The Art of the Storyteller

Tell the stories behind the list

by Ann Wylie, president, Wylie Communications Inc.

Too often, editors cover awards by running lists of winners' names. But that reduces the drama of human achievement to a bullet point and a couple of dry words.

Instead, take a tip from FedEx World Update, and run mini stories about your winners. In pieces throughout the magazine, editor Jim McCluskey covers the company's Humanitarian Awards with stories such as this one:

When courier Thomas Roberts of Colorado Springs entered a jewelry store for a delivery, he found that the store was empty. He walked to the rear of the store where he noticed jewelry on the floor.

Roberts then proceeded further into the business, entering a back room where he heard a faint voice coming from inside a safe. He opened the safe and found the owner, whose hands were secured with duct tape during a robbery. The owners would have suffocated in the safe if Roberts had not continued his search ...

These mini narratives add editorial drama to McCluskey's magazine. More than that, they show readers what the company cares about. And the behavior we celebrate is the behavior our employees will replicate.

Need more techniques for using storytelling — "the most powerful form of human communication" in your very next piece? Check out Ann's workshops and learning tools.

About the author

Ann Wylie runs a company called Wylie Communications Inc. Ann works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out. To learn more about her training, consulting or writing and editing services, call Ann at 816/997-8753 or e-mail her at ann@wyliecomm.com. Get a FREE subscription to Ann's e-mail newsletter at http://www.wyliecomm.com/newsletter_signup.shtml.

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