Back in the spring, M. Amedeo Tumolillo, a.k.a., Flying Flashlight, published lists of storytelling tips by three well-known storytellers, the late novelist Kurt Vonnegut, playwright David Mamet, and screenwriter/screenwriting teacher Robert McKee.
While the authors of these tips work(ed) primarily in the fiction realm, these tips work equally well for nonfiction story applications.
Add to those this juicy nugget from Jenny Munn (which reminds me a lot of Annette’s Simmons’s advice for sensory details in storytelling):
The secret is specificity. Give out a few meaty, juicy, specific details and people will remember what you have to say. Here’s an example I got from watching Oprah the other day:
Oprah’s show was on the documentary Food, Inc. and Oprah was spreading the message of knowing where your food comes from. She also interviewed Alicia Silverstone (the Clueless star) who is an outspoken vegan. Alicia was telling the audience what happened to her when she started her vegan lifestyle. She didn’t just say, “I felt better” or “my appearance improved.” Alicia talked about how her brittle nails got stronger and the white marks on them disappeared; how her eyes got brighter and the white parts whiter; how her skin got firmer and her complexion drastically cleared up; how easily she um, had bowel movements. These details gave her credibility and helped the audience engage and understand.