Storytelling Tips #8

Welcome to Storytelling Tips, edition 8.

Actionable ways to level up your storytelling, with me, Maryam Pasha.

1.

Climate action is only as strong as the narratives that surround it. 🔎

We must put aside the idea that there's a right answer or a right story or a right narrative when it comes to 'cracking' the climate narrative.

Climate action is only as strong as the narratives that surround it – my latest thinking – a collaboration with Lucy Stone and Climate Spring.

We must put aside the idea that there's a right answer or a right story or a right narrative when it comes to 'cracking' the climate narrative. There’s no one thing that we need to do There’s no one way to do it.

Characters can be nuanced, complex and messy, challenging the narrative of climate purity upheld by cliches of the activist.

However, there is an approach you can take:

1️⃣ Now: Justice – Focus on causes and accountability and the urgent challenges we’re facing today. For example, we are developing true crime stories and court room dramas that shine a line on climate justice.

2️⃣ Now & Next Decades – Journey – Showcase the transition and transformation unfolding over time, and how we respond as individuals and societies. For example, we are developing stories that show the change underway in different sectors with workplace comedies, in our cities and homes with cooking and home renovation shows and family dramas.

3️⃣ Near Future: World Building – Imagine the future we want to create, offering visions beyond dystopia. This harnesses the superpower of the screen industry, depicting exciting, beautiful, aspirational worlds on the big screen, where the story is set in a world which is more regenerative.

🖇 Read the full article.

2.

Try a storytelling structure: false start.

A 'false start' story is when you begin to tell a seemingly predictable story, before unexpectedly disrupting it and beginning it over again.

This format is great for talking about a time that you failed in something and were forced to 'go back to the start' and reassess.

It's ideal for talking about the things that you learnt from experience. It’s particularly good for disrupting audience expectations and enacting the benefits of a flexible approach to life.

How to do it:

♻ Begin to tell a seemingly predictable story, before unexpectedly disrupting it and starting over again.

3.

Navigating nerves proactively.

Being nervous about public speaking isn’t something you have to accept - you can be proactive.

Pre-talk jitters are totally normal! You might be surprised to know that is brings about anxiety and apprehension in most of the great speakers you might aspire to be like.

But, the good news is, being nervous about public speaking isn’t something you have to accept - you can be proactive.

I firmly believe in the importance of pre-talk routines. Sayings and habits can be a really helpful tool to build into your pre-talk routine.

The key is making sure the saying means something personal to you.

For example, you could try out:

“I’m nervous because I care”

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

“No one here wants me to fail”.

Some speakers take a walk before speaking. Others use breathing exercises that help them calm down. Others listen to music.

All of these are personal behaviours that help you get in the right headspace.

🖇 For more advice, listen to my podcast episode on 'How to deal with nerves'.

🖇 Or, I can work with you on your nerves and public speaking skills in my ‘Speak, So Others Listen’ course.

About me

I believe in the power of storytelling: 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫.

But not everybody knows how to 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤, 𝐬𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧.

That’s where I can help you.

I'm Maryam Pasha, and I help take some of the world's biggest, most challenging, complex and important ideas and transform them into high-impact stories.

I work with billionaire philanthropists, award-winning academics, business leaders, activists, and students: anyone who wants to tell better stories, and tell stories better.

I’m passionate about supporting a new wave of leaders to communicate new ideas with the impact required to bring about systemic change – within organisations – and the world.

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