Stories are powerful, and you should learn how to tell them.
There are more ways than you think to train your storytelling skills.
Here are 8 unconventional ways to become a mightier storyteller.
1: Learn a new language.
As an Italian who speaks English as a second language, I see how writing in one language or the other forces me to think differently.
Plus, learning about a new culture will immerse you in different story structures and elements.
2: Take up acting or improv.
It teaches spontaneity, adaptability and improves your verbal communication confidence.
Acting will also teach you how to go deep into character creation and development.
3: Study painting or photography.
Visual arts can help you understand composition, color, and the power of images to tell a story.
Once you get into visual arts, you’ll see the real truth behind “one picture is worth a thousand words“.
4: Study art history.
Literature, architecture, classical music…
All of them have an amazing story behind them.
Let those stories inspire you to bring the beautiful, the true and the good through your own stories.
5: Spend time in nature.
Observe life’s patterns and the connection between of all things.
The real world, in its raw form, is an amazing teacher.
6: Volunteer by helping people in need.
In the past I used to volunteer for the homeless in a local soup kitchen.
I also volunteered for collecting clothes for the poor and in a nursing home for a little while.
Listening to life stories will give you powerful insights into human experience.
7: Try poetry or songwriting.
It forces you to be concise and expressive, improving your ability to evoke emotions.
It will also teach you how to approach different mediums and formats.
8: Learn to cook.
I watched only 2 seasons of Master Chef.
The thing that really got me is the fact that the process of creating something culinary can tell a great story in a way that bypasses words.