PDXNetTuesday.org/May09
grant - mmt - stories, experience Eileen Dierbach? - writer, storytelling Krista - storytelling darrel - int'l tech consulting melissa - friends of trees - writing better toshio suzuki - journalist - blogging denise - storytelling donna - storytelling - bettering reports david - tech/web consultant beatrice - sustainable property info - engagement through stories peter - semiosos comm. - telling stories also for clients bob - working with npo's sarah - inspiration for inspiring tim - performance, tech, social media questions roger burks - mercy corps. - presenter - storyteller theresa - concept writer - start-up journalists, working modes of biz
Contents
Initial Questions
What about your org. excites you? Is your org. portraying that on its website?
language
Language gets boring... passion is stripped from writing through the years.
Stories stick with people, not necessarily facts or names.
writing importance
- engagement
- informing news events
- accountability
- brand
- to persuade people to do things
Action is at the heart of what we all do
Think :: Feel :: Care
At MercyCorp public comm. is storytelling. Most stories involve/focus on beneficiaries. The reason is that people relate to people, not to programs.
Less than one minute to convince readers that your piece is worth reading.
Ask yourself these ?'s:
- Is this a story I want to tell?
- would you tell your non-work friends?
- do you remember outside of notes?
- are you passionate about this?
- readers will know if you're not committed
- Does the story have a heartbeat?
- is there people in the story?
- an emotional pull?
- it's okay to put yourself in the story
- Is the story transformative?
- Even if it's non-fiction, you can use elements of fiction :: intro, struggle, solution/resolution
- do the challenges feel real to the reader?
- is it believable and honest?
- conclusions don't have to be cut and dry. it's fine to have negative outcomes, just don't sugarcoat.
- Does is sound like my org?
- know your audience.
- do you have an org. voice?
- is it aligned with other stories?
- ex: at MercyCorp "victim" is never used, instead "survivor"
- Does it have an expiration date?
- is it dated?
- is it relevant all the time?
- stories are diff. from press releases; they help establish identity and relevance while informing of actions."
- Will it make a reader want to do something?
- is story inspiriational? char. memorable?
- clear course of action after story?
5 spec. elements of a good online story
- compelling title
- intriguing lead or hook
- good story-specific photos
- character-driven details
- ways to take action
MercyCorps: not a lot of success with video with the cost. not nearly as much success as stories. but are playing with ideas of utilizing cheap video as method for storytelling, like cheap vid/cam video portraits wrapped in MC branding.
What to do if no one audience, but multiple segments?
- Testing issue specific emails versus general issues.
Can you match segment specific stories to donor background?
- MC has tested metrics based on age
