As a I read part of CNN.com’s series about storytelling and reporting skills called iReport Boot Camp a few months ago, it occurred to me that the story-editing tips in the article by CNN.com Enterprise Editor Jan Winburn could apply to stories in presentations and in the job search. I’m sure they could apply to many other storytelling applications, too, but those two were on my mind. Here are the five questions Winburn recommends in editing a story:

• Through whose eyes am I telling this story? As a job-seeker, you’re probably telling the story through your own eyes, but it could be through the eyes of a present or former employer — telling what the problem/situation/or challenge looked like through the eyes of the employer and what you did to address the issue and get results. As a presenter, you might be telling the story through your own or other eyes. Say you’re telling a story on behalf of a nonprofit; you might tell it through the eyes of a person typical of those you’re trying to help.
• Who has something at stake?For the job-seeker, the “who has something at stake” may be you, your employer, your team, your customers, and other possibilities. The presenter could answer the “Who has something at stake?” question in a number of ways. As Gerry Lantz pointed out in a presentation last year, it’s also important to look at what’s at stake. The “what’s at stake” detail can be especially vivid and compelling in a job-interview story, as the interviewer gets a sense of the impact of the job-seeker’s contribution.
• What’s going to happen next? For Winburn, this question refers to building suspense and not revealing the climax too soon.
• What’s the story really about? Winburn suggests this exercise to answer the question: “Describe your story in three to five words. Now reduce that description to one word. If you can’t, you’re still focused on the story’s content. Finding just one word will force you to name its theme.” Being able to pin down this theme is important to ensure you are telling the right story for the situation. In a job-seeking situation, for example, you’d want your theme to coincide with skills, strengths, requirements, and so forth for the targeted job.
• Where should the story begin? Winburn says to “begin with a scene or a moment or description that contains the story’s essential meaning.” Job-seekers and presenters would want to start in a place that doesn’t include too much extraneous background.