Storytelling

Is Storytelling now C.R.A.P.?

By |2023-08-15T15:18:59+00:00August 15, 2023|Categories: Creativity, Storytelling, Uncategorized, Writing|

Is my life’s pursuit of great storytelling now defunct, cast into the bin of “that used to be a good idea?” I ask this because the word Storytelling is now everywhere, used for all kinds of reasons, and thus makes me ask: has the word lost its meaning like so many other C.R.A.P. words out there? (Keep reading [...]

6 online marketing lessons from smart businesses in my small town

By |2023-04-25T22:08:57+00:00April 25, 2023|Categories: Everyday Communication, Learning, Storytelling, Visual Communication|

About a year ago, I relocated to a small Midwestern farm town called Geneseo, Illinois. It’s a picturesque little community full of Victorian-era homes and tree-lined streets. Straight out of a Hallmark movie, you know? You really should come and visit us sometime. When my husband suggested we ditch the Chicago suburbs and move to Geneseo, [...]

We edited “story” out of our stuff, and I’m sorry about that

By |2023-03-30T14:48:46+00:00March 30, 2023|Categories: Creative Confidence, Creativity, Everyday Communication, Storytelling|

Whenever I tell people what I do for a living—helping people bring storytelling and creativity into the workplace—I’m met with immediate interest. “Wow! Cool! That sounds like so much fun.” It is! And not just fun, but useful. The ability to craft and tell a good story is oh-so-valuable to any business. My livelihood depends on [...]

Don’t Get Mad. Make It Up.

By |2023-02-28T17:12:24+00:00February 28, 2023|Categories: Creative Confidence, Everyday Communication, Learning, Storytelling, Uncategorized|

It started out as a joke, a silly way for us to blow off steam. We invented something out of sheer frustration.Ever since I started teaching creative writing, students have been asking me for the magical elixir: What is the formula for writing a story?I found this exasperating and annoying.After a deep breath to calm myself, [...]

How Long Is Too Short?

By |2023-02-07T16:38:01+00:00January 30, 2023|Categories: Creative Confidence, Everyday Communication, Learning, Storytelling, Uncategorized|

When it comes to professional development, how long does a training have to be? The answer of course is, it depends. Imagine preparing to teach and standing in front of a roomful of quiet, nervous colleagues who don't know each other and aren't quite sure what to expect from this session. You didn't bring a deck [...]

Want your point to have power? Here are 7 things NOT to say.

By |2023-01-27T03:32:22+00:00January 27, 2023|Categories: Presenting, Storytelling, Visual Communication|

Lucky you! You get to speak at an industry event, corporate conference, or team meeting.  No doubt, your presentation will include a set of slides. Slides are a de facto requirement for most business presentations. You gotta have ‘em, right? Incidentally, Jill and I have decided we don’t gotta have ‘em. In Story Mode, we avoid [...]

Am I Out of a Job?

By |2022-09-26T14:15:31+00:00September 26, 2022|Categories: Creative Confidence, Creativity, Storytelling, Uncategorized|

Have you see Flippy, the robot designed to manage the fryer in fast food restaurants? It's pretty amazing until you watch it for a few minutes and realize how terrifyingly human it seems. It's "artificial intelligence" or AI, and is supposed to help cook french fries better, faster, and safer. It solves several problems, like finding restaurant workers. [...]