Storytelling isn't just art. It's science.
And it's not rocket science. Just regular science.
TL;DR Version:
Storytelling isn’t just an art. It’s a science.
#1. Don’t believe the false dichotomy of art vs. science. It’s nonsense. Just ask Leonardo da Vinci. Or Walt Disney. (Yeah, I know they’re both dead but you know what I mean…)
#2. Storytelling is flexible. That building? It’s a story. That data sheet? Also a story. Your grandma’s garden? Definitely a story.
#3. You can use the Scientific Method in Storytelling. I talk about it in my upcoming book Start With Story. But if you’re a paid subscriber, you can see a preview by scrolling down, down, down...
Regular Version:
In my six years as a book coach, I’ve found many aspiring nonfiction authors struggle with seeing themselves as storytellers because they equate storytelling with being an artist.
They’ll say, “I’m not a natural storyteller. I’m very process-oriented, very scientific in how I solve problems.”
Which showed me that, somewhere along the way, we separated art and science—spawning a false belief that you cannot be both artist and scientist.
The problem with this is, well…everything we know from history:
The pyramids of Egypt—both art and science.
The Great Wall of China—both art and science.
Leonardo da Vinci—both artist and scientist.
Walt Disney—both artist and scientist.
When you see storytelling as equal parts science and art, then you give yourself an infinite number of options for how to tell your story. An engineer tells a story through structural design. A COO tells a story through operational excellence. A data analyst uses metrics to uncover the stories no one else notices.
And don’t even get me started on how neuroscience shows us the power of storytelling.
(No, seriously, don’t. It’s a topic for a whole other post. Time is precious, people.)
And if you’re a paid subscriber, then scroll down below to see a lil preview of the Scientific Story Method I present in my upcoming book Start With Story.
If you’re still struggling to see yourself as a scientific Storyteller, then book a free 20-minute Q&A and let’s chat about it.
And if you’re interested in being part of the Launch Team for my upcoming book Start With Story, let me know. You’ll get some content before everyone else does. jonathan@wordrobemedia.com.
Until next time, keep telling your story.
Did this help you? If so, share this with someone you know via the handy little button below.
And if you want even more content like this, you can subscribe and view the additional paid content below!
Automate your savings (and help support this newsletter) by signing up for the Acorns app. Oh yeah, and get a $5 thank you gift from them when you do.