Story Making What were talking about today Why stories work - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Story Making

• Why stories work
• Crafting your narrative
• Resources to build your story

What we’re talking about today

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Stories are for entertainment

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Stories are for convincing

Science vs Stories

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Statistics are people with the tears wiped away.”

“

– DR. IRVING J. SELIKOFF

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Science + Stories

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Stories capture nuance
 and feeling You want to communicate the intangible and emotional

DATA GAP STORY BENEFIT

Stories complement data

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Stories capture nuance and feeling

It’s hard not to like someone

• nce you know their story.”

“

– FRED ROGERS

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DATA GAP STORY BENEFIT

Stories complement data

Stories capture nuance and feeling

You can gather stories
 any time

You want to communicate the intangible and emotional

You don’t have results

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You can gather stories any time

http:/ /viaproject.org/ourwork/asthma.asp

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DATA GAP STORY BENEFIT

Stories complement data

Stories capture nuance and feeling You can gather stories any time

The language of stories
 is universal

You want to communicate the intangible and emotional You don’t have results

You aren’t talking to academics

DOPAMINE

the brain releases dopamine into the system when it experiences an emotionally-charged event, making it easier to remember and with greater accuracy.

CORTEX ACTIVITY

when processing facts, two areas of the brain are

• activated. a well-told

story can engage many additional areas including the motor cortex, sensory cortex and frontal cortex.

The language of stories is universal

NEURAL COUPLING

a story activates parts in the brain allowing the listener to turn the story in to their own ideas and experience thank to a process called neural coupling.

MIRRORING

listeners will not only experience the similar brain activity to each

• ther, but also to the

storyteller.

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DATA GAP STORY BENEFIT

Stories complement data

Stories capture nuance and feeling You can gather stories any time The language of stories is universal

Stories are sticky

You want to communicate the intangible and emotional You don’t have results You aren’t talking to academics

You want to build enthusiasm

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Stories are sticky

“ The origin of my interest in organizational

storytelling was simple: nothing else worked…. I gave people reasons why the idea was important but they didn't listen. I showed them charts and they just looked dazed.
 In my desperation, I was willing to try anything and eventually I stumbled on the power of a story.”

– STEPHEN DENNING

Crafting your narrative

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Stories in (scientific) writing

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Start with a plan

What is my purpose? Who is my audience? Who’s my hero?

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Why are you telling this story?

Audience Purpose

To develop empathy for others To describe what’s possible To build conviction in your mission Other I want this story to help people feel…

Hero

v v v

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A clear purpose yields easier editing

Audience Purpose

To develop empathy for others To describe what’s possible To build conviction in your mission Other I want this story to help people feel… Inspired by a different way of care that empowers the patient. I want them to feel optimistic that this is a solvable problem. I want them to feel like innovators in new approaches so they’ll be patient as we learn.

Hero

v v v X

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Prioritize your purpose

Audience Purpose

To develop empathy for others To describe what’s possible To build conviction in your mission Other I want this story to help people feel… I want them to feel like innovators in new approaches so they’ll be patient as we learn. I want them to feel optimistic that this is a solvable problem. Inspired by a different way of care that empowers the patient.

Hero

v v v X

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Think about your audience

Audience

Who are they? What are they trying to achieve? What do you think they should do differently?

Purpose

To develop empathy for others To describe what’s possible To build conviction in your mission Other I want this story to help people feel… I want them to feel like innovators in new approaches so they’ll be patient as we learn. I want them to feel optimistic that this is a solvable problem. Inspired by a different way of care that empowers the patient.

Hero

v v v X

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Align your story with what matters

Audience

Who are they? gravitytank health funding grant givers: Scott and Chris What are they trying to achieve? Make meaningful change in health

• utcomes through patient-centered

interventions National recognition Ongoing funding What do you think they should do differently? Give us money! Think about actionable learnings not just success metrics

Purpose

To develop empathy for others To describe what’s possible To build conviction in your mission Other I want this story to help people feel… I want them to feel like innovators in new approaches so they’ll be patient as we learn. I want them to feel optimistic that this is a solvable problem. Inspired by a different way of care that empowers the patient.

Hero

v v v X

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Pick your point of view

Audience

Who are they? gravitytank health funding grant givers: Scott and Chris What are they trying to achieve? Make meaningful change in health

• utcomes through patient-centered

interventions National recognition Ongoing funding What do you think they should do differently? Give us money! Think about actionable learnings not just success metrics

Purpose

To develop empathy for others To describe what’s possible To build conviction in your mission Other I want this story to help people feel… I want them to feel like innovators in new approaches so they’ll be patient as we learn. I want them to feel optimistic that this is a solvable problem. Inspired by a different way of care that empowers the patient.

Hero

Who is your hero? You Parent Patient Tool Grant giver Other What is their name? Who else is involved?

v v v v v v v v X

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Build out the cast of characters

Audience

Who are they? gravitytank health funding grant givers: Scott and Chris What are they trying to achieve? Make meaningful change in health

• utcomes through patient-centered

interventions National recognition Ongoing funding What do you think they should do differently? Give us money! Think about actionable learnings not just success metrics

Purpose

To develop empathy for others To describe what’s possible To build conviction in your mission Other I want this story to help people feel… I want them to feel like innovators in new approaches so they’ll be patient as we learn. I want them to feel optimistic that this is a solvable problem. Inspired by a different way of care that empowers the patient.

Hero

Who is your hero? You Parent Patient Tool Grant giver Other What is their name? Antonio Who else is involved? Elaine (mom/side kick)

• Dr. X (mentor)

Amazing tool (weapon) Rescue inhaler (villain)

v v v v v v v v X X

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You’ve got your plan,
 so now what do you say?

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There are a lot of stories about stories

lunascientificstorytelling.com

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Deconstructing the stories we tell provides common story templates

FREYTAG’S DRAMATIC ARC CAMPBELL’S HEROES JOURNEY

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We can simplify the structure

who, where, what’s up?

context

what is the challenge?

conflict

how is the situation resolved?

closure

what is the defining moment?

climax

what did they do?

action

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There are often multiple challenges to face

who, where, what’s up?

context

what is the challenge?

conflict

how is the situation resolved?

closure

what is the defining moment?

climax

what did they do?

action

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Let’s build out some of the moments

• Raphael Luna
• postdoctoral

research fellow in biochemistry and molecular pharmacology

• at Harvard

Medical School

• studying

biochemical mechanisms of cancer

• working with 5

professors for 2 years on research manuscript

• continually

rejected journal

• exhausted by hard

work + rejection

who, where, what’s up?

context

what is the challenge?

conflict

how is the situation resolved?

closure

what is the defining moment?

climax

what did they do?

action

• decides science

may not be the right field for him

• enrolls in creative

writing courses

• inspired by the

courses to rewrite the manuscript and resubmit for publication

• edits mercilessly
• prioritizes human

narrative

• professors love it
• top journal

publishes it

• writes The Art of

Scientific Storytelling

• launches Luna

Scientific Storytelling to help other researchers

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The two parts of a compelling story

The Anecdote ties together the series of moments 
 The Reflection tells people why it’s important

1 2

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Anecdotes with reflections
 make effective stories

Anecdote No anecdote Reflection No reflection interesting but useless boring but true memorable + effective boring and useless

Tips to crafting your story

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Share universal “life” moments.

Rough it out and pitch it to others

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Details help the moments stick

Jack sustained fatal injuries in an auto accident.”

“

Jack was killed by a semi trailer that rolled

• ver on his car and

crushed his skull.”

“

less vivid more vivid

Nisbett, R & Ross, L (1980). Human inference: Strategies and short-comings of social

• judgement. Englewood Cliffs. NJ: Prentice Hall

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Details help the moments stick

Jack had an asthma attack on the way to school.”

“

Jack was walking to school with his little brother when he felt his chest get tight. He didn’t want his little brother to worry so he tried to ignore it, but before reaching the elementary school he was wheezing and struggling to breath.”

“

less vivid more vivid

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Edit mercilessly

Let’s take a moment to chat

Resources to
 build your story

drp.mk/Q4NN

bu.edu/com/data-storytelling/

Thank you — gravitytank.com
 @gravitytankinc