We hear it being said all the timeā¦
āThe best writers are readers.ā
And while I do believe thereās some truth to that,Ā I think thereās something thatās even more trueā¦
And that isā¦
That the best writers are, first and foremost, storytellers.
Whether you learn the art of storytelling through reading books, listening to audiobooks, or watching great cinema ā it really doesnāt matterā¦
In this blog, weāre going to talk about WHY stories are such a critical component in good, persuasive writing.Ā And then weāll wrap it up with 5 amazing books that will help you master the art of storytelling and become an infinitely better writer.
Hey, Posse! Whatās up? Itās Alex.
Today, weāre going to talk about one of my all-time favorite thingsā¦
STORYTELLING!
I wholeheartedly believe that sales (well, good sales anyway) and storytelling go hand-in-hand.
That you canāt have one without the other.
And that if you want to become a better copywriter, marketer, or business ownerā¦ then learning the art of storytelling is, hands down, the #1 skill you should learn.
Storytelling should be the backbone of your brand voice, the starting point of the emails, ads, and sales pages you write, and the secret sauce to your sales.
Which is why I teach in-depth storytelling formulas and strategies inside each and every one of my copywriting programs.
THATāS how important storytelling is.
And Iām about to prove it to you.
But before we get into all of thatā¦
If youāre new to the crew ā welcome!Ā On my blog, we talk all about writing, selling, branding, and more. So if you want to learn more about the modern marketing methods that are working TODAY then be sure to subscribe to my newsletter.
Now the inspiration for this video came a couple of weeks ago, when I was reading an interview in Forbes about the importance of storytelling in presentations.
The interview was with Jesse Scinto ā who teaches The Critical Mind and Dynamics of Persuasion at Columbia University.
He made so many solid points about the importance of storytelling when it comes to putting together a persuasive presentationā¦
And it really got my wheels turning about how every single thing he was saying also applied copywriting, marketing, and honestly ā persuasion in general.
In the article, Professor Scinto talks about the only two things a story needs to haveā¦
- A complication.
- And a resolution.
Which is such a genius and straightforward way to think about it.
I mean weāre always overcomplicating things and boxing ourselves in by following EXACT story arcs that we were taught to followā¦
Or trying to make sure we hit all the right twists and turns along the wayā¦
Or trying to replicate other great stories weāve read or heardā¦
But like Scinto pointed out:
Storytelling really is quite simple.
The first part of every good story needs to begin with a complication ā āa character who gets into trouble somehow or is not having his/her needs met.ā
And in terms of copywritingā¦
This translates into the big problem and core pain points your audience is experiencingā¦
And as your story progresses, āYour character strives, looks for a solution, tries different things, digs deep, finds courage within and then comes to a resolution.ā
Similarly in copywriting, you want your story to transition from the pain and problemā¦
Into the solution or resolution that youāre offering them.
And of course, there are plenty of psychological triggers, formulas, and open loops that you should include along the way in order to seamlessly connect the dots and keep people engagedā¦
And thatās the type of stuff I teach you inside my copywriting courses.
But storytelling so so SO important when it comes to persuasive marketing.
Why? Well itās simple reallyā¦
Humans like stories.
Weāre hardwired over thousands of years of evolution to pay attention to them.
Long before we learned how to write, stories provided us with purpose, meaning and a sense of community and personal identity.
They helped us make sense of the worldā¦
And pass on important lessonsā¦
They were how we related to one another and how we coped through stressful times and uncertainties.
Weāve been bred to pay attention to and believe in stories.
Remember ā you can debate facts, you can disagree with opinions, but you can never argue with a story!
And the more specific your story is when it comes to descriptive feelings and experiences, the more relatable it is!
So when you utilize storytelling in your marketingā¦
Youāre using a form of persuasion that comes naturally to the human brain.
Which is pretty damn cool, right?
So now that you know WHY mastering the art of storytelling is so important as a digital marketerā¦
Now, letās get right into the 5 books you should read to improve your storytelling skills.
#1 – The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human by Jonathan Gottschall
This is a great one for all my skeptics out thereā¦
Because it breaks down the importance of storytelling from the perspective of the latest research in neuroscience, psychology, and evolutionary biology.
Itās fascinating the way Gottschall explains the way stories have evolved as we have evolved as humans.
The way stories have helped us navigate problems.
The way stories have literally shaped who we are and how stories can, ultimately, help us change the world.
#2 – Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
This is another great book that breaks down the science behind storytelling, but I love this one because Lisa really breaks down whatās happening in the brain during storytellingā¦
From what the brain actually cravesĀ in a good storyā¦
To what keeps them transfixedā¦
And she reveals ācognitive secretsā that you can apply in your own storytelling that will help you captivate your audience from beginning to end.
She also includes plenty of examples from novels, screenplays, and short stories ā so you can really see how each element of storytelling corresponds to specific brain activity.
#3 – The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling by Annette Simmons and Doug Lipman
Whether youāre trying to make a saleā¦
Or trying to convince your partner to take out the trashā¦
If you know how to utilize the art of storytelling, then you can persuade, motivate and inspire people in every aspect of your life.
From your business to your personal life, and every interaction in between.
This book teaches you how storytelling is the oldest (and most powerful) form of influence ā with over one hundred examples of effective storytellingā¦
#4 – On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Arguably one of the most successful fiction authors of our time, Stephan Kingās memoir is honestly a must-read for anyone that wants to learn the art of storytelling ā and writing in general.
This one is a bit different from the others on this list, because it is in fact a memoir of Kingās own writing journeyā¦
But he does a great job of breaking down his own personal process from writing ā with advice on description, authentic dialogue, and the basic tools every writer should know and utilize.
#5 – Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Whatās the difference between ideas that fly or die?
In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath break down the principles behind every winning idea.
And most importantly, how you can use these principles in your own storytelling and messaging to be infinitely more persuasive and influential.
Bonus Storytelling Tip
And my favorite one of all…
Read fiction!
WHATEVER type of fiction you like…
Be it about wizards and warlocks, crime and murder mystery, or love and romance. If a book captivates you, enthralls you, sucks you in and keeps you turning pagesā¦
Then it must be a pretty good story and you will learn something about writing simply by reading it ā whether you realize it or not.
Remember, not everything you do has to be āeducationalā in order to be beneficialā¦
What book are you reading next?
Comment below and let me know and until next time, Iām Alexāciao for now!
