Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling

A Backpack is a strategy that increases the stakes of the story by increasing the audience’s anticipation about a coming event. It’s when a storyteller loads up the audience with all the storyteller’s hopes and fears in that moment before moving the story forward. It’s an attempt to do two things: 1. Make the audience wonder what will happen next.

As storytellers, we only lie for the benefit of our audience. We never lie for our own personal gain. We don’t manipulate the truth, alter the fabric of reality, or shift time and space for our own benefit.

As a teacher, I always wait five years before telling a story involving a student. Even then, I always change the student’s name, and I never tell stories about students that cast them in a negative light.

A great storyteller creates a movie in the minds of the audience.

teaching high-school seniors, nervousness will not be perceived well. When you are supposed to be the expert or the authority, confidence is often required.

Nervousness can be your friend. Too much of it is never good, but not being nervous at all isn’t good either.

Stakes. The desire of an audience to hear the next sentence, made greater by the deliberate slowing down of action and pace.

Your five-second moment is the most important thing that you will say. It is the purpose and pinnacle of your story. It’s the reason you opened your mouth in the first place. Therefore it must come as close to the end of your story as possible. Sometimes it will be the very last thing you say.

Always provide a physical location for every moment of your story.