If You Want to Master Online Storytelling, Learn These 6 Lessons

Kane Kallaway dropped a fascinating video on “How to Become a Master Storyteller.” Here are the six lessons he teaches:

Lesson #1: Create a Dance of Conflict & Context

If the story beats are sequenced with “and then”, you’re in trouble. They should be separated by a mix of “therefore”s or “but”s. The “therefore” beats provide context. The “but” beats provide conflict.

And conflict is the fuel of stories.

Lesson #2: Make Your Words Sing

Our brains are masters at pattern recognition. When our writing structure follows predictable patterns, the mind switches off and drifts to more interesting pastures.

Provide rhythm.

Vary your sentence length and paragraph structure. There is a music to the variations in length and structure. And the mind loves music.

Lesson #3: Be Authentic & Conversational

The education system almost made me hate writing. The focus was on finely crafted words, on form rather than substance. The one thing it did not care about: Helping you find your voice. But that pretence is not sustainable. It’s not attractive.

Be you.

Lesson4: Start With The End in Mind

A story is a journey from a known place to a new land. To build your story, start with the destination. Where is your reader? Where do you want them to end up? And what are the steps in between?

That provides a direction to your story.

Lesson 5: Focus the Story with Meaning

Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” tells us our minds are obsessed with meaning. What is the deeper meaning that is driving your story? What is your unique angle?

What does this story mean to you?

Lesson 6: The Hook

Provide substance, reassure the audience they are in the right place and then build curiosity.

Now I need to put all this into practice!

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Z-Q1bg1tU