Anecdotes-art or science

What makes a story compelling?

Is it the intriguing questions, the use of tricolon or the climax to the end of the story or the transcendentals? How do you know if a story teller is about to end and drive home the points?

Story telling which could also mean anecdote is a science but also an art. Folks would argue that it’s an art since it’s part of communication while some will see it as both an art and science.

Story telling dates as far back as thousand of years ago, for instance, there was the story of man who would have used a son as sacrifice but suddenly saw a ram to fill that purpose and this is being retold from years after to next to make people believe in higher powers.  There’s a story of the man who landed on the moon and said “one step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”, there is a story of civilization of the world, there is a story of a man who dreamt and reiterated that all men are created equal, there is a story of independence of Nigeria as a country and countless other ones have shaped our culture, the way we think, move, act, respond.

One thing about story telling is that it helps the speaker and the audience or listener to connect, build imagination together, perception about issues of life are changed. It makes the audience understand so that the expected reaction or action is achieved. Story telling has shaped a lot about our lives: people, love, faith, dedication, hard work, commitment, opportunities and hopes and dreams.

It’s an art because it conveys or can be used to beautify, adore, encourage an individual, build up hopes in people, improve idea generating and building next ‘spaceX’ prototype, drive home points to motivate group to action among others.

Story telling is also a science. Why? Like science, it’s organized thought or chronology of events; great story tellers choose fine tune their choice of words and apply appropriate tone and body language to describe or change a narrative. It’s  crafted to build up the right expression and line of action from listeners or audience.

An example of a good story teller is Ronald Reagan, earning the nickname “The Great communicator”; in the Nigerian space , a good story teller is Chinua Achebe, a novelist who wrote ‘Things fall apart” that has been translated into more than fifty languages , Martin Luther King Junior with the iconic “I have a dream” speech; the “Yes, we can” speech of Barak Obama.

What do good story tellers have in common? What makes them stand out? Why are they different? What makes the point so memorable? What triggers people into action and believe once again? What set them apart? How do they structure stories to build to climax?

The right words, for the right occasion and build of imagination to take action or feel excitement make the above possible but there is more than this.

I will continue in my next write up.