Strategies to choose stories

Stories can be picked up from Google, WhatsApp, or even from Buddha’s life. However powerful and profound the story is, there is a good chance that many will have heard it. Moreover, the storyteller may not have the conviction and eagerness to recite it since he has not experienced it.

When he narrates this story to an audience, he might witness shaking heads or even vocal interruptions - "Hey, I know that story." This is not the ideal situation for any speaker. It would leave them with a choice of completing the story with less enthusiasm, or thinking of another story, or even stopping it.

A second option is a personal experience of a friend or even your grandmother’s story. This will have a greater impact since you have listened to the person who has experienced it and you will be able to empathize with the storyteller. Even though this is a good option, it is not the best.

A better choice is your personal experience. For example, your close experience with death during COVID, punishment in school, or your embarrassing moments are great choices to deliver a fascinating story.

The best alternative, which I personally follow, is to create an experience. Let me explain this through an extract from my previous article.

Experiencing the experience is the most authentic content for your speech. This is a process that could make the difference between an ordinary and an extraordinary story. If you are planning to speak about the problems faced by an acid victim, you should meet the victims and talk to them about their challenges and how they are facing life currently. A speech on the pollution of lakes in Bangalore would take you on a visit to a polluted lake; meet a lake conservation expert, and even the local residents, etc. This will give you the emotional connection to your story and the energy and conviction to write and deliver an authentic and powerful story. Creating an experience may not always be possible, but it is worth the effort and the result.

This method is practiced by storytellers who truly experience the adrenaline and excitement of creating and living their stories in the present moment. If you want to be a riveting storyteller, please follow this method, which I have been practicing for the last 20 years.

Yet, all stories have their own relevance. A good storyteller uses his ingenuity to choose the source and the type of story depending on the message, the audience, and his comfort level.

Using these strategies, I regularly get feedback from my audience that says, "Hey, you are a great storyteller. "My only antagonist is my wife, who says, "You may be a great storyteller, but I don’t believe your stories."