How to become a great storyteller?
Has it ever happened to you that you tell a friend a curious fact and, after several days, hear that friend tell your story as if it was his idea or experience? According to Leo Widrich, who wrote an interesting article on this topic, this is because we all like to hear good stories, and we usually remember facts that were told to us more interestingly.
According to Widrich, we are attracted to good narratives - whether this is an interesting fact told by a friend, a good book or a movie - and there is a scientific reason for us to better remember things we were taught through an anecdote or short story. .
The brain and the tales
Imagine, for example, one of those endless - and boring - lessons put together in PowerPoint. When we follow such a presentation, all those bullets and lists that convey information to us activate the brain regions responsible for processing what we are reading and turning that data into meaning.
However, when new information is passed on to us in the form of a good narrative, in addition to the brain regions that process language, other areas that would be activated if we were living the experience being told to us also come into play - it remains. tip for teachers who love to give those sleepy classes!
Brain connection
A good narrative has the power to awaken the entire brain. Thus, when someone describes the taste of some exotic food, for example, the area of the brain responsible for generating sensory responses becomes active. The same happens when we hear the description of some movement, that is, the brain region responsible for motor responses kicks in.
What's more, according to the article, when telling - or listening - a good story, there is a kind of synchronization, a brain connection during which the person telling the narrative and the person who is listening begins to exhibit the same kind of brain activity. Thus, the same experiences described by an individual can, to some extent, be experienced by what is aware of the narrative.
Sowing ideas
This is where things get more interesting! We know that it is possible to awaken various areas of the brain when we hear a good narrative, and that we become more interested in information that comes to us in the form of a good story. But why does this happen?
A story is nothing more than a sequence of events, and interestingly, our brains work just that way, creating short stories to process every conversation, action, or experience we had during the day. So each time we hear something new, we try to relate that information to one of our personal experiences.
This relationship between experiences makes it easier for us to remember information we have learned - and to mix it with our own memories - and it also allows us to sow ideas, emotions and thoughts in people's minds (as in this case). from your friend, who repeated his story).
And how to take advantage of it all?
When you want someone to agree on your own project, create an interesting narrative and include your plan in it. This is the best way to get others to listen to your idea and adopt it as theirs. In short, you can use this technique to plant ideas in other people's minds.
Also, when you have to write a narrative, be more persuasive by including some personal experiences in context. But if you feel insecure to do so, then quote and add excerpts written by famous and more experienced people. Besides making it beautiful, you will also be adding more credibility to your text.
Simplicity always
Another important tip is to keep the narrative simple. Less complicated and more accessible texts are much more efficient than those that abuse far-fetched words, complex constructions, unnecessary details and excesses. One is much more likely to remember an easy story than one that contains a list of difficult words and no one understands the meaning very well.
And don't forget that our brain has learned to ignore a few frequently used phrases and words. So if we want our interlocutors to relate their own experiences to the ones we're telling, we'd better consider this before we start.
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