{"id":5468,"date":"2020-01-13T16:26:19","date_gmt":"2020-01-13T21:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/responseblog.wpengine.com\/?p=5468"},"modified":"2020-09-08T09:27:13","modified_gmt":"2020-09-08T13:27:13","slug":"craft-better-stories-with-shapes-from-kurt-vonnegut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/responseblog.wpengine.com\/2020\/01\/craft-better-stories-with-shapes-from-kurt-vonnegut\/","title":{"rendered":"Craft Better Stories with Shapes from Kurt Vonnegut"},"content":{"rendered":"

Storytelling is more than just a marketing buzzword du jour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s in our nature to need stories<\/span><\/a> because the very way our brains are <\/span>hardwired demands narrative<\/span><\/a>. As children, stories teach us to navigate the world. As adults, we craft stories about ourselves and the world around us to help us make critical choices.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And for the purposes of this post, consider that many of these narratives are about the brands and businesses that we interact with. Just think about the last time you were trying to decide where to grab lunch. Chances are, experiences that you\u2019ve had at each option popped into your head as \u201cstories.\u201d Maybe, there\u2019s a deli with a friendly woman behind the counter who reminds you of someone. An inconsistent sit-down spot that you always forgive because of the character of its decor.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One could even simply define marketing and advertising as a brand\u2019s chance to influence the story that their target audience is telling about them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ipso facto, if you want your marketing and advertising to resonate, it better tell a good story.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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DISCLAIMER<\/strong><\/em>: <\/i><\/b>Stories are powerful, but <\/span>they can backfire<\/span><\/a>. Sometimes it’s best to stick to the facts.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A problem that many marketers have with storytelling is that it\u2019s hard to define just what a story is. Does my marketing need a villain? <\/span>A hero\u2019s journey<\/span><\/a>? Internal or external conflict? Metaphors?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While there are many different ways to tell a story, almost all have at least one thing: a shape.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During his anthropology graduate studies at the University of Chicago, sci-fi author, Kurt Vonnegut (\u201cSlaughterhouse Five\u201d is his most well-known work) noticed that the Bible\u2019s New Testament and the enduring folk tale Cinderella followed nearly the same story \u201cshape\u201d when charted across a horizontal axis of time and vertical axis of relative happiness.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He posited that the \u201cshapes\u201d of the stories a culture holds most valuable reveal things about that culture, and submitted his theory for his master\u2019s thesis.<\/span><\/p>\n

While his professors rejected the thesis (because \u201cit was so simple and looked like too much fun\u201d), Vonnegut considered the shapes his \u201cprettiest contribution to culture.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll allow him to explain:<\/span><\/p>\n