Tell a Story
Why is telling a story important?
- Stories are a way to engage and connect with your audience.
- Stories are a tool to enhance communication across audiences 1.
- Stories are a creative way to deliver a message.
What does it mean to tell a story?
ASSESS | Reflection
Storytelling is not new; many cultures use it to share messages and communicate. In everyday life, we encounter stories all the time. Whether it be through the people we interact with or the products and services we engage with. They all come with their own story.
Question: How do you know when a story is being told?
There are many ways to answer this question. There is an art to storytelling, and stories vary. Tone, emphasis, inflection, imagery, and emotions are just a few hints that a story is being told.
Note: Stories need to be handled with care because, for many people, stories are associated with fantasy, make beliefs, and myths. So when using storytelling to communicate science, it is important to establish and maintain trust with the audience.
In the clinical and translational community, storytelling can emerge in various ways.
When analyzing data it is important to be able to identify stories. What is the data showing you? What story emerges from the data? 
When working with patients and collecting their history, for example, you are gathering their stories. What are you listening for? What are they telling you?
How can I tell a story?
PREPARE | Get clear on the story you want to tell
Stories have an intention. What are you trying to get across? Why is a story the best way to get your message across? How can you tell stories in an authentic and trustworthy way? Answering these questions can help clarify your story’s intention.
Determining what story you want to tell can help you figure out how you will tell the story.
You can determine what story you want to tell by:
Identifying the main message of your story. Visit Introduction to Data Visualization for more information.
Mapping out the beginning, middle, and end of your story.
- Beginning: How will you draw in your audience? Be creative here. How can you build trust early and maintain trust throughout?
- Middle: How will you keep your audience engaged?
- End: How will you leave your audience at the end? What do you want your audience to be able to take away from the story?
Visit Visual Storytelling to learn about using data visualizations to enhance your story's message.
Clarifying who your audience is and how that may impact what you want to say.
There are elements of storytelling that are consistent across formats. These elements include:
Determining the structure of your story.
Using a title that gets straight to the point.
Analogies and personal stories.
A compelling hook or building suspense.
Bringing in senses (ex. imagery).
Building bridges between the parts of your story to take people on a journey.
Making the story accessible. How can all people engage with your story?
Ending with a conclusion that ideally brings you back to answer questions posed at the beginning.
PREPARE | Case Study
As you watch the video below, ask yourself : What are some story elements that Dr. Jenna C. Lester uses?
Why Skin Disease is Often Misdiagnosed in Darker Skin Tones
For more information about this video, visit Ted.com.
Anything else I need to consider?
Deliver | Review
'Tell a Story' Checklist
Handle stories (and your audience) with care by maintaining trust
Determine what story you want to tell
Employ storytelling elements
Exercise: As you go through your day, look out for the stories that emerge and how they are told.