In this episode storytelling expert Marsha Shandur, shares a few of the key ingredients to an excellent story and shares a story of her own that demonstrates how our willingness to leap into the abyss of love can change us
Marsha Shandur has been listening to and telling stories her whole life. Perhaps you've even seen or heard Marsha tell a story yourself!
If you do not already know Marsha and you're wondering who the heck she is... perhaps this keynote from the 2019 World Domination Summit is a particularly charming, relatable, and inspiring introduction!
We dove into the anatomy of storytelling for a bit during her interview. Even though The Changed Podcast is all about one idea change... obviously, storytelling is a key element of how we get there. And if you're interested in the story of how the podcast was born (with storytelling in mind...) then I suggest you go take a quick peek at our origin story!
All of this is to say, it seemed worth spending a chunk of time thinking about what makes stories so compelling, relatable, and engaging.
Takeaways from our conversation
The ingredients of a compelling story are less about the plot and more about the picture. In order to create a 'freaky-Friday brain swap with your stories, focus less on the takeaways and spend time on some of the details that you take for granted, like the time of day, or the smell in the air, or the color of your shirt, etc...
There is an extent to which stories are "different horses for different courses," so your compelling stories won't necessarily be a match for every audience without making adjustments
Regarding change, If you'd like to get really excellent at processing internal changes don't underestimate the value of therapy!
Stories don't have to be about overcoming obstacles to be compelling.
And perhaps Really great stories move people. If we want to move people to action and inspire change... stories will be part of how we get there.
"It's how we change everything. All the big issues: global change, social justice and all of this. We need to have the stories so that we can actually be, 'Oh I'm moved by this in a way that if you showed me a data set, I would not be.' Anybody can be a good storyteller! And being a good storyteller is how we're going to beat evil." - Marsha Shandur
About Marsha Shandur
Marsha Shandur (of Yes Yes Marsha) is a Storytelling, Communication, and Speaker Coach who has taught hundreds of executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals across the world. She is the host, organizer, and Storytelling Coach for True Stories Toronto, the city’s largest storytelling show.
Before launching Yes Yes Marsha and her career as a Storytelling Coach, Marsha spent 15 years working as a Radio DJ, where she gained a powerful understanding of how to tell stories in a way that fosters connection, trust, engagement, and loyalty. Her work has been featured in Forbes, the BBC, and Mashable.
Links, Resources, and things Referenced in the Course of Marsha's Interview
IF you love stories, then you likely already know this resource, but if you don't and want to... you *must* dig into The Moth. One of the easiest ways to do that is their podcast, The Moth Radio Hour
Favorite book: Cry The Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Favorite movie: Desperately Seeking Susan (I never would have guessed this in a million years!)
Check out True Stories Told Live! HERE
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Marsha Shandur Helps You Tell Great Stories – Episode 28