Storytelling Part Two
In part one I invited you on a “hero’s journey”.
What I left out is the explanation of what a hero’s journey is. Please allow me a moment to define the phrase “hero’s journey”. The “Hero’s Journey” is a pattern of narrative that developed by scholar Joseph Campbell.
What is the premise of the hero’s journey? Hero is introduced; hero encounters trials; hero meets a mentor; hero rises triumphant. It’s the classic story pattern from all your favorite childhood fairytales, superhero movies, and other stories.
Think of your favorite story, movie, song. How did that author create the emotional response they wanted to convey to you the consumer of the content. Using the hero’s journey, we as authors and storytellers elicit an emotional response. Humans have used storytelling to warn, educate, and inspire since, well, humans were around. Cave paintings are an example of storytelling passing down useful information from generation to generation.
When crafting your story, your presentation, your training courses, your website matching the emotion to the topic will keep your audience engaged. Stories resonate with people, help people connect with a topic, and have the power to inspire and motivate. Stories enhance the experience. As a result, people are far more likely to remember the knowledge they have learned.
What does this all mean? By following the steps of the hero’s journey, you are creating a powerful narrative that allows you to challenge your audience. It also assists in designing activities that are engaging your audience, also providing them with a clear path to completion and success.
Part Three we will continue our hero’s journey.