Find a Metaphor As Big As Your Idea Metaphors are powerful because they take one concept and marry it to another one to help someone understand something.
Storytelling
Story vs. Narrative – EP063
A System of Stories We use the word “story” a lot, but there are several times when we actually mean something else: narrative.
Why Telling a Complete Story Doesn’t Always Work – EP062
In Medias Res We talk a lot about telling stories with our messages, but a common mistake is to tell a story that’s already over.
The Last Six Miles
I’ve lived in Boston for 25 years now. And if you’ve lived there that long, the famed Boston Marathon has this sneaky effect.
What creates the best brand experiences? (or: An ode to Chris Gillespie and Bemelmans Bar)
“Grab your coat / Don’t forget your hat / Leave your worries on the doorstep / Life can be so sweet / On the sunny side of the street.”
Just as good in half the time
When I was in high school, my senior English teacher was a granite pylon of a woman. Bat Masterson.
What is the Shape of Your Story? – EP048
The Three Story Shapes Kurt Vonnegut had this idea that stories have shapes. Here’s how it would work: if you could map a story with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing our characters’ fortunes, you could see how it’s structured over time.
Why Jargon Is So Dangerous – EP043
Jargon’s Many Meanings We all have jargon that’s useful in our industry or company, but we also need to make sure that our message is clear.
A Shortcut to Business Storytelling – EP042
The Three Acts of a Story One of the biggest problems that businesses run into when they try to do business storytelling is that they mistake stories for storytelling.
An Easy Way to Find Pieces of Your Personal Red Thread – EP040
Understanding Power If you’re trying to figure out what your personal Red Thread is all about, start with what you can do better than anyone else.