The Building of Stories

Introduction............................................................ 3
A Very Brief History of Storytelling.......................... 9
Variations in Storytelling....................................... 16
Story Arc [infographic].......................................... 24
The Characters...................................................... 26
The Storyteller...................................................... 32
The Villain............................................................. 45
The Hero............................................................... 50
Suspense.............................................................. 55
Presenting An Experience...................................... 61
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Think of one of these stories that you’ve heard at some point in
your life. What was it about? Who told you that story? How
did the story make you feel? Odds are you remember the person
who told you that story more than the story itself. You listened
well enough to the plot, and you understand the theme in general,
but maybe it’s more difficult for you to grasp details. But, do you
remember the storyteller? Do you remember the way they talked,
something interesting about him or her, or when and where you
were told the story? You probably remember the person more
than you do the story.
Why is that?
The best storytellers aren’t remembered by their stories, but by
their storytelling and how they made you feel.
You’ve experienced stories your entire life.
Whether they are tall tales told to you by your weird uncle, an
epic novel or a great song, stories pervade almost everything we
do. Our lives are long, complicated stories that we are writing as
we breathe, as we move, and as we feel. As you read this book,
you are writing your own story. In fact, this book will be in your
story, so we’re honored that you have included us.
Of all the stories you’ve heard, you can probably only remember
a handful (unless you have a top-notch memory, in which case,
congratulations) but those select few are very special and will be
shared many times in your life.
INTRODUCTION I 4

Why is that?
Why is that?
INTRODUCTION I 5

Why is that?
People react to and remember the character that told the tale
because they told it in such a memorable way. You tend to re-
member the actors in a movie rather than the details of the film
itself. You probably remember your best friend’s over exaggera-
tions more than you do the actual story. It’s not always about the
message when trying to be memorable. It’s about the vehicle in
which it’s told.
The point is this: stories are deemed great and timeless when
they overcome the stories themselves and make the storyteller or
presenter memorable to their audience or viewers. The greatest
stories are known because of their owners, the people or medium
through which they were told.
INTRODUCTION I 6

Why is that?
Stories make us who we are, give us purpose, and inspire us.
They teach us lessons about anything and everything that can
be taught. Do you know one of the most effective forms of learn-
ing a concept is not through the concept itself, but by example?
Through telling the story of the concept being applied, it is easier
for most people to digest, and therefore easier to act or reflect
upon the basic concept.
In the same way, stories impact presentations tremendously. Al-
most every (good) presentation deals with a story element, wheth-
er it’s an anecdote, a fable, a lyric, a poem, or even a simple
nursery rhyme. A talented and effective presenter makes use of
stories to illustrate points, heighten awareness or lead into other
points.
INTRODUCTION I 7

INTRODUCTION I 8
In this book, you will learn the art of conveying your message
clearly and thoughtfully. You will learn how to create suspense
and maintain it for your audience. You will learn the dynamics of
excellent stories, from the introduction of main characters to the
final showdown of good versus evil.
You will learn the art of storytelling.

HISTORY I 10
Stories have existed long before recorded history, and the tell-
ing of stories has changed forms drastically throughout the ages.
From cave painting to novels to movies, stories have always fasci-
nated mankind. Although the methods have changed, the desire
to tell and hear stories has remained unchanged, and still greatly
impacts the way we look at life.
The earliest form of storytelling that has been discovered is from
the Lascaux Caves in the Pyrenees Mountains in southern France.
Discovered in 1940 by a group of French children, a series of
cave paintings that date back to sometime between 15000 and
13,000 B.C. depicted a variety of animals and one image of a
human being. When closely examined, this mural of sorts actu-
ally follows a very simplistic series of events. It tells of rituals per-
formed and hunting practices. It tells a story.

HISTORY I 11
Flash forward to 700 B.C. The first printed story, the epic of Gil-
gamesh, was created and began to spread from Mesopotamia to
other parts of Europe and Asia. The story was carved on stone
pillars for all to see, which spread the story around very quickly.
In the 200s B.C., Aesop’s fables were written down, and con-
tinue to teach lessons today in many areas of life. Aesop lived in
the 500s B.C., but his stories were remembered for hundreds of
years without a single shred of paper or other printed material.
Isn’t that amazing? Oral storytelling was so powerful and people
remembered Aesop’s tales so well that even 300 years later the
stories were revered enough for mass production.

HISTORY I 12
Storytellers began to arise as very important figures in a communi-
ty. The ability to tell stories effectively and memorably was a very
valuable skill. Why? As wars were fought and valiant deeds
were done, the people needed some way to remember them. In-
stead of simply stating what happened, stories began to emerge
as a way to preserve the raw emotions and sequence of events of
the actual event.
The Bible’s Old Testament spoke of men and women, of tales and
lessons learned that occurred many, many years before they were
written. A majority of the books relied on solid resources for their
writings. What were these resources? Stories. People witnessed
events, heard the stories and kept them alive through word of
mouth. They told their friends, families and communities about
the events, and a chain was formed, one link, one storyteller, at a
time.

HISTORY I 13
Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets weren’t meant to be published,
but his status became legendary once they were. He was known
as a great storyteller to many of his close friends, but soon became
immortalized in the pieces that he produced. From a young street
rat in London to being taught in every school hundreds of years
later, he made his mark on literature forever. How did he do it?
Storytelling.
Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was famous for his keynotes.
Whether launching new products or making an announcement,
he agonized for hours over the details of his presentations. Peo-
ple were amazed at his ability to craft a narrative, to create and
maintain suspense and to deliver a solid message. It wasn’t daz-
zling special effects or crazy props.
It was storytelling.

HISTORY I 14
History is nothing but a series of stories that, when told correctly,
can teach us lessons, give us insights into a variety of concepts,
or entertain us. Every story serves a purpose, even if to simply
relay a message. Without history, without chronicled stories, man-
kind would never learn from his mistakes, would never dream to
emulate past heroes, would never see anything but the now. We
would be clueless to the past, and therefore helpless for the future.
We all crave stories because they allow us to sympathize with
characters. Tell your audience a story, and you will gain their sup-
port. You will create a following for your cause and inspire your
audience to act and believe.

HISTORY I 15
In your next presentation, remember the power of storytelling.
Remember that even in a straightforward business presentation, a
story helps to illustrate a point better than a set of facts. A story
gives people a reason to care about what you’re saying. They
relate to the characters, the plot and the lessons learned. They
relate to your story, and therefore your message.
So, what’s your story?

VARIATIONS I 17
Every person at some point in their lives has been told a story,
whether they realize it or not. If you have heard a song, you
have heard a story. If you have seen a picture, you have seen a
story. Stories can be told in a variety of ways through all sorts of
channels. In this chapter, we will explore the vehicles for stories,
their strengths and weaknesses and most importantly their purpos-
es in storytelling.
So, what are some variations of story?
Firstly, because there are so many channels through which stories
can be told, we will broaden our scope of story analysis to in-
clude two categories: audio and visual. While there are no dis-
tinct boundaries in storytelling, we are only going to explore these
two types strictly for clarity’s sake. In reality, the lines blur. Sight
and sound weave seamlessly to produce a quality story.

VARIATIONS I 18
Let’s begin with the more popular of the two – visual.
We use the term “popular” because in today’s image-heavy society, the
majority of storytelling uses stimulating imagery to convey its message
and contents. Whether through film, photography, animation, theater
or any other means, visuals are the dominant form of communication,
especially in creative expression.
Film uses lighting, angles, motion, color and shape to mold the au-
dience’s perceptions and feelings toward the characters, plots and
themes of the piece. The way a main character looks or acts either de-
ters or attracts emotion toward him or her. A landscape shot at the right
angle can speak volumes about the direction of the film or the particu-
lars of the setting. Even a well-placed prop can make the difference be-
tween mystery and drama.

VARIATIONS I 19
People love pictures. Images that tell a story are extremely hard
to create and even harder to resist. From paintings to photo-
graphs to advertisements, images are packed with meaning. Un-
like film, images are single captured moments in time, extremely
small flashes of an experience, of a story. The reason a storytell-
ing image is so difficult to create is that the creator only has one
chance to tell the story. Also, the viewer has one second of regis-
tered thought to engage in the story being told. It is like taking a
novel or film and choosing one single image to convey the heart,
the root, of the entire piece. However, if this feat is achieved, it
can be far more powerful than any novel or film. Whereas these
media deliver an entire, mostly clear, message, an image leaves
room for thought and analysis; room for imagination.

VARIATIONS I 20
Visual storytelling is extremely powerful more now than ever be-
fore. We as a society use images to convey messages much
more frequently than even in the last decade. With tablets, smart-
phones, high-definition TV and many other gadgets, people rely
upon high-quality images and videos for almost anything you can
think of.
It is important to think about this as you tell your story.
Visuals evoke emotion in audiences. Audiences remember imag-
es more than words, and they respond to their feelings more than
logic. Therefore, it is crucial to take advantage of visuals because
your audience will be more likely to remember and respond to
your message. However, although visuals are irreplaceable, they
work wonders when they are supplemented by the right sounds.

VARIATIONS I 21
Now, let’s take a look at audio.
Audio plays an often unheard (excuse the irony, here), but instru-
mental (and the pun, there) role in getting a message to resonate
with an audience. Back when oral tradition was the primary
method of delivering and sharing stories, people had to rely upon
the words being said. It mattered how they said the words, too.
The inflection in your voice is sometimes more important that what
you are actually saying. Now, we know that content is king, but
in a great presentation, both content and delivery are equally
powerful.

VARIATIONS I 22
Audio is a subtle supplement to visuals that can truly negate or en-
hance the images with which it is associated. Try watching your
favorite movie with the sound turned off. Besides the dialogue,
which is an obvious loss to the film, the absence of a soundtrack
and sound effects makes the actions of the movie much less real-
istic and entertaining. Use audio to your advantage in your next
presentation. Hearing the story is just as important as seeing it.
The possibilities are infinite. This is why a well-told story is so de-
ceptively good, why you don’t know the reason for its greatness.
There is just something about it. Is it the way in which it was told?
Is it the plot, theme, setting or characters? The answer is this: A
story is deemed great when its elements are individually and co-
operatively magnificent. All of the components must be able to
stand alone as greatness, but also work together as a system to
produce a larger work of art.

VARIATIONS I 23
Although there are many types of stories, they all encompass cer-
tain qualities that make them powerful. Whether they are epic
films, lines of poetry being read, simple images, songs on the
radio or comic books (the list goes on and on), stories are being
told every day. Some forms of stories impact audiences differently
than other forms. Although a story can take shape in many ways,
the heart of the story, a great story, lies within its bones, its struc-
ture. A truly magnificent tale consists of a particular layout and a
strict adherence to style. It takes diligence and expert craftsman-
ship to weave together a great story. There are various compo-
nents that work together to tell an entertaining and moving story.

CHARACTERS I 27
The persecutor, or Villain, is the character in stories that attempts
to coerce or attack the victim. The victim is oftentimes the recipient
of torment or distress caused by the persecutor and must be saved
and protected by the rescuer, or Hero. It is up to the rescuer to
intervene between the persecutor and victim in order to bring bal-
ance.
Now, the Karpman Drama Triangle is mostly used for psychologi-
cal purposes. However, we have chosen this model to illustrate
the characters in storytelling because it provides a visual, scientific
reference.
For our purposes, we will only use the Hero (Rescuer) and the Vil-
lain (Persecutor) as well as the previously mentioned Storyteller.
In 1968, Dr. Stephen Karpman wrote an article en-
titled “Fairy Tales and Script Drama Analysis.” This
article included what is today known as the Karp-
man Drama Triangle. This triangle, illustrated above,
is made up of three elements: The Persecutor, The
Rescuer and The Victim.

CHARACTERS I 28
Now, I know what you’re going to say. Not every story has these
three. What about simple stories? What about a fairytale? Like,
um, Humpty Dumpty?
The story goes:
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again. “

CHARACTERS I 29
Who’s what you say? Who are the hero, the victim and the vil-
lain, you say? Take a moment and attempt to assign character
roles for this story.
Let’s see how you did.
The answer: Mr. Dumpty is the victim and villain. The king’s horses
and men are the heroes.
Humpty is the victim because he has fallen from his beloved wall
and put himself in a situation of mortal peril.
Humpty is also the villain.

CHARACTERS I 30
No, Humpty isn’t suicidal. His demons aren’t haunting him. No,
Humpty is simply arrogant. His position on the wall is a metaphor
for the great pride before the “great fall.”
I won’t get into too much depth on the power of metaphor in
fairytales, but I will tell you that the king’s horses and men are
the heroes, despite failing to fix the problem. No one can cure
Humpty’s massive ego.
You see? It can be done with any story. Every tale that exists fol-
lows this model, whether vague or explicit.

CHARACTERS I 31
Take a look at the diagram again. Do you notice how the triangle
is upside down? The Villain and the Hero are on top, battling
each other for the sake of the victim. The victim, while seemingly
unimportant to the other two characters, gives them purpose.
Without something to fight for, the Hero and Villain would have
no reason to face-off. The role of the victim is essential in under-
standing classic storytelling.
However, in this book we classify you as the storyteller, your audi-
ence as the hero and the problem as the villain.
So, now that we have set up the general scope of the characters,
let’s get started actually telling the story. It’s time to put ideas into
action and tell a story that will inspire the heroes in us all.

STORYTELLER I 33
Who is a storyteller?
The old man in the rocking chair. The writer, the director, the mu-
sician. Your gossipy next-door neighbor.
These are all storytellers.
The storyteller has the power to change the direction and message
of the story. You set the stage, lay out the characters and move
the story along. You are the bridge between imagination and
creation. You are essential to the audience’s understanding of the
plot, the central theme and the call to action. Without your guid-
ance, the audience wouldn’t know their role in the story. They
wouldn’t know the problem. They wouldn’t know anything!

STORYTELLER I 34
A good storyteller transforms a run-of-the-mill tale into an adven-
ture, an experience for their audience. A crowd wants to experi-
ence firsthand the events taking place, the characters interacting
and the struggle between the villain and the hero. In order to feel
suspense, they must feel involved. As a storyteller, you can impact
how your audience receives the message, no matter what topic
you address.
Remember, the only way your audience knows the story is through
you. I know what you’re thinking. But, what if they have heard
the story before? A story is independent of its vehicle. Every pre-
senter or storyteller has the ability to enhance, enrich, transform or
alter a story simply by telling it in his or her own way. Keep this
in mind as you tell your next story.

STORYTELLER I 35
You, as the storyteller, will essentially set the scene, characterize
the various components, address the problem and finally present
the hero as an alternative to the villain’s ways. You play a key
role in the actual story as well. The way you present information
in your story is directly related to the actions your audience takes
as the hero in their own stories.
So, how do you become a great storyteller?
It’s not as simple as you may think. It’s not about being suave or
charismatic, or even about being informative. It’s about inspira-
tion. It’s about leaving your audience different than they were
before your influence. Your purpose is to alter their outlook and to
create a sense of urgency in them that sticks with them long after
the presentation.

STORYTELLER I 36
You can inspire in several ways in storytelling. You can simply tell
of a personal experience, including your thoughts and emotions
along the way. You can give your audience solutions to prob-
lems, giving them hope. You can even include an inspirational
poem, quote or anecdote. However, the best, most effective way
to inspire your audience is by calling them to action.
When you tell a story, provide solutions or reference something,
you are giving the audience something that they can take away
with them. It is information that they can store in their minds or
share with others. While this is always good (you want your au-
dience to remember and react to your storytelling), it doesn’t en-
gage them.

STORYTELLER I 37
When you prompt your audience to take some sort of action, you
are letting them actively pursue a concept that you have intro-
duced to them. This means that you are providing a sense of inde-
pendence and imagination. Your mission gives them purpose as
opposed to simply giving them information or direction.
In terms of storytelling, a call to action doesn’t mean you literally
tell them to do something. It can mean including a subtle theme in
the presentation that stands out and evokes thought from the audi-
ence.
For example, in the Humpty Dumpty fairytale, the line after Hump-
ty falls says that they couldn’t put him back together again. So,
where’s the call to action?

STORYTELLER I 38
If you told this story and explained the meaning behind the “fall,”
your audience would pick up on the fact that the moral of the
story is to be wary of being too proud. The fact that the audience
knows the moral of the story can serve as a call to action, albeit
on a very small scale.
Now, this is very, very subtle and requires some explanation in or-
der to be understood, but once again, this is an extremely simple,
basic fairytale. If we can draw a lesson like that from a story like
this, think of how a call to action could be formed from a much
more involved story.
So, we’ve established that a good storyteller inspires his or her audi-
ence. But, the storyteller’s role doesn’t stop there. In order to be an
effective storyteller, a certain amount of structure comes into play.

STORYTELLER I 39
Like I said earlier, the storyteller lays out the scene, keeps the
audience on their toes and showcases the various elements that
comprise the story. This takes precise timing and wording to be ef-
fective. You’ve got to pace the events correctly. You’ve got to give
the audience time to wonder, to speculate. You’ve got to withhold
the most exciting or interesting parts until they are necessary, until
they naturally fall into place and have relevance.
This element of structure and timing is critical to the presentation
or story, but it comes secondary to the most important aspect in all
of storytelling: passion.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

STORYTELLER I 40
Passion is the underlying factor that separates a decent presenter
or storyteller from a top-notch rock star one. The audience reso-
nates with the emotion behind the message more than the mes-
sage itself. Content is king, but delivery is his queen. The message
can be spot-on and informative, but if the audience doesn’t hear
it, if it doesn’t inspire, it is a lost cause and will have failed. Keep
the passion present and prevalent in your next presentation, and
your story will be heard and felt in a powerful way.
How can you tell the difference between a normal storyteller and
an excellent one? How do you set yourself apart?
The key to being a great storyteller lies in the ability to make the
audience feel true, pure emotion about the story. By showing your
stake in the story, displaying your passion and relating it to your
audience with a sense of purpose, your audience will feel what
you feel. They will feel your passion and want to emulate it.

STORYTELLER I 41
For instance, when a normal storyteller tells a story, he hits all the
points and makes his case to the audience. He covers the basics
and even teaches you a few things. He appeals to logic because
that is what he perceives as the best route to teach. You walk
away feeling informed. It wasn’t a waste of time necessarily, but
there wasn’t anything spectacular about it.
Now, a great storyteller uses his time to craft a story that will truly
impact your emotions. He builds characters, weaves subplots, and
creates suspense to teach you lessons. He appeals to your feelings
because he knows that humans want to learn from examples. Sto-
ries are creative, living examples of concepts. He can clearly and
directly approach these concepts through stories. You walk away
feeling moved and inspired. He has given you things to think
about, and stories to remember. You feel like you know him as a
person. You feel that you’ve been immersed in an experience, and
you are excited to get started on your next adventure.

STORYTELLER I 42
Let’s use an example.
So, say you’re in a packed courtroom full of eager listeners. The
case is a serious one involving murder. In order to prove that the
defendant is guilty, the prosecutor calls to the stand the patholo-
gist who did the autopsy. The doctor stands in front of the jury and
gives the raw facts, the medical details of the incident. Then, the
defense attorney rises and turns to the jurors and pleads the case
against his client. He tells of his defendant’s life, of his record as
a family man and an outstanding member of the community. He
talks about the man’s personality and lifestyle with passion and
gusto.
Now, who would be more convincing to you, the doctor or the
lawyer?

STORYTELLER I 43
The doctor appeals to logic, while the lawyer appeals to emo-
tion. The people in the courtroom as well as the jurors have been
touched and convinced that this man is like them, possibly better
than most people, even. Now, we’re not going to try and solve
this case, but strictly based on the styles of the two, we can clearly
see that the lawyer is more of a storyteller, while the doctor is your
average presenter.
Who do you want to emulate in your next presentation?
It takes skill and practice to be a great storyteller, but anyone can
do it. It’s all about showing your passion and appealing to your
audience’s feelings. You have to sympathize with your audience,
and they will sympathize with you in return.

STORYTELLER I 44
So, there you have it: the role of the storyteller. You are the me-
dium by which the tale is told, the vehicle for the story. You are
the puppet master, the face of the story itself. Your words give life
to the characters. Your passion ignites the audience and prompts
action. Hell, without you the story couldn’t be told.
So, get out there and tell your story with passion. Give your au-
dience a reason to listen and experience the presentation. Give
them a show!

villain I 46
He’s ruthless. He’s cunning. He lurks in the shadows. He gives
lengthy monologues about taking over the world…
We all know this character. The Villain.
The Villain is a mastermind of plot twists and evil schemes. He has
many purposes in many different stories. He wants to destroy, control
or terrorize something or someone. He has a motive, but that motive
is oftentimes driven by the desire to overcome an opposing force.
Here’s where you come in.
The Storyteller’s job is to provide the audience (the Hero) with a
problem to overcome and then to inspire them to take action and
defeat the Villain. Without the Hero, the Villain will surely win, van-
quishing any hope for the dire situation at hand. All will be lost.

villain I 47
However, in many stories there exists a very subtle and slightly
unusual concept. Without the Hero, the Villain oftentimes becomes
deflated in his passion for dominance. Just as the Hero fights to
defeat the Villain, the Villain himself fights because he wants to
defeat the Hero. The Villain needs the Hero in order to persist.
So, what does this mean to you?
Well, in terms of storytelling, it is your job to lay out the possibili-
ties that lie between the Hero and the Villain, then address the con-
frontation between them and finally pose a resolution to your Hero.
In terms of a presentation, your audience, (the Hero) is faced
with a problem, whether that is overcoming a bad habit, learning
about a specific issue, or receiving instruction. There are infinite
possibilities when it comes to which problem is being faced, but
your methods of presenting this problem will never change.

villain I 48
A problem presented to an audience gives them something to fight
for, something to overcome. It gives them a sense of purpose and
drive to succeed. Without a problem to overcome, they would
lack the motivation to accomplish a goal. It would seem easy to
succeed, which is a false proposition in almost every facet of life.
Give them a common enemy, and they will have something to pro-
pel them toward success, toward victory.
Despite the evil nature of the Villain, he is absolutely crucial to any
story that’s worth hearing. A sense of mystery and suspense has
been created simply because he exists. The audience is forever
concerned for the livelihoods of the “good” characters because
the “evil” ones still might succeed. These feelings evoke action.

villain I 49
We all want the good-natured, kind-hearted figures to prevail over
whatever problem they face, even if it is an imaginary one. There
is something inside us all that keeps our hearts connected to the
hearts of our heroes. We want to protect them, to warn them and
to encourage them.
Why?
Because they are fighting for something in which we also believe.
They fight for the things that we want, and we will always be on
their side. They are the men and women and ideas that symbolize
or embody our desires, hopes and dreams.
They are our heroes.

hero I 51
There are many heroes throughout life, whether real or imaginary.
They possess different heroic qualities, but they share a common
characteristic. They fight for something. They protect the innocent.
They combat evil forces that threaten their beliefs or ideals.
A hero is a powerful, oftentimes dominant, force in a story. He or
she can be used to portray qualities that the Storyteller deem nec-
essary and appropriate in combating the problem in the story.
As we mentioned earlier, in terms of presenting, your audience is
the Hero. As the Storyteller, your job is to empower the Hero to
defeat the Villain. In essence, you must convince, inform or inspire
the audience enough to solve the problem. No matter the situa-
tion, the Hero is always fighting to defend the victim, while simul-
taneously defeating the Villain.

hero I 52
Without the Hero, the Villain is free to reign down mercilessly on
not only the victim, but also the world in which the story takes
place. It can be more than just a simple one-on-one battle of will
and strength, and it oftentimes is. The bulk of any story involves
the Hero having the toughest job of all. He’s juggling hardships,
while the Villain has only one target in his mission.
When presenting, remember what we said earlier about giving
the audience or the Hero, a purpose in their mission. The Story-
teller is only the medium by which the Hero receives any content.
You must provide your Heroes with key information and inspiring
delivery, or the story will not unfold, the Villain will win and all
will be lost.
So, how do you empower your audience?
How do they become Heroes?

hero I 53
Great leaders inspire great action. You’ve got to show them what and
who they’re fighting for as well as the outcomes of both victory and
defeat. It’s not your job to fight the problem. It’s your job to use your
words, your message and your style to make them want to solve the
problem.
People are smart. Your audience has many options when consider-
ing the resolution to their problem, and they already have an ap-
proach to the problem. They are constantly evaluating the scenario
and searching for a path to take. Don’t make the mistake of assuming
your solution is the best. Once again, it isn’t about you. A great Sto-
ryteller sets up the necessary elements to provoke a clear action by
his Heroes.
For example, William Jennings Bryan, a great writer and thinker of
the 20th Century, spoke of two different kinds of leaders: Cicero and

hero I 54
Demosthenes. In his book “In His Image,” he writes, “When Cicero
spoke the people said, ‘How well Cicero speaks.’ When Demosthen-
es spoke his hearers cried, ‘Let us go against Phillip.’” Demosthenes
used his words to create a movement, while Cicero was simply a
talented orator. It’s a clash between actual leadership and the illusion
of leadership.
Don’t be Cicero. Be Demosthenes. Your presentation will rouse the
Hero in all who listen to you speak. Your audience will transform into
real Heroes, and they will be loyal to the cause. They will defeat the
Villain.
A true Hero can change the course of events in a story and be cru-
cial to the outcome, but there is yet another element that is vital to
any story. It is what compels your audience to keep listening. It drives
them to become a Hero, but it also maintains the story you tell.
What is it? You’ll have to keep reading to find out.

SUSPENSE I 56
“The courage to imagine the otherwise is our greatest
resource, adding color and suspense to all our life.”
— Daniel J. Boorstin
See what we did there?
sus·pense/səˈspens/
Noun:
1. A state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about
what may happen.
2. A quality in a work of fiction that arouses excited expectation
or uncertainty about what may happen.

SUSPENSE I 57
Suspense isn’t easy. It takes patience and clever craftsmanship.
It means carefully and steadily adding and subtracting pieces of
information in order to arouse curiosity and heightened expecta-
tion. It is rare to create and maintain a sharp, engaging sense of
suspense in any story, but it is well worth the effort once your audi-
ence is fully immersed in the feeling.
In most cases, suspense is weaved into the storyline from the get-
go. The protagonist is involved in a series of events that are often
left unexplained until later on. This creates a chain of suspense,
which is then tied into the primary suspenseful event occurring
near the climax of the story. Once you have reached the full poten-
tial of the suspense, you essentially have the audience at your mercy.

SUSPENSE I 58
A presentation is a great chance to use suspense because it is a
show. You are showcasing information and passion to deliver an
overarching message, which means you have full control over the
timing and nature of the reveal. As you tell you story, present the
problem and propose a solution, a paced dose of suspense in-
creases the value of every aspect of your presentation. Your audi-
ence is hanging on the hinges of your structure, waiting for more
information, which makes the reveal that much more enjoyable
and valuable to them.
So, how do you create suspense?
Unlike other aspects of storytelling, suspense is unique in its cre-
ation. The process involves specific timing of the release of infor-
mation, which depends on the subject matter. However, there is a
basic method for weaving suspense into your story.

SUSPENSE I 59
First of all, the general rule of thumb for suspense is simply the
withholding of information from your audience. By keeping your
audience in the dark for a certain amount of time, the informa-
tion becomes very interesting even though it has not even been
revealed. Keep your audience on their toes by making them won-
der; their imaginations will run wild. They will seek an answer to
the mystery in front of them, which you will provide. Without sus-
pense, the audience wouldn’t have to work or wait for the infor-
mation, which makes it less valuable.
Secondly, in order to create a proper sense of suspense, you must
gauge the level of suspense needed for that piece of information.
For example, you wouldn’t keep the identity of your main charac-
ter a secret unless it was important to the plot...

SUSPENSE I 60
It takes a lot of thought to choose suspenseful moments in a story.
Too much and your audience becomes confused and restless. Too
little and they become bored and relaxed. Find the moment in
your story that would be most beneficial to suspense and your au-
dience will receive the message with satisfying excitement.
If you really think about it, being immersed in suspense is an ex-
citing and often terrible feeling. Humans are so naturally curious
that when information is being hidden or delayed, it makes us
impatient and vulnerable. Although this sounds negative, it is a
very useful fact that can be beneficial to your story. In your next
presentation, keep this in mind as you tell your story. Your audi-
ence perceives information withheld as being more valuable than
information given.
Take your time. Make them wait. Create suspense!

PRESENTING AN EXPERIENCE I 62
So, we’ve made it to our final chapter in this adventure we call
storytelling.
We’ve laid out the main characters and all their roles in telling a
great story. We’ve seen how important suspense is and the dy-
namics of the audience. Now, let’s take one last look at the other
side of storytelling: audience engagement.
Our motto at Big Fish Presentations is that “We Turn Presentations
into Experiences” for audiences. We believe that every presenta-
tion doesn’t have to be about simply relaying bits of information
to a crowd of people. It’s not about putting numbers and charts on
a screen and reading to your audience. It’s not just about stellar
design, either. Design is a great tool in telling stories because it
enhances the experience and eases the flow of information. How-
ever, the heart of a great presentation is in the way you tell the
story and the impact you have on your audience.

You are on a stage or in front of a crowd because you have some-
thing that people want to hear. You possess a fresh idea that can
change how people view the world. Your words and actions have
the potential to alter the perceptions of the people who listen to
you. When you have everyone’s complete attention, your story
can capture their hearts and minds. Your story can lead to action,
to real change in the world. Use this moment to fully engage and
inspire the people around you.
Do you want people to walk away from your presentation with a
few interesting facts, or do you want to truly impact the way they
feel when they leave the room?
It all comes back to stories. Like we’ve discussed, people crave sto-
ries because it gives them a chance to be immersed in an alternate
experience than that of reality. When people listen to a story, they
temporarily disconnect from their lives and live in their imagination.

It’s important to realize that as you tell your story to people, you
are directing them into an experience. You are building a place
where the audience can feel, breathe, touch, taste and see things
that can transform their perception of reality.
If you want to actually resonate with your audience, work your
hardest to produce a story that is worth telling. Create an expe-
rience that informs, teaches, excites and inspires the hearts and
minds of the people around you. Once you succeed, you have
done something that is truly worth praising.
You have presented an experience.

bigfishpresentations.com
10889 Perkins Rd., Suite D
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
P: 225.317.9444
E: hq@bigfishpresentations.com

The Building of Stories

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The Building of Stories