Storyfiles: The Secret To Telling More Stories, More Often, With More Variety
One thing I’ve learnt over the years is that every great storyteller has a ‘Storyfile’.
If you have no idea what a Storyfile is, or if you’ve been meaning to create one but you’ve never got around to it, this one’s for you!
So, when I run my Storytelling Workshops, at the start I like to gauge where the group feels their storytelling skills are at.
Often, there are a couple of people in the group who either self-nominate that they’re ‘pretty good’, or the group nominates them.
One specific time whilst running a Workshop for an Energy company, everyone had put forward one guy from their team as a ‘great storyteller’.
After seeing this guy in action I understood why the group had said this. He was charismatic, engaging and seemed to enjoy telling his story.
However, he admitted that he felt like a bit of a fraud. 😬
In his eyes, he only had a few go-to stories he used over and over. i.e. He felt like a ‘one trick pony’.
He also worried people were bored of his stories.
I think they were too (judging by the ribbing he got about that).
I get it too. Nobody wants to feel like a broken record.
The thing is, being good at telling stories is one thing. But knowing how to keep finding relevant stories to share is another thing entirely. They don’t always go hand in hand.
But thankfully, this is actually quite any easy fix.
Nobody should be limited to a few signature stories. There’s stories happening all around us every single day.
You just need a way to capture them. So you always have fresh stories to use.
That’s where a STORYFILE comes in. 📖
It makes telling both your core stories + using fresh ones much easier. Plus it sparks inspiration for more interesting story ideas.
Which means you end up telling more stories + more often + with more variety.
A complete win win!
So in today’s newsletter I thought I’d share the 4 story buckets I include in mine, what Tech I use, the level of detail I find helpful and how I ensure my Storyfile stays up to date.
If you’d like to tell more stories, or have more variety with your stories, or save time when finding appropriate stories to share, this one is for you!
WHAT IS A STORYFILE?
A storyfile is like … a digital filing cabinet full of stories.
Something (unlike that example above ha) that you can dig into, easily.
WHAT SHOULD YOU INCLUDE IN A STORYFILE?
Stories you’ve experienced, or stories you’ve come across.
To ensure you have variety, I’d recommend you include stories from each of these 4 different story buckets.
My 4 Key Storytelling Buckets
i. Personal Stories | “I’ve experienced…”
Something you’ve experienced first-hand. Your own stories are the most powerful story to tell, because you experienced it and therefore you don’t have to rely on second hand details.
ii. Someone Else’s Stories | “I’ve heard…”
A story someone else has told you first-hand. Obviously you’d need to make sure you de-identify it, or get their permission to re-share it.
iii. Public Domain Stories | “I’ve come across…”
A story in the public domain. This could include one that you come across on social media, whilst listening to the radio, a podcast, in a Documentary, etc.
iv. Hypothetical Stories | “Imagine if…”
A realistic scenario that you bring to life (which may be very representative of what might / could / does occur). You can easily segue into this by starting with “I want you to imagine”.
HOW TO CREATE & MAINTAIN A STORYFILE
If you don’t have a Storyfile as yet, here’s what I’d recommend you do.
STEP 1 – Setup your Storyfile:
- Pick a place where you can store your stories
- Create the 4 relevant buckets
Note: It could be in the notes section of your phone, in Excel or in an app like Evernote or Notion (both let you assign tags and have handy AI based search functionality).
I personally use Evernote and this is how mine are segregated.
STEP 2 – Fill your Storyfile initially:
- Add your first 10 stories (2-3 stories from all 4 story buckets will get you there)
- For each story, simply add the following 3 things:
-Title (5-10 words)
-Date (When the story occurred / was found)
-Details (Links, Screenshots or Full Story)
Less is more. Here’s the level of detail I generally go to (this is a ‘Public Domain’ story):
STEP 3 – Regularly update it:
- Create a habit, so it becomes a living document.
I always add stories when inspiration strikes.
The best advice I can give you is to always, always jot down a story, lesson or interesting moment, when it happens / when you think of it / come across it. If I don’t, it completely slips my mind and that story may never come back into my mind again.
IN SUMMARY
Don’t simply try and remember all of the interesting stories you come across or experience. You’ll likely forget, waste time finding them or lack inspiration for fresh stories when the time comes.
Instead, create a STORYFILE (and start today).
It will help you capture and file away story-worthy moments.
So you can tell more stories, more often and with more variety (and less effort).
Cheers,
Emily
P.S. To help you build your own Storyfile, I created a resource called ‘75 Storytelling Scenarios’. It will help you to quickly uncover hidden storytelling opportunities in your own work environment.
Also, my live 9-week Storytelling Group Coaching Program will be coming back soon. This hasn’t been open to the public since 2024, so it’s exciting to be brining it back! I’ll share more details with you soon.
Hey, I’m Emily Edgeley, a Public Speaking Coach for the Tech/Cybersec industry.
Since 2017 I’ve transformed the lives of thousands, by helping them to communicate with more power. I’ve run 300+ group coaching sessions, coached more than 250 people privately, and helped more than 100+ others give their first ever Conf talk.
I’m on a mission to help anyone in Tech/Cybersec communicate with more clarity, impact and confidence. To boost their brand, career and influence.
Group Coaching Programs | Private Coaching Options | Corporate Workshops
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