Storytelling Foundations

Be the one who tells it best.

In any career, the most successful people are those who can communicate who they are and what they do succinctly and engagingly, in a way that their audience can understand.

But when it comes to communicating complex and technical work, it can feel impossible to turn the tangled web of findings, details and careful caveats into a coherent, linear narrative that lands.

(Not to mention the time pressures of deadlines, speaking English as a second language, and having to stand out in such a competitive job market.)

That’s where storytelling comes in.

Developed by Dr Anna Ploszajski over a decade spent as an academic researcher and storyteller of science, Storytelling Foundations is a practical, creative and efficient course that gives participants all the skills and knowledge they need to tell compelling stories about their work.

Course Content

In this introductory part, we'll cover what you already know about story - which is a lot! We'll think about the role that stories play in our lives, and how they work on a psychological and societal level. Then, I'll present you with my big pitch; seven reasons why becoming a better storyteller can make you a better communicator of technical work.
In this part, we'll think about the problems that we're trying to solve when we try to communicate our work - in other words, why we communicate in the first place. With guidance, you'll set your own communication aims, and develop a path to get there. We'll also think about who your audiences are, and what do they want and need from you. Finally, given these aims and audiences, I'll show you how to choose the right story to tell.
In this part, I'll give you all the tools you need to tell your story. I'll introduce you to the idea of story shape, as well as story structure, narrative, dramatic tension, characterisation, world-building, conflicts and journeys. By the end, you'll be equipped with your storytelling toolbox.