RESULT
How can you take the audience with you on a captivating journey? What distinguishes compelling pitches from merely acceptable ones? What secret formulae do brilliant speakers use unbeknownst to the average speaker?
Storytelling lies deeply embedded in our human DNA. Although it may come as a surprise, you too were born for it. Whether in the privacy of your own head, on a stage at an event, at a thesis defence, in a job interview, with friends or on a date, the stories you tell and the way you tell them matter.
This three-session course offers insight into the do’s and don’ts in the art of storytelling, helping you to gain a deeper understanding of the structure and tools that can be used in the preparation phase of a talk.
CONTENT
You don’t need to be a gifted or ambitious creative writer to attend. The course is meant for all who regularly put their thoughts and feelings into words to convey meaning and make an impact by offering tools, tips and tricks to help you convey your message in more powerful ways.
The content includes:
- Facts vs. stories
- Basic structures for any talk
- Six story arcs for engaging talks
- Key questions to ask yourself
- Principles to spice up your talk
- The beginning and the end
- The messy middle
- Narrative transportation
- The don’ts
- Now what to do with complex data?
- The key to (story) immortality
You will be provided with slides, worksheets, and materials for future reference. To integrate the materials offered, you will individually be working with several simple story themes from your own life. During the course, you are asked to actively engage with the tools provided and discuss the different aspects of storytelling with your peers. You won’t be delivering a presentation and you will not be assessed.
Mieke Beurskens is a Linguist and Educator with a background in Journalism and Humanities.
Duration and time investment
The course consists of 3 workshops: each 1 hour 45 minutes, and each one week apart.
The first session requires 15-20 minutes preparation and the second 30-40 minutes. The more time you invest in preparation, the more you stand to gain.