We've seen what does not
work in telling stories. Let's see what does. First of all, writing
and writing again. If we want to have impact, we're going to have to prepare. Good communications comes
from good preparation. To do this, you've
got to write a story and constantly rework it. Then practicing means
recording yourself. It's common misunderstanding
to think that the story is ready when
we have a perfect text. Film yourself telling
that story and watch it. It'll be painful, but you'll see really quickly how
to improve it. Then my recommendation is apply the rule of three
for your preparation. About a third of your
time writing the story. Another third, editing it. In the last third, rehearsing it and watching
yourself on video. Then also remember
the direct dialogue works much better than
indirect dialogue. Makes it easier for the
listener to be there. Allows you to change the tone. Hey, he said that, and keep the
audience's attention. That makes the speech richer, more enjoyable, a
lot more persuasive. Then controlled pauses
between different parts. This creates tension, suspense,
always more connection. For example, you can stop
between the description of ordinary life
and the surprise. That silence increases
the tension. It's a way to separate the passage from one
moment to another. If we're standing, we can stage the pause by going to
another place in the room. It's an extended
pause as walk across. That increases the drama
and helps people focus. Finally, the non-verbal. We have to use our gestures,
support the narrative. Our story can be complimented, reinforced with our hand,
our facial gestures. Not everyone's an actor, but you're going to
improve a lot in this area just by watching how others do it and watching yourself and seeing
how you can improve.