(1 minute read)
It’s highly likely that you are one of the millions of readers or viewers captured by the adventures of Harry Potter or absorbed by the Game of Thrones series.
Alternatively, you may have become hooked on the Twilight series, Bridgerton, or found yourself gripped by the twists and turns presented in the ground-breaking Netflix series, Breaking Bad.
Each of these stories have attracted and enthralled millions of readers and/or viewers. They have become the envy of other authors and producers the world over.
As humans, we’ve been listening to and sharing stories for thousands of years. Some of these have stood the test-of-time, while other – less compelling – stories have been forgotten.
How to Craft your Story – Freytag’s Pyramid.
19th Century Author and Playwright, Gustav Freytag, expanded upon Aristotles original plot for a good drama (350 BCE) and introduced us to the key ingredients in a gripping and compelling story.
- Introduction – Sets the scene/context, characters (hero and/or villain), the conflict, mood/atmosphere.
- Rising Action – Conflict brews, reader feels the rising tension, obstacles presented.
- Climax – The turning point – for better or worse.
- Falling Action – Prospect of resolving conflict, unexpected incidents keeping audience in suspense.
- Conclusion – The end of the story may be a resolution or a catastrophe. If the ‘hero’ achieves its goal, it can be deemed a comedy or drama – if not, a tragedy.
When creating a story about your business or team – or your holiday overseas – you can increase the engagement of your audience by putting some of Freytag’s craft to your presentation.
