I’m pleased that my little survey widget on my sidebar has gleaned a few responses — and not as much spam as I’d feared.
I asked: What do you think will be the next significant development in applied storytelling?
Here are readers’ responses:
I imagine something that draws on creativity…the use of cartooning and visualising stories is of interest.
Continued advancement & adoption of immersive storytelling in simulation games & virtual worlds like World of Warcraft & SecondLife.
Person-to-person charity sites (e.g. Kiva, GlobalGiving) will reach the tipping point of mainstream philanthropy because recipient stories (told via multimedia) will increase the emotional connection of the transaction.
I would take issue with the word applied. All storytelling is applied. I don’t think good storytelling changes. All that changes is the methodology that is used to communicate the story. So today we have the web that allows us to reach people with our story that are not within our immediate circle of family and friends. Just as the printing press changed how story was distributed. The web changes how story is distributed. But neither technology changed story. Story adapts to the medium outwardly, but at its core remains the same. So when the next technological advance arrives, story will hop on for the ride.
Interesting observation about virtual worlds. Seems like last year, Second Life got tons of buzz (the way Twitter does this year), but now I barely hear about it. Just read a piece about newspapers setting up bureaus in Second Life but now expressing disappointment in the low number of users and advertisers.
Tim, I think your observation is astute as I am increasingly seeing nonprofits use storytelling.
Harley, I believe it was Michael Margolis who inspired me to use the term “applied storytelling.” I don’t disagree that “all storytelling is applied.” But I use the term “applied” to distinguish the forms of storytelling that most interest me from performance storytelling, which interests me, but not as much as other forms do. I have learned through Annette Simmons that the performance-storytelling roots of “applied” storytelling are exceedingly important because performance storytellers have so much to teach the rest of us about how to tell a good story. I really like your final line, “So when the next technological advance arrives, story will hop on for the ride.”
I’m posting my next question on the widget — about defining “story.”
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Well, I confess to my ignorance and apologize. As many times as I have looked at your blog, my mind has skipped over the word, "Applied" and ignored it. I googled "applied storytelling" and found your site listed plus many others.
I have always made a distinction between oral and written storytelling and I love them both. In my opinion, the word applied can be degrading to storytelling. All story has purpose, even performance storytelling. For me it is like poetry therapy. Adding the word "therapy" to poetry degrades the poem that is being written. Just because a story is being used in a business setting to move a career forward or to sell a product does not make it any less story or less important. Some of the most important stories are being told during coffee break at work.
For me, life is story. When I spent 7 years writing only haiku, each haiku was a story. I find story everywhere and in every shape and form. Film can be great visual storytelling but so can a painting.
When I told my daughter stories before bedtime, is it performance storytelling or applied storytelling. When I tell a story in one of speeches, is it performance storytelling or applied. I would still say that all storytelling is applied, but obviously I am in the minority.
I still love your blog and what you are doing. My storytelling hat of many colors is raised in honor to your work. I have shared your site with others.
Harley:
1. Certainly no need to apologize.
2. I'm delighted that this blog comes up in a Google search for applied storytelling.
3. I understand and respect your viewpoint on the use of "applied." Maybe it's the academic in me that wants to label and categorize things. I'm not sure I will change my use of "applied," but you've given me something to think about. I'd be interested in hearing other opinions.
4. Thank you for loving my blog and sending me visitors.
I'm with Kathy on this one.
"Applied" doesn't denigrate the term storytelling, any more than terms like "deciduous" or "evergreen" degrades the meaning of "tree."