgow: Stories by Heart."

Status Stories

Brand stories are powerful. Creating a real world story where a product saves the day or puts a smile on someone's face is all the rage these days. But there's another approach that's even more effective. Instead of a company telling it's story to the customer, wouldn't it be better if they helped customers tell a story to other customers? Not to promote the brand, but to make those customers more interesting to others.

Status Stories do just that.

The folks at Trendwatching talk about this idea in detail. Here are a few highlights.

The definition of a Status Story: As more brands (have to) go niche and therefore tell stories that aren't known to the masses, and as experiences and non-consumption-related expenditures take over from physical (and more visible) status symbols, consumers will increasingly have to tell each other stories to achieve a status dividend from their purchases.

In other words, before brands would tell the story. But now, brands help consumers tell status-enhancing stories to other consumers. Why does this work?

Because people want to be unique. In the days of yesteryear, people were "keeping up with the Joneses." But now, we don't want to be like the Joneses. We want to be unique. We want something the Joneses DON'T have.

Like highly individualized things such as My Kleenex tissue that lets you put photos on your box of tissues. The slogan? "Let out your creative juices." Too funny.

Once again, this is not about brands telling their story to the masses, but helping individuals to tell stories themselves involving the brands they use.

Enter the NOLAF Zone!

Our friends at Mekanism created ridiculously "anti-fun" site for the National Organization for Legislation Against Fun (NOLAF). Notice how Tostitos make their way into almost every scene.

Mmmmmm...Tostitos and cheese dip...

Storytelling Secrets of Aristotle

Aristotle, what a renaissance man. He was the first to create a comprehensive system of philosophy. He was a reknown expert in morality and aesthetics, logic and science, politics and metaphysics. His views on the physical sciences profoundly shaped thoughts during his time around 2,500 years ago. In the biological sciences, some of his observations were only confirmed to be accurate in the nineteenth century. Wow, what a body of work. Aristotle, I'm jealous dude. I wish I was that knowledgeable, But then, he didn't have distractions such as American Idol two nights a week either.

I really do have mad respect for Aristotle for all of his previously mentioned accomplishments. But did you know he was an expert at writing as well? Go figure.

All narrative writers should own a copy of Aristotle's The Poetics. It's a thin book that details THE rules to master the art of writing stories. Even today, this book is held up as the standard in contemporary fiction, drama, and screenwriting. If you're aspiring to write stories, save yourself a lot of time and money by getting this book and studying it.

Here are a few gems from the book.

1. All stories are made up of five elements: setting, character, plot, dialogue, and thought (a character's intention or motivation).

When all five of these elements work together in the proper proportions, you have a great story.

2. Plot is everything.

People these days might disagree here, but Aristotle is adamant about plot. He says, "The first essential, the life and the soul, so to speak, of story, is the plot."

3. Well-rounded and "appropriate" characters

Aristotle wrote about four aspects that every character needs developed. First, they must have some redeeming quality (positive or negative) that wins the respect of the audience. Second, these qualities must make sense based on the characters personality. THird, the character must be "believable" and "realistic." and fourth, a character should always remain consistent in their persona.

4. Keep readers hooked with "reversals"

Changes in the story from one state to the opposite state. Content / Sad / Mad / Content again.

5. Use of discoveries

Aristotle knew way back then that audiences love those moments where their hero learns something about themselves, or about another, that has a major impact on the direction of the story.

Strategies for Fluent Writing

1. Set a DAILY writing routine

Fluent writers prefer morning. The key is to set a habit of writing every day at a certain time. Try not to skip a day. Develop some momentum, and after a week of daily writing, you'll have a substantial amount of work done. Not a day should go by without a line.

2. Stay positive

Purge your mind of words like "procrastination" or writer's block." If you don't feel inspired, write about not feeling inspired. Or better yet, write about something that inspires you. Once again, just keep churning away, get that writing muscle in shape. Accomplishment has a tendency to make you feel good about yourself. 

3. Organize and prioritize

If you're anything like me, you have too many ideas floating around in your head. It's important to "clear the table" so you can focus on one thing at a time. Eliminate every distraction and dive in.

4. Always carry a notebook

A funny conversation overheard, an illuminating insight, a story idea--Life is in the details, so always carry a pen and notebook to record those wonderful moments presented to us.

5. Write the way you talk

This is the same as "write in your own voice." Writing should be invigorating, so just write as if you're talking to your best friend. Heartfelt, open, honest, YOU.

6. Don't wait to be inspired.

The muse is fickle, don't wait around for her to show up. Just turn on the machine and start churning away. The act of writing seems to attract her anyway.

7. Write with music playing

The only way to write with emotion is if you feel the emotion as you're writing. If music helps you tap into a more emotional state, then you should create a playlist for your writing time.

8. Simple is better

Be concise with your writing. People tend to remember and resonate with easily understandable concepts. As George Orwell says, "Never use a long word when a short one will do."

9. Always be honest

You'll find it much easier to write when it's flowing from your heart. Try writing about something you don't care about, and that's when writer's block suddenly appears. Write to make meaning in the universe, to touch and transform another, to create in reality that part of you that's beautiful and true.

10. Get inspired

Listen to music. Watch how kids play. Do something nice for a stranger. Good feelings leads to inspiration which leads to open mindedness which leads to higher creativity which leads to great writing.

Storytelling: Adapt or Die

Charles Darwin once said:

"It's not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one most adaptable to change."

It gets me thinking about the age of information we're living in. We're really in the midst of an "adapt" or be left behind in a cloud of dust. There's always the option of checking out of the modern world, but then you're looked upon as a new ager, a hippie, or at worst, a bum. I want to hang on for as long as possible. Not only that, but I choose to work hard to be at the forefront of things. Not everything of course. I'm not THAT smart. Just walking through Macworld Exhibit Hall, or the Ad Tech version I'm going to this week, completely zaps my strength. I love all the new techie stuff, but my brain fills up so fast and I become so mentally and physically exhausted that after about 30 minutes, I start looking around for an empty Exhibit Booth I can sneak in for a quick nap.

So I choose one aspect of this gigantic information typhoon we are being swept around in. It's storytelling. Not very technical, I know, but you watch enough You Tube videos and TV shows and advertisements and you realize that there is a great need for people who know how to craft a heartfelt story.

This world is moving way too fast, and we need new fablemakers to make sense of it all. The need for storytellers is, in my opinion, at an all-time high. In years past, we needed storytellers to record history. Prehistoric man painted scenes on cave walls. Mayans and Egyptians told stories through hieroglyphic symbols. Biblical writers scribbled in scrolls. Shakespeare wrote with a quill dipped in ink, and modern day storytellers write on a keyboard. As an aside, I recently purchased MacSpeech Dictate so I am experimenting with the dictation of my stories into a Word Document. I'm not much of a typist, so I love it. Plus, it helps me "write in a conversational style." 

Futurist Rolf Jensen talks about the importance of storytelling in his "The Dream Society: How the Coming Shift from Information to Imagination will Transform Your Business."

He says, "In the Information Society, our work has been driven by information technology; in the Dream Society, our work will be driven by stories and emotions, not just by data...Anyone seeking success in the market of the future will have to be a storyteller. The story is the heart of the matter."

But what's his definition of storytelling? Is it ads, movies, TV shows, novels, short stories, stand up comics? He explains...

(We're talking about) "stories about the universe and mankind's place in it, or they may be little everyday stories about who we are and who others are. These stories may be transmitted orally, in written form, through images, in plays or movies, or through the very products we choose to be surrounded by">

Cool interactive video stuff from Arcade Fire

Always ahead of the game with their videos, check out these interactive gems from the band Arcade Fire.

Make the singer juggle, clap his hands, and move around in this interactive music video for their new song/album Neon Bible.

Watch this dark yet alluring interactive video and play around with various tracks of the song. Don't like the drumbeat, click #2 and get rid of it. Be patient though, this one takes a while to load.

Waste of time? Probably. But it's pretty neato if you dig cool music and goofing around with cool graphics.