The Fascinating Science of Storytelling and Why It’s a Pillar of Effective Marketing
Confession time: I’m a nerd.
And as any self-respecting nerd would, I went to see each Lord of the Rings film at midnight, the very night they came out.
If you’ve seen the films – or even if you haven’t – you might be aware they aren’t known for their brevity. Even the theatrical (read: cut-down) version of the trilogy’s finale, “The Return of the King,” extends a measly 3 hours and 21 minutes.
Three hours and twenty-one minutes I sat in that theater, well past my bedtime, chugging coca-cola, and (as one does) dropping ~1/3 of our popcorn on the theater floor.
While the coca-cola chugging kept me pumped full of caffeine, it also pumped me full of liquids.
Liquids that needed to go somewhere.
Now, a bladder is like a balloon. It can stretch and expand, and if you keep filling it you’ll discover that actually, a balloon can hold a lot more than you think it can.
Have you ever tried to fill a balloon to maximum capacity? You blow it up so it looks full-to-bursting and then – when you think it can’t possibly hold anymore – you blow a little more air in. You’re cringing in anticipated pain at the final moment when it will ultimately burst.
And yet, it continues to hold. You blow, and it just keeps making more room. Stretching further and further….
Well, until it doesn’t. 💥
I think you’re smart enough to catch the metaphor here. My bladder was the balloon that you can’t possibly imagine can hold a single ounce more.
As we neared the end of The Return of the King, I wasn’t sure I could hold it any longer. I was terrified I might be pushing it too far. That at the age of 13 I would have to reset the clock on the last time I peed my pants.
But I had sat through almost nine hours of this trilogy, damnit! I wasn’t about to walk out on the epic ending of the final installment!
And that is the power of storytelling. I was so invested in the story they had created, I could ignore a pain I would have thought unbearable in any other situation.
So...
Why Are Stories So Compelling?
It’s a question that has intrigued neuroscientists for the past twenty years – and they’ve made some incredible discoveries!
Think about the last real debate you got wrapped up in. Maybe it was Thanksgiving dinner when your second cousin argued that humans have the right to eradicate all other species. Or perhaps you posted an innocent picture of you and your friends volunteering at the soup kitchen and found yourself caught in the middle of a political debate in the comments. Think back to the last time you really clashed with another person on something.
Did you just tense up? Go ahead, release your jaw, lower your shoulders. We’re not going there today. But I want you to notice what that did to your body. You’re immediately put on guard. You tense up with resistance – ready to defend your values as if they are your life.
And in some ways, they are your life. Who we are and the values we represent make up our identity. So when our identity seems threatened, we either shut down or fight back. We aren’t open to changing that part of ourselves.
But when someone tells a story, the opposite happens. We open up to engaging with the characters. We unconsciously try to understand their journey. And that happens on a deeper level within our brain.
Studies have shown that when we follow along a story, our brain actually activates in the same way the storyteller’s brain does. It doesn’t just interpret it as an outsider. The brain actually takes us through the emotions of experiencing it ourselves. It mimics the journey. (1)
So when you tell a story, your audience is literally being brought along into your own thoughts and emotional patterns. You open your audience up to feel empathy, to learn through experience. And as I’m sure you know, learning something for oneself is far more powerful than being lectured to.
How Storytelling Leads to Action
Or inaction – in the case of my stubbornness and unrelieved bladder.
Scientific studies have looked at this too.
Turns out, when you’re deep in the throes of empathy and your brain is mirroring the feelings of the storyteller, it is also releasing relevant hormones and neurochemicals that go along with those feelings.
Those neurochemicals are the same ones that inform your mind of how to react to any given situation. I don’t want to get too into the nitty-gritty, but bear with me here. Because there’s some really cool stuff to it.
When a good story has you in its grasp, your brain will often release cortisol.
Cortisol is known as the “fight or flight” chemical. It tells your body: this is important! Get ready to act.
And cortisol causes you to be alert, and hyper-focused.
So when you build tension in your story (like the tension of a filled balloon) you command the attention of your audience. In addition to that, the audience is primed to receive information, and remember it.
When you’re in fight-or-flight mode, your unconscious brain understands that this is a critical moment. It believes there may be information present that could support your future survival, so anything you learn when your body is full of cortisol is likely to be remembered better.
Other neurochemicals play a different role in our experience as an audience.
One study examined oxytocin – also known as the compassion or empathy hormone.
In one experiment conducted by Paul Zak’s lab, they gave some participants oxytocin while watching ads for various charitable causes.
Participants who received the oxytocin donated 56% more money to the charitable causes than those who received a placebo. (2)
Eliciting these responses in your audience not only makes sure your story is heard – it actually affects their future actions. Change their brain chemistry, and you can change their behavior.
Your story can cause meaningful changes. It just takes the right telling.
But How on Earth Do You Tell a Compelling Story?
Well, as I sat in that theater and my bladder almost exploded, I thought more than a few times about sprinting to the bathroom and back.
And (*spoiler alert!*) you might think that after Frodo threw the ring into the flames of Mount Doom, I finally tore out to relieve my bladder. Afterall, the real tension of the story arc is over by then.
But no, I stayed. See, as an audience, although you’re invested in the plotline, it isn’t what actually compels you. You’re invested in the characters. You want to know what becomes of them. What is their transformation?
I had to see whether Aragorn would take up his crown. Whether his love of Arwen would persist. What would become of Frodo after experiencing such trauma? And did Sam find his courage to ask Rosie out?
Those were the really important endings. The needed resolutions that compelled me to nearly pee my pants in a quest for closure. And that’s what will resonate with your reader.
There's one common thread there, which is critically important.
Each of those outcomes involved a transformationof the characters involved.
They had to overcome something within themselves. And as an audience that’s what resonates.
That transformation is your theme. Maybe it’s finding courage, or exercising resilience. In a longer story, like Lord of the Rings, there may be many different themes and character arcs throughout. But if your story is shorter, make sure you pick one and stick with it – the clarity will help you resonate more with your readers.
And once you have your theme...
Get into the juicy details.
Details are important!
One universal characteristic of good storytelling is an element of Truth. I know that might seem strange to bring up when we’ve been using a classic high fantasy for comparison. But the thing that good fiction writers do well is they transport us to a realm that is different but still feels true.
Details bring an element of truth and honesty to a story and help us feel grounded.
Keep in mind that the details should support your central theme or development. After writing, go through and cut anything extraneous. For instance, in my story I told you the time of the movie, that it was past my bedtime, and that I was drinking coca-cola for the caffeine. Each of these supports and moves the story toward the main pressure point: my very full bladder.
Had I told you I saw the film on a vacation in Miami, or that my Dad and I always went together, those would be true details – but they wouldn’t add anything to the story. They distract you from the main purpose and take you out of the flow (aka the empathetic engagement I’ve created with you).
Finally, keep in mind –
What’s at stake for the reader?
What was the point of me telling you about my bladder discomfort while watching LOTR? Because it is a poignant example of how storytelling can engage and motivate an audience, ultimately altering behavior in ways we may not have believed possible.
It’s teaching you the power of storytelling.
Well, I should say good storytelling.
In another scientific study they measured the charitable donations of two groups of participants. One group watched a moving story of a young child with terminal brain cancer and the father who has to overcome his grief in order to maintain a joyous life for his son through to the very end.
The other group watches the same father and son, when the son had already lost his hair and was near the end. They go to the zoo together. On the surface it’s just as sad, but there is no movement through the struggle, no transformation happening.
The participants who saw the second story did not show the “mirroring” effects in their brain that triggers physiological responses, and they were significantly less likely to donate. (3)
If you want to make an impact, tell your story. And tell it well.
Do you feel like you're not a real hero so you can't write a hero's journey? Or that your tale is not interesting enough to be valuable to the reader?
In the wise words of Jen Sincero: “You are the only you there is and ever will be. Do not deny the world its one and only chance to bask in your brilliance.”
You bring value to this world. And somewhere there's an audience who will engage with that value and take a piece of it into their own lives.
If you're having trouble seeing your story, it can really help to have an outsider perspective. A professional writer can help you clarify your theme, incorporate engaging details, and make a lasting impact on your readers.
Have a story idea but are feeling unsure about it? Or just don’t know where to start? Maybe it’s only the inkling you have something to share but hasn’t been fully formed yet. Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear about it!
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