“Stories put all the key facts into an emotional context,” Rosen said. “The information in a story doesn’t just sit there as it would in a logical proposition. Instead, it’s built to create suspense.” And the building blocks of all compelling stories, whether they’re told in person, in the pages of a book, or via actors on a screen or monitor, are challenge, struggle, and resolution. Here, then, is how you build a story: First … get your listeners’ attention with an unexpected challenge or question. Next … give your listeners an emotional experience by narrating the struggle to overcome that challenge or to find the answer to the opening question. Finally … galvanize your listeners’ response with an eye-opening resolution that calls them to action.
Peter Guber in Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story
