Agree, the same story told by two different storytellers sounds different. For one, it will be a boring story that you don’t really want to listen to the end. Another will tell him in such a way that will leave a lasting impression. Some people have this gift by nature, while others have to work hard to develop this skill. But, step by step, following the tips below, you will quickly learn the art of rhetoric, captivating others with your stories. We will talk about how to tell stories correctly below.

Understanding the fundamental principles of a fascinating story

To get the desired effect from the narration, you need to.

An example would be:

For a fairy tale: "A long time ago, from time immemorial, when there was magic everywhere, and animals could speak ...".
In a funny story: “I am very calm, homely, like a cat, right? And my best friend got into funny stories all the time.”

As an example use

Fairy tale: “A tall white candle blazed with all its beauty. The moth flew up to her and felt a powerful blow in the stomach. Love awakened in him. As you know, saving princesses by heroes in one day is impossible. So the Moth spent many beautiful nights. Falling more and more in love with the Flame.
Funny story: “After the New Year, we moved to live in another area. He was cute, but… dangerous. I had to live in constant tension. Good boost of energy."

morality: “This, dear listeners, suggests that it is not worth jumping to conclusions”;
question: “Isn’t it scary? I don't want to experience this anymore."

Slowing down the speech at the end of the story will help to understand that this is the end.

What is needed to improve the story?

Using a few simple guidelines, you can make your story brighter. Let's talk about them separately.

Secrets of using voice and body language

Important for creating a good impression of the story you told is how you move, speak. Experts advise resorting to the following techniques.

Whether you're telling a joke, a fairy tale, or a story, getting it right is a very important skill. For some, the gift of the storyteller manifests itself by nature, while others have to learn this. Never be afraid. You can learn how to tell better and more engaging stories, and wikiHow can help! Just start with step 1 below.

Steps

Part 1

Learning the basics of storytelling

Engage your audience. Start the story by capturing the attention of the audience or engaging them in the story. Ask questions, even if rhetorical, related to a conclusion, plot twist, or story context. Alternatively, you can say some catchy phrase to get attention (hook the audience, like big newspaper headlines do). This way you will intrigue the listeners, and they will want to hear the continuation.
- Fairy tale example: "Have you ever wondered why a moth flies into a flame?"
- Example for a funny story: "I have a history from my university days that will outshine all others. It has to do with the toilet."
Build an action scene. Throughout the story, you must create an immersive effect. The audience should perceive the story as if they were participating in it. Start with a preface. Build the story by adding details that convey atmosphere, emotion, and action. Choose your expressions very carefully: use words with a strong emotional connotation.
- An example of a fairy tale: "A long time ago, in the old world, where magic did not cease to exist, and animals could speak..."
- Example of a funny story: "I'm pretty quiet and homely, like a cat, right? But my roommate in the hostel was still a party animal."
Build up and release tension. Of course, the main storyline will become more and more tense, reaching a climax, after which the action will tend to end. However, you should also ease the tension between the strongest moments. Otherwise, the story will seem crumpled or too sketchy. AT real life there are moments that fill in the gaps between events. The same goes for stories. Such a digression can be a description of the scene, small digressions to add details, or a joke to add zest to the story.
- An example of a fairy tale: "The moth flew up to a tall white candle, where the Flame blazed in all its glory. The moth felt a blow somewhere in the stomach area and love awakened in it. Of course, heroes do not save princesses in one day, and the Moth spent many delightful nights falling more and more in love with the Flame."
- An example of a funny story: "It has come New Year and we moved to a new area, nice and… unsafe. So I lived almost all the time in the mode state of emergency. By the way, it's good for raising blood pressure."
Concentrate on the essentials. When telling a story, it's important to include details in the story to create an immersive experience. However, the story should not turn out to be incoherent and drawn out. Therefore, it is very important to focus on the main thing. Omit minor details and leave out those that spice up the story or make it clearer.
- Try not to get ahead of yourself and slow down on the spot, add details if necessary to see the public's response. If they get bored, speed up and move on to the main thing.
The story must flow logically. It is here that it is very important not only to know history, but also to teach it correctly. You have probably met people who constantly interrupt their story with the words: “Oh, I forgot (a) to say ...”. Yes, you don't have to be that person. Don't stop to go back. This distracts the attention of the listeners and confuses them. The story should flow smoothly and logically.
- If you forgot to mention something, pour the detail into the story without interrupting the main line. For example: “Now the Pied Piper was after the city's money for a reason. After all, a deal was made with him before.
The story must have a clear ending. It is very embarrassing when the listeners are not sure whether you have finished the story or not. So the ending in your story should be pronounced. There are several completion options, for example:
- Ask a question and answer it. “Isn't this crazy? So I'm not going to do it again."
- Bring out the moral. "This, ladies and gentlemen, is a perfect example of why you shouldn't take your cat to work."
- Choose your tone and style of speech carefully. Try to speak louder and faster, heating up the atmosphere, and then lower your voice and slow down, indicating that you have come to the end.
Part 2
Use of voice and body
1. Create characters. Let the characters in your story sound different. If you get used to different roles, you will avoid dull and annoying empty narrative. You can also make the story more real. Play with accents, speech, people's voices. You can add comic relief by parodying silly or stereotyped voices.
  - For example, convey your father's voice in an overly deep and husky sound, adding a special zest to the dialogue: “[Important part of the story] ... Also, I'm going to the garage to build a platform. Or part of the platform. Or maybe I'll watch a TV show where platforms are being built."
2. Make your story "big" or "small". Choose the sound of the voice so that it is appropriate in one part or another of the story. Change the intonation, tone, volume to make the story sound calm or exciting, depending on the plot. Speed up and speak a little louder towards the end. Slow down at the very end.
  - You should also experiment with dramatic pauses. A short silence and facial expressions can make a story much more interesting.
3. Control your facial expression. If you want to be a truly great storyteller, you must master the ability to create and change facial expressions as the story unfolds. In fact, the whole story should unfold on your face. If you really want to learn how to do this, watch a video on Youtube, type in a search engine: John Stewart or Martin Freeman.
  - Remember, facial expression has more than 3 shades. You can create truly vivid emotions with very specific facial expressions.
4. Speak with your hands. The ability to sign can turn you from a really dull and boring storyteller to the person who grabs all the attention in the room. Hands convey emotions. Hands grab the attention of the audience. Hands create a sense of action. If you're not using your whole body, at least use your hands as you speak.
  - Of course, you shouldn't overdo it. No need to hit someone or knock over your drink. Or splash it in your face.
5. Play history. If possible, move your whole body during the story. It is not necessary to reproduce every movement, but at key moments it is worth using the whole body in order to capture the listener's full attention. It also adds to the comedic effect.
  - Look at the behavior famous people and their facial expressions and gestures. For example, enter in the search engine: Groucho Marx, Rodney Dangerfield, Conan O "Brien and Robin Williams.

The worst thing on a first date is when the topics for conversation are exhausted and an awkward silence sets in and you don’t know what else you can tell her so that she is interested. If you have not been gifted with the gift of quickly choosing a topic for conversation since childhood, then our 5 ideas for an interesting story will definitely come in handy. They are universal, they can be used at any time to communicate with any girl.

Funny stories from childhood

Stories about how a pretty girl climbed fences, wore pantyhose and brought home homeless cats, will melt the heart of any young lady.

Talking about kindergarten and school, you can not hide anything, and even serious failures and blunders will not put a man in a bad light. Childhood is treated like another life, so the funnier the story, the better.

The only exceptions are attempts to torture animals or mock weaker guys. As for the rest, the man has complete freedom of action, and a piggy bank of memories is on his side.

Wikipedia is a source of useful information

"Do you like Wikipedia?" - this phrase can be an excellent continuation of the conversation if all the popular topics have already been raised, and an awkward silence hung.

All you need is to look at the main page - there are collected selective interesting facts about everything in the world. Women like men who are superior in something. Can not boast of ideal physical data? Why not show that you are smarter than others? You can, on occasion, impress her by telling a few interesting facts about Peter the Great, Australian platypuses or satellites of Jupiter.

Ideal for communication on the Internet, for example, in VK. It is enough just to turn off the conversation and google any topic of interest.

The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the girl may think that you are a nerd.

The girl asks to tell something interesting? Why not tell us about your travels? Funny or shocking cases from travel always attract attention. People like to learn about other people's experiences, build future routes and learn useful nuances.

Tell us how your luggage was lost at the airport, and you had to spend a week at sea in the same shorts and a bathrobe from your room.

Try to scare a girl with the fact that in one Asian market, friends persuaded her to try dried or fried insects.

Certainly, if it really happened. If not, then you can tell cases from the life of your friends and report that this is only in the plans. In any case, each experience becomes a source of valuable information and allows you to be prepared for any trouble.

Compilation useful tips about: where to start, how to avoid mistakes, where you can learn it.

Don't know what to talk about with a girl? How to find common ground? we did in a separate article.

It is impossible for a conversation to turn into a monologue of one person. Are you constantly talking, but she is silent? Why not toss the ball to her field? Open-ended questions are ideal for this. You will learn about what it is and how to use them in a conversation with a girl with examples of real conversations from.

If you don’t know what to talk about, another win-win option is.

You don’t know how to make a compliment correctly so that the girl doesn’t think that you are just flattering her? About, .

Do you want to learn how to flirt? Everything plays a role: words, intonation, gestures, facial expressions, body position. Detailed overview with examples can be found in the article on our website.

Features of different countries and cultures

This topic is more encyclopedic character, unless your work is connected with constant business trips.

Surely you know about something unusual, which is completely normal for other peoples, but strange in Russia. Do you have a favorite country that you have always dreamed of going to? Read more about her, find out local traditions and customs, and share this information with the girl.

Favorite literature and facts about writers

Another way to show your superiority over others is to show her that you love to read. Men rarely like to read, and even if they do, they read typically men's books: science fiction, detective stories and instructions for household appliances.

What not to tell a girl

There are several topics that should not be covered in conversations with a girl:

Your global plans for life. This topic, even if you have planned everything in detail for a long time from the name of the dog to the license plate of your car, is not suitable for the early stages of dating.

Relationships with exes. If she was not 6, and you were 7, when love happened (you brought sweets from home to her, and she allowed you to hold her hand), then it’s better not to tell anything. Tell about a good relationship experience - the girl will be nervous that you still have feelings, she will begin to doubt. Tell about a bad experience - the girl will be nervous that you will also talk about her later;

Diseases. There are almost no healthy people left, but it’s worth talking about your sores when it comes to the wedding. You can tell how, at the age of 7, they fell ill with chickenpox and, out of boredom, painted the cat with greenery, but it’s better to keep silent about the rest;

Failures and defeats. The question, of course, is how to present information, but at the beginning of a relationship this is really not the best time.

If you still can’t get away from the conversation, then you need to talk about the situation briefly and with humor.

You can find many more interesting topics for talking with a girl on the video:

And the last tip on the topic - think not only about what the girl would be interested in hearing, but also about what you really would like to talk about. If a person is very passionate about something and burns with the business that he is talking about, even a story about engine volumes can interest a girl so that she will be ready to listen about it for hours.

But if you do not have such a hobby, and you have no idea what to tell this particular young lady, then it will not be superfluous to ask her what she would like you to tell. There is nothing wrong with that, and it will be worse if she listens all evening about foreign travel, and she herself recognizes only rest inside the country with tents ...

Someone who knows how to tell stories in a fun and playful way. They are loved, they are valued, they are called for registration, and then, when you get old and grow fat for anniversaries, go to a restaurant.
However, this gift is not given to everyone, except perhaps to the elect. But it is very easy to become this very chosen one, because there are rules that will allow you to become the first rhetorician in the village. And if you become more skilled, then you can go to the club, joke in front of a pseudo-intellectual audience.

Choose a story that is important to you

Problems start from the very beginning - which story to choose? Everything is very simple, take the one that worries and excites you directly. You can delve into the jungle of your own past, and fish out something that has left an imprint on your future. Most likely, a story that seems funny to you will seem like that to your friends.

Divide into parts and correctly present each

Your storytelling should not differ much from a literary story. So mentally, break your story into several parts. Do not forget to indicate at the beginning those details that are necessary for the normal perception of the narrative. You can even start with the notorious “Once upon a time ...”, the upward action is always perceived much easier.

Most importantly, do not forget to add color to the details of the plot as the story progresses. There is such a cinematic technique - to pile paints and special effects on sagging fragments of the script and uninteresting details. So here, do not hesitate to add color to those moments that, in your opinion, cannot be deprived of attention.
The final part of the story should be the most effective. It is the ending that makes the viewer understand why he was forced to listen to all this. Of course, these rules do not apply to all stories, but they are guaranteed
effective.

Focus on the right details

not everyone likes to read Balzac, who passionately loved to describe everything from squiggles on the pavement to wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Such saturation, perhaps, helps to present the story in more detail, but only to the most persistent personalities. Listening to stories that are too oversaturated with information is very difficult. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you focus on really interesting and juicy moments.

The purpose of your story is to make people experience the same emotions that you experienced. Therefore, if you want to stuff your story with bright details, add your personal experiences to it. This is a universal material, people are much more interested in learning about your personal condition and attitude than about defects in a corrugated pipe. Out of natural curiosity, it is interesting and useful for a person to observe the behavior of other people, because he can use this model of behavior in the future.

Tell the truth

You are not a fisherman, not a lumberjack in a remote village, not a prisoner, not a superhero, and not even a traveler, you are an ordinary person, you have not seen everything that Fedor Konyukhov could see, but does this mean that listening to you is not at all interesting? Life is full of fun, an interesting story can happen to everyone. Therefore, always tell the truth, no need to embellish. Because, people who begin to invent some details in the story in order to seem better, transfer the entire emphasis to their magical coolness, which makes the listener wonder: “what was the story about?”. This is especially funny when everyone knows that you are a schmuck and a coward, and Lee Bruce is straight in the stories.
In fact, the most interesting stories are those in which the narrator is sincere and does not hide his vulnerability, stupidity, strangeness. The truth, after all, is much more fun and interesting, so there is no need to try to decorate it with unnecessary fictitious details. When you start to invent along the way, it catches your eye, as well as a well-coordinated sincere story.

Practice and work on the little things

Everywhere you need practice, even such seemingly simple things. Speak these stories to yourself, set your breath, write down the details that you would like to convey, because such trifles are completely forgotten, fly out of your head. And without them, the story is like a sailboat without sails - some kind of nonsense. A story in the style: “I came to the garden, I was beaten by a mole. It was painful. Well, that's it ”- will not be a success.

We talked about sincerity, but everywhere there are details that should be omitted. Some because they are meaningless and uninteresting, and some will defame you. That's why it's important to think through your speech before it goes public.
And most importantly, your story should sound equally interesting and cheerful both the first time and the hundred and twenty-first time, so please do your best. If you are asked to tell it again and again, then congratulations, this is success.

Know your audience and don't be afraid to fail

Do not be afraid that your story will not be accepted or understood. People are different. Everyone has different interests, it's just a story - no more, no less. But from now on, notice at what moments people perked up, at what they laughed, and at what moments they yawned. And most importantly, if possible, take into account the peculiarities of the audience. If you also know for sure that some people can’t stand jokes about members, or are categorically against any mention of jokes from the Internet, then this should be taken into account.

Story structure

In its most simplified form, the history structure looks like this:

Start(tie) - describes the situation and sets the basis for the story, introduces us to the characters, establishes their relationship and indicates the unfulfilled desire of the hero, which will keep the intrigue.

middle(confrontation) - unfolds a dramatic action arising from a certain confrontation: the protagonist encounters some obstacles that do not allow him to achieve his goal.

End(decoupling). The denouement does not mean the end, but rather the resolution of the problem. Did the main character succeed or fail? In any case, the hero comes out updated.

The points at which the beginning passes into the middle, and the middle into the end, are called "plot climaxes". Such points can be any incident, episode or event that twists the story in a completely different direction. Each point pushes history to change, to development.

Here is an example template that Nancy Duarte suggests using in her book Resonate to help turn information into a story.

1. Remember the five main elements of a story: setting, characters, dialogue, conflict, and intrigue. Be sure to describe the circumstances in which the development of events takes place, do not forget to pay attention to the characters and what and how they talk about. Give the characters opinions. Passive and accommodating characters attract no one. Try to use unexpected plot twists. Surprise causes the release of adrenaline in the brain, which enhances memory formation. Well, perhaps most importantly - do not forget about the conflict. If there is no conflict, there is no story.

2. Show your story. No, we are not talking about pictures or slides. You just need to use words that will help engage as many of your listeners' senses as possible. For example, when describing a scene, make sure your audience smells, sees a picture, and hears the sounds around them. The more senses you can use, the more stronger man will be able to get used to your story, which means that the greater the impact it will have on him. Describe everything as if it is happening before your eyes.

Some confectioners do not buy briquettes, but chocolate mass, but I like to prepare the mixture with my own hands. The tinkering with raw, dull blocks of chocolate icing is endlessly fascinating: crushing them by hand - I never use electric mixers - pouring them into large ceramic vats, melting, stirring, carefully measuring the temperature every now and then with a special thermometer: until the mixture gets enough heat to make it happen transformation. There is something magical in the process of transforming raw chocolate into delicious "fool's gold" that excites the imagination of the layman. Perhaps even my mother would appreciate my work. While working, I breathe deeply and do not think about anything. The windows are wide open, there are drafts. The kitchen would be cold if not for the heat rising from the stoves and copper vats, if not for the hot vapors of melting chocolate icing. A stupefying, intoxicating mixture of smells of chocolate, vanilla, red-hot cauldrons and cinnamon hits the nose - the tart, rough spirit of America, the sharp, resinous aroma of tropical forests. This is how I travel now - like the Aztecs in their sacred rituals. Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia. Courtyard of Montezuma. Cortez and Columbus. The food of the gods bubbles and froths in ritual bowls. Bitter elixir of life.

3. Influence the emotions of the audience. No facts matter until you make an emotional connection with your audience. Whatever we feel: sadness, joy, fear - all this helps us to feel more alive. Decisions are most often made on the basis of emotions, to which arguments are then selected to make them seem more logical. Therefore, it is important that your story evokes emotions in the audience. Think about how other people should feel when they hear or read your story, and then present the information in a way that does that. Think of a time when you yourself have experienced such emotions. This will strengthen the bond between you and the audience, and they will begin to treat you with more trust and sincerity. A personal catalog of stories related to a wide variety of emotions is a very useful source, get yourself one.

4. Start the story from the middle, from the most interesting moment. Life goes by in chronological order - and that's boring. Events should go on increasing, but in an emotional sense, and not in a chronological sequence. It is useful to write down all the main events of the story on separate sheets, which can then be shuffled to get an unusual order. Imagine that you are a filmmaker. Look for moments of truth in your story that will help you capture your audience's attention.

5. Tell only what is important to the audience. Do not spread your thoughts too much along the tree and do not abuse descriptions.

6. Use humor. Humor is a powerful tool. A couple of well-placed jokes can change the whole mood of an audience. Laughter not only energizes the audience, but also makes them more attentive to you and your story. If the end of the story should contain a serious lesson, then move the jokes closer to the beginning. One of better ways- talk about how you got into an awkward situation (as a child or at a new job).

7. Do not apply Difficult words and jargon which may not be familiar to your audience. The simpler your story, the better. Talk about things that people who listen to you can understand.

8. Use metaphors and analogies. A well-chosen metaphor will increase the impact of the story and make your story more understandable, especially if you are trying to convey some complex idea (for example, an information system audit can be compared to a medical examination).

9. Share your failures. Everyone is wrong. So if your life or company story looks perfect, it's not credible. It will be much more interesting if you talk about how you made some kind of mistake and what you could learn as a result. Remember that you are not the hero of the story, but your audience. Most people, when they hear about other people's problems, usually remember when something similar happened to them. This is where empathy begins. Audiences love speakers who can laugh at themselves. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. So you can quickly find contact with any audience.

10. If you get stuck, make a list of what can NOT happen. After that, you will definitely find the right material and be able to continue.

Exercises: How to be a good storyteller

Here are some exercises that will help you become a good storyteller if you practice them as often as possible.

1. The question “What if…”

This question is often used by writers to come up with a plot for a book. Here, for example, is what Stephen King writes about this in his work How to Write Books: A Memoir of a Craft:

“...the basis of my books is not an event, but a situation. Some books are born from simple ideas, others are more complex, but almost all of them start with the simplicity of a shop window or a wax panorama. I put a group of characters (or a couple of them, or even one) in difficult situation and see how they get out. My job is not to help them out or lead them to safety, but to watch and record what happens.

A sufficiently strong situation generally removes the whole question of the plot, which suits me quite well. The most interesting situations are usually framed as “what if” questions. What if a small village in New England was attacked by vampires? ("The Lot") What if a cop in a remote Nevada town goes berserk and starts killing everyone in sight? ("Hopelessness") What if a cleaner suspected of a murder she got away with (her husband) is suspected of a murder she didn't commit (her employer)? ("Dolores Claiborne") What if a young mother and son are not released from a car broken down on the road by a rabid dog? ("Kujo")"

Why don't you use this method when you're making up a story to stimulate your brain to look for an answer. “What if…” can be applied to any familiar object, part of it, or action. This method perfectly develops imagination and is actually a trigger for any creative process. And the more strange questions you ask, the more interesting and original story you can come up with. What if animals were sentient and kept humans as pets? What if there was no gravity on earth? What if scientists discovered another habitable planet?

Take a blank sheet or open a text document on your computer, set a timer for 15 minutes and during this time describe everything that comes to your mind to one of the questions “What if ...” (you can take any of the examples given here or come up with your own).

2. Ten random words strategy

Come up with an exciting story using the following words:

Omul
Cemetery
Stump
aliens
Bucket
Pencil
Architect
Head

The famous storyteller Gianni Rodari recommended using a similar method. To compose a fairy tale, he suggested choosing two words at random and connecting them together. This was considered the beginning of a fairy tale. Let's say "man" and "jungle". The most banal combination of them gives rise to a mysterious tale " A little boy lost his parents and was left alone in the jungle ”(it turns out something in the spirit of Tarzan or Mowgli). Then it remains only to spin the plot: “Who raised him?”, “How did he spend his days?”, “What happened then?” etc.

3. Special games

Play games with your friends or kids that develop storytelling skills. For example, here is one of them with the eloquent name "Bla-bla-bla".

The plot of the game is tied to the stories that the participants themselves compose. And 240 game cards with different themes help them in this.

4. Practice

Logically, to become a good storyteller, you have to practice. How? Keep a diary in which you try to describe interesting events that happened to you during the day. This exercise is especially effective if at first glance nothing interesting happened at all. The ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary is a useful skill that will come in handy for more than just storytelling. +

5. Alternate history

Take a piece of art you like or a movie and try to play around with the plot. You can change some climactic point and take the plot in a different direction, you can change the ending or introduce new characters. Or do everything at once. In any case, it will be interesting.