Tension in business storytelling. Image source: gratisography.com
How to increase dramatic tension in business storytelling
I have learned so much over the years from comedy beyond just how to be funny; what has served me well is that I learned how to increase dramatic tension in business storytelling. The heart of great business storytelling and comedy is the same – it starts with the truth. Here is an easy way to ratchet up the emotional resonance in your story: create dramatic choices for your character.
Increase dramatic tension in business storytelling – Periscope
Create Dramatic Choices
A great way to increase dramatic tension in business storytelling is by giving the protagonist of your story choices along the way. Key decision junctures create emotional inflection points.
You can do this by giving your character two bad choices or two equally unclear choices. Lack of clarity creates uncertainty and that adds to the tension, pulling people further into the story. If you give characters a choice between a good choice and a bad choice – it’s obvious which choices characters would make. However, when choices are equally unclear or bad – it isn’t obvious which choice a character would make and that ratchets up the tension. And tension increases emotional resonance in your storytelling to pull people in. With increased tension, your audience is thinking and feeling, “Wow. What the heck? What choice will that character make? How will this be resolved?”
My book, Stop Boring Me! How to Create Kick-Ass Marketing Content Through the Power of Improv, launches this summer.
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