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Anne Lamott Style Storytelling
Copyright © 2002 - 2010 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.
The best stories are about truth telling or truth twisting.
They have 6 common elements.
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They make people feel less alone.
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They make people feel better.
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They make people laugh.
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They make people cry.
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They make people take themselves less seriously.
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They have insightful morals that are not preachy.
The stories below are paraphrased or quoted from Anne
Lamott's book Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith to
illustrate storytelling at its best.
1. Give 80% Sincerity.
David Roche is the pastor of the Church of 80% Sincerity. He
has a severe facial deformity that people don't notice so
much after he speaks for a while and they get over the shock
of it and see his radiance. He says that people with facial
deformities wear their shadow on the outside whereas the
rest of us wear it on the inside.
"We in the Church of Eighty Percent Sincerity do not believe
in miracles," he said. "But we do believe that you have to
stay alert, because good things happen. When God opens the
door, you've go to put your foot in. Eighty Percent
Sincerity is about as good as it's going to get. So is
Eighty Percent compassion. Eighty Percent celibacy. So
twenty percent of the time, you just get to be yourself."
Note: I love the way Roche cuts you slack for not being
perfect. We're all on the road called "trying." We're "trying" to live a life of 100% sincerity and when we fall
short it's not so serious. He takes the smugness out of
sincerity.
Lamott says, "In the Church of 80% Sincerity, you definitely
don't have to look good, but you are supposed to meditate.
According to David's instructions, you sit quietly with your
eyes closed and you follow your breath in and out of your
body, gently watching your mind. Your mantra should go like
this: 'Why am I doing this? This is such a waste! I have so
much to do! My butt itches...' And if you stick to it, he
promises, from time to time calm and peace of mind will
intrude. After some practice with this basic meditation, you
will be able to graduate to panic meditations, and then sex
fantasy meditations. And meditations on what to do when you
win the lotto.
When David insists you are find exactly the way you are, you
find yourself almost believing him."
Note: This is a great story because it takes a big, serious
subject--meditation--and really humanizes it. Also, it's
really funny.
2. Explore Your Motivations.
Lamott says, "I've been thinking about A.J. Muste, who during the Vietnam
War stood in front of the White House night after night with
a candle. One rainy night, a reporter asked him, "Mr. Muste,
do you really think you are going to change the policies of
this country by standing out here alone at night with a
candle?"
"Oh," Muste replied, "I don't do it to change the country, I
do it so the country won't change me."
Note: Stories don't have to be long or detailed. With a few
lines you can situate the audience in the social fabric of
the times, set the mood or atmosphere of the moment, give
the specifics of the situation, and end with a great one-line
sound bite.
3. Share Your Basic Philosophy.
Lamott's father taught English and writing to prisoners at
San Quentin in the 1950s and 60s. Lamott says he didn't get
mired in moral or ethical matter, just focused on the basics
of speaking, reading and writing. "My father treated them
with respect and kindness, his main philosophical and
spiritual position being, don't be an as-hole."
Note: Being tongue in cheek is another way not to be pompous
or heavy-handed when praising yourself or others for a
moral, philosophical or religious position.
These stories are all sound bites about serious subjects and
yet aren't preachy or prissy. When you create yours, take
care that you come across as earthy and likeable versus a
know-it-all. Know-it-alls invite snowball throwing. They get
comments behind their backs. You can easily be an expert
without being an ass by being a member of the Church of 80%
Sincerity.
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Susan Harrow, CEO of
http://prsecrets.com, is
a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of
Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul® (HarperCollins),
The
Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah, and
Get a 6-
Figure Book Advance. Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on
Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade,
People, O, NY Times, WSJ, and Inc. |
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