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Storytelling

The meta of the matter is what matters most.

The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor; it is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others; and it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in the dissimilar - Aristotle

Mantra

People have a primal need to play a part in a great story

Memes​

Identity markers that act as schelling points.

Practice​

Write to seek the truth and write with an authentic voice.

tip

Write one true sentence each day - Hemingway

Storyworthy​

Apply the five second rule that identifies moments that alter life's trajectory.

Story Arcs​

Across human civilisation there are common story arcs of the hero with a 1000 faces that retell the journey human experience of discovering purpose and meaning by overcoming obstacles.

  • Rags to Riches (rise)
  • Riches to Rags (fall)
  • Man in a Hole (fall then rise)
  • Icarus / Freytag's Pyramid (rise then fall)
  • Cinderella (rise then fall then rise)
  • Oedipus (fall then rise then fall)
tip

Recognise the everyday hero.

Marketing​

The strongest brands compete on emotion.

Sell stories that trigger emotions and capture the imagination.