by: Barbara White

Story telling is a very effective way to get your point across. Here
are some tips to help you develop a dynamic powerful story.

• Decide on the purpose for the story. What is the main point you
want to make? Slant the telling of the story so that that point is
clear.

• Create the backdrop. Describe the scene so that the audience can
picture it in their minds. What is the time, location, weather? What
is going on emotionally, physically, or spiritually?

• Introduce the main characters. Help your audience to picture the
important characters through detailed descriptions. Become them;
describe their relationships, quirks and personality. Add character
voices or mannerisms to make them different from your own.

• Begin the Journey. What is the task, the goal, and the journey to
take? What are the challenges that need to be faced?


• Meet the obstacle. To avoid boredom something must happen to get
in your way and make it interesting. This could be a person, a self
limiting belief, or a challenge to overcome. Exaggeration will add
humour.

• Overcome the obstacles. What had to be done to overcome the
obstacle? What inner resources did you have to summon? Did someone
help you? A hero? Or you? Be specific. Break your solution down into
a few steps in sequence. This is where the teaching happens.


• Resolve the story. How did everything turn out? Tie up the loose
ends-what happened to the other people? To your hero?

• Make the point. A story needs one clear point to have more points
confuses the issue. Write out and memorize the point, work on the
words to make it simple and easy to remember. Find “the phrase that
pays”.


• Ask the question. Make your story personal to the audience. “Has
that ever happened to you?” Turn the main point into a question.
Push their buttons!

• Practice, practice, practice. Tell your stories to anyone who is
willing to listen. Get feedback, make adjustments, and tell it
again. These steps will ignite the WOW in your audience.

Remember the best story you will ever tell is your next story!

Barbara White helps speakers develop dynamic
speaking skills
through workshops, training and coaching. For more articles on
speaking skills
visit
http://www.livingbeyondbetter.com and

http://www.articlesbeyondbetter.com





This article is free for republishing
Barbara White has a passion to empower others towards success and
excellence in their personal and professional lives.

Barbara has a background of over twenty years in educational
leadership, teaching children and adults to be their absolute best
and overcome all challenges. Now as President of Beyond Better
Development, Barbara works with individuals and organizations to
accelerate growth and success. For more information visit her
website http://www.livingbeyondbetter.com For more great articles go
to http://www.articlesbeyondbetter.com