Storytelling in the digital age

In recent weeks and months I have been exploring storytelling theory and how communications professionals can use it in a more methodical way to identify stories from within their organisations.

I have been on an interesting journey dipping into topics such as the history and philosophy of storytelling, principles of screen writing, ideas on classical story telling techniques and up-to-the minute thinking on topics such as non-linear storytelling.

Often the problem in PR story mining is that stories collected by talking to the CEO or Sales Director or Head of R & D are not stories in the true sense of the word. They may have aspects of interest or surprise but they are not real stories in terms of structure and appeal.

The end result of my research is that we, at Eloqui, have now developed a series of creative techniques which use established storytelling formats and theories to help mine stories. We have also developed a half day creative workshop to help organisations find stories and content from within.

You may not think that your organisation has much in common with Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress and Homer’s Odyssey, or Beowulf and Jaws (much the same story, just thousands of years apart), or modern day tale such as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. However understanding how and why these enduring stories are so compelling to audiences can help to inspire and unlock stories from any source.

Read my full article on this topic at
http://eloquipr.co.uk/upload/Storytellinginadigitalage.pdf
For further information about our workshops contact me at jmilroy@eloquipr.co.uk

Joanne Milroy