Top Storytelling TedX Talks

Who doesn't like a great story? These Master Storytellers break down the anatomy of great storytelling. The power of story shapes, influences, and impacts us in ways we are cognizant of and in ways we are not. Stories deepen our understanding of who we are and shape who we believe others are.

Chimamanda speaks about the danger of having a single story about an individual, group, culture, country, or anything else. Her TedX Talk reminded me of a friend who says, "until the lion tells the story the hunter will always be glorified."

We could write endless stories about the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. Good stories, says Andrew Stanton, are not predictable. The viewer likes to take the next step and deduce what will happen. The next time you listen to your internal dialogue take it a step further and deduce whether the story is true, no true, and what will happen if you believe and act upon your internal story.

Whether you are creating stories with the intent to share your perspective, inspire, teach, humor, sell, or entertain a fundamental question must be answered. Have you made the viewer care about the outcome? Is there tension in the story that engages interest? Will the protagonist succeed? Will society be saved? Will the antagonist be foiled? Who will overcome? Who will fail and how?

We are all storytellers. Listening to these TedX talks reminded me that great storytelling invokes wonder, empathy, and connection between the viewer and the story. In another place I visit they say what comes from the heart touches the heart. And so it goes in storytelling. Use what you know and believe in your heart to create great stories.