Adding Variety to Your Storytelling

May 2, 2024

By: Scott Westcott

There’s more than one way to tell a story.

Yet it seems that writers often fall into the rut of defaulting to a traditional story format that’s focused on the who, what, when, where, and why.

For some stories — namely those in which your primary aim is to provide useful information as quickly and efficiently as possible — that makes perfect sense.

However, traditional story structures aren’t always the best choice. And you can keep your audiences (and yourself) more engaged if you mix things up.

Here are a few alternative storytelling structures to consider as you develop your editorial calendar.

First-person narrative
There’s real power in an authentic voice.  A story told in first-person can deliver emotional impact and heartfelt insights as it comes directly from the source. These stories can be written by the individual being featured or told through a skilled ghostwriter.

When to use it: First person narratives are most effective when you are featuring someone with a compelling personal story to tell, and a unique voice in telling it.

The Q & A
A question-and-answer structure draws on a conversational framework that allows an interview subject to provide insights on a range of topics — or dig deep into a single subject. Q&A’s are also highly readable because the reader can skim through and focus on topics which are most relevant to them.

When to use it: When you are featuring someone who has a lot of interesting things to say. The Q&A structure can help you focus on the best stuff without getting bogged down by unnecessary narrative.

Long-form narrative
Attention spans may be shrinking, but readers will still stick with a longer story if it’s well written and contains compelling components including action, conflict, and examples of overcoming daunting obstacles.

When to use it: Long-form pieces often require a lot of time, so it’s important to be selective and only choose stories that carry emotional heft or truly require a deep dive. If you find yourself intrigued and engaged with a particular story during the interview and research process, it’s usually a good indicator that others will be interested in going along for the ride as well. When writing, think “show, don’t tell” so you can engage readers in ways that they feel like they can see the story unfolding.

Thought leadership pieces
Insight-driven thought leadership can end up as great op-eds, essays or LinkedIn posts. These stories are less about the people who are telling them, and more about what they have to say and the unique perspective they bring to a topic.  

When to use them: If you’re overarching goal is to change hearts and minds or raise awareness about a particular topic or issue, then an insight-driven framework is the way to go.

Visual stories
Every picture does indeed tell a story, and sometimes it’s more effective to show a story visually rather than to bogging it down with narrative. Visual stories — such as photo essays or videos — can help you engage with audiences that might not lean toward consuming a lot of written content.

When to use them: Opt for a more visually focused story when you know you can access or capture images or video that promise to deliver real impact.

The straight news story will always be the bread and butter of getting information out to your audience. But employing a range of other storytelling options can keep your readers hungry for more.