I just learned of a video series of Ira Glass, host of This American Life, giving advice on how to tell good stories. Many of you know I’m a huge fan of TAL, so naturally I eat this stuff up.
Garr at Presentation Zen does a great job summarizing the videos and applies the main point to lecturing and giving presentations (which is a form of storytelling, right?).
I think the videos are worth checking out whether you’re in a formal position to weave tales (Hi, Tony Snow!) or not. Teachers, bloggers, parents…we’re all in the business of telling stories.
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Could this lesson apply to music? And if so, do you think that this series could be adapted and presented to aspiring young hip-hop artists? Is it just me or have today’s artists lost the ability to tell an engaging story.
Thanks for a brilliant pointer! I had been looking for resources on story telling, so this was perfect timing. Everything is better when it has a story
That’s a really interesting idea, Mark. I bet you could definitely apply this to music…I guess the anecdotes that Ira talks about are a huge part of hip-hop, right? Or you could imagine them being so. I know Eminem isn’t hip-hop, but his song “Lose Yourself” comes to mind here–maybe it was so popular because of the storytelling involved. I mean, check out this opening:
“His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti
He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgettin
What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won’t come out
He’s chokin, how everybody’s jokin now
The clock’s run out, time’s up over, blouw!”
I’d say that’s a great anecdote.
Right on, Jamin. Hope this was helpful!
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