Learn the Effective 5 Techniques of Dramatic Storytelling
A Picture Tells a WorkLife Story
I was going through files on my laptop and came across the above photo.
As a WorkLife learning practitioner and writer, I collaborate with performing, visual and literary artists to deliver workshops and events that bring the arts to WorkLife learning. This photo is from a workshop we did, called: How To Deliver Great Presentations, Incorporating Story.
As I continued going through my files, I found the related story that went with this photo – it was part of the script for the performance we did that evening. It was an interactive performance – we demonstrated various techniques over the course of the evening. The audience would then set to work to apply that technique to their WorkLife story.
One of the techniques we demonstrated that evening was how to apply The 5C’s of the Storytelling Arc: Circumstances, Conflict, Crisis, Climax and Conclusions to help people tell their WorkLife Story.
By way of demonstration, The Players (Actors) told and acted out the Dramatic Story Arc – the Cinderella Story Arc and the Disaster Story Arc (captured in the photo). ’Professor Hannah’ was side of stage following the story arc on a flip-chart as it was told, calling out each point on the arc as the players got to it in the story.
The picture captures the players – Carl, Julie, Jon, Dan and Sam, acting out the Disaster Story to make the story even more dramatic – and fun!
This is the corresponding script that accompanied that photo. (Including actor notes and direction).
… And Action!
Sam: We’re now going to look at Dramatic Story Structure and how you can use this to shape your presentation/story in a way that creates an experience for your audience.
Hannah: (Putting on her gown and hat) All stories, no matter what they are about or where they come from, from mythic adventures to recollections shared around the dinner table, follow a clear pattern that can be easily remembered as ‘The Five Cs’: Circumstances, Conflict, Crisis, Climax and Conclusion. Let’s take the story of Cinderella to see what this might mean.
Julie: It starts with her awful life with evil stepsisters scrubbing the fireplace. [Hannah: “Her Circumstances”] Then she gets an invitation to the ball! Things look up. Oh, but she doesn’t have anything to wear, and how will she get there! [Hannah: “Conflict”] Then the fairy godmother makes her a dress and a coach. Phew! Then she goes to the ball and dances with the prince! This is great! But then it’s midnight. She has to go before it all falls apart! [Hannah: “Crisis.”] Oh no. Sadness. Back to her humdrum life scrubbing the fireplace. But it’s not as bad as before, because she’s had this encouraging experience. Then, the prince finds her, and the happiness factor is off the chart! [Hannah: “Climax.”] Happily ever after. [Hannah: “Conclusion!”]
Hannah draws the ARC on the Flip Chart (dressed in gown and hat).
Hannah: People LOVE that story! This story arc has been written a thousand times in a thousand tales. And because of it, people think their lives are supposed to be like this.
Jon: But are they?
Hannah: Well, let’s look at another popular story arc: The Disaster Story.
Sam: It’s an ordinary day in an ordinary town. [Hannah: “Circumstances”.] People gather for a town hall meeting and learn that the planned development works that would save the town from economic ruin have been halted because the company behind the development have found what they believe is a more suitable town. [Hannah: “Conflict”] Old grudges surface. But then something terrible happens! A child falls down a well! [Hannah: “Crisis”] The whole town gathers to save her. The old grudges that surfaced are belittled in the light of this tragedy. Rifts are bonded as people work together. The child is saved, and all is well. [Hannah: “Climax”] People go back to their lives, But notice it’s a little better than it was before, now that this incident has brought them all closer together. The developers change their minds — again! The actions of the people in the town coming together makes them want to be part of this community. [Hannah: “Conclusion”.]
Hannah draws the ARC on the Flip Chart.
Hannah: People LOVE that story! This story arc has been written a thousand times in a thousand tales. And because of it, people think their lives are supposed to be like this.
Carl: But are they? The problem is, life is really like this… Our lives drift along with normal things happening. Some ups, some downs, but nothing to go down in history about. Nothing so fantastic or terrible that it’ll be told for a thousand years.
Hannah draws Ups/Downs/Bumps in the road ARC on the Flip Chart [Hannah looks confused, unable to put Carl’s ‘story’ of life into the 5 points]
Dan: But is that true? let’s listen to Carmel’s story:
Cue my entrance: Here’s my story (again):
The 5 C’s of the Storytelling Arc to Help Tell Your Story Part 1
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The 5 C’s of the Storytelling Arc to Help Tell Your Story Part 2
And that’s the 5 C’s of the Storytelling Arc to Help Tell Your Story: Circumstances, Conflict, Crisis, Climax, and Conclusion.
Now your turn.
Find or craft a story that you want to tell and apply the 5 techniques of dramatic storytelling, step by step as ‘Professor Hannah’ and the players did.
In The 5 C’s of the Storytelling Arc to Help Tell Your Story Part 1 I share another story we demonstrated at our interactive workshop: How To Deliver Great Presentations, Incorporating Story, to help reinforce Learning the Effective 5 Techniques of Dramatic Storytelling.
NB I published these stories in the order I found the pictures and related stories. In the order of play for the interactive workshop, the performances were the other way round I.e the published story Part 2 was performed first and the published story Part 1 was performed second.
Cinderella and The Disaster stories and story arcs are from Kurt Vonnegut’s talk: The Shape of Stories in which he explains drama. I’ve adapted them to demonstrate the 5Cs.
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POSTSCRIPT
This story was originally published on 11/4/21. I needed to republish it to add updates and also to tell you
… The Continuing Story …
The pandemic brought about a change in my WorkLife from delivering in-person individual coaching sessions and group workshops to creating resources to help people self direct their WorkLife learning.
In the last three years, I’ve published 30 books and over 200 stories.
Each book and each story is based on real life struggles and successes that people have encountered in their WorkLife. They also detail the exercises that helped navigate through these situations, which are set as assignments for readers to adapt to their WorkLife situations and learning needs.
I believe stories are a powerful mechanism for teaching, a powerful medium to learn through, and a powerful way to communicate who you are and what you stand for.
My inspiration for creating my work comes from a lifelong passion for learning. My work has taught me that the one thing in life that can never be taken away from you is your learning.
School of WorkLife Guiding Statement: To create resources that are helpful, insightful and inspiring in helping people to pursue their WorkLives with greater clarity, purpose, passion and pride by creating continuous WorkLife learning programmes and resources that are accessible to everyone.
The resources I create will help you take ownership of self directing your learning in your own space and in your own time.
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School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time.
What is Self Directed Learning?
Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint.
Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning
You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.
How To Turn Your Story Into a Powerful Presentation
How To Self-Coach, Direct and Lead Effectively
Tap The School of WorkLife Book Series to view the complete collection of books. From here, you can tap on each individual title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.
Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning. These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies. which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club.
That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers). It helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.