In the previous lessons, we learned that storytelling can be a powerful tool. But keeping the attention of your audience is not easy. So, here are some tried-and-true methods when telling stories:
- Cliffhanger: if you want to grab your audience’s attention and make them want more, stop your story in the middle of an action or a moment full of suspense. You can use it at the end of a chapter or a scene. You can even finish your book with a cliffhanger to let the audience interpret the end.
- Deus Ex Machina: this method, which has been used since Roman and Greek theatre, implements an outside force appearing out of nowhere which solves a problematic situation (i.e. a god, an unknown character, an unexpected situation,..). You use it if you are stuck in your story or for a surprising plot twist.
- Flashback: as you can guess, a flashback reveals a past event during your story. You can use it to explain a present situation by giving a context/backstory. It can help you pass your character with more personality, surprise your audience, and add tension to your story.
- Foreshadowing: this strategy includes giving (blatant or subtle) clues throughout the story. It is a clever way to engage the audience and push it to be attentive.
- In Medias Res: this is when you start your story right in the middle of it without explanations; they will come later. That is an excellent way to give energy to your account and tease your audience to read more about it.
- Pathos: to connect with your audience’s emotions and make people feel personally connected to your story, you can make your characters as human and approachable as possible. Try to give them sensitivity, troubles or anything an average person could relate to.
- Red Herrings: to create mystery or suspense in your story, you can use this method by giving a piece of information or manipulating an object or a person to mislead the audience. It is often used in murder-mystery stories, for example.
- Ticking Time Bomb/Race Against Time: this plot can help you to bring some energy to your story or some suspense as your character is rushed by time. It could be a proper ticking bomb or a goal to complete in a specific time.
- Vernacular: by using regional dialect/language referring to where the story takes place, you make your characters more realistic and attract sympathy from the audience. It can also bring some humour to your account. This method asks for some preliminary research on what is common to say in the area your story is based.