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
People have a primal need to play a part in a great story
Related
Memes
Identity markers that act as schelling points.
Practice
Write to seek the truth and write with an authentic voice.
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)
Recognise the everyday hero.
Marketing
The strongest brands compete on emotion.
Sell stories that trigger emotions and capture the imagination.