If you think about it, storytelling is a skill we all use every day. We tell stories at the water cooler, in meeting rooms, in social media, and around the dinner table.
Knowing how to tell a great story helps you communicate, do better in business, and be more fun at parties.
Think you’re no good at telling stories? You can be, if you want, for just $1. (More on that in a moment.)
Storytelling is a skill, and like any skill, it can be learned. Just ask Michael Hauge.
The guy is a storytelling genius. He’s not only a best-selling author, he’s also one of Hollywood’s top story experts. He’s worked on projects starring Will Smith, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Reese Witherspoon, and Morgan Freeman. He’s given lectures and workshops on storytelling to more than 80,000 people worldwide.
He knows what he’s talking about. And he can teach you how to tell stories.
Before I read his books, I struggled for many, many years to become a writer. I’d written so many unpublished novels that I had started to give up hope of ever getting published. Then I decided that if I wanted a different result, I had to change tactics.
So I knuckled down and started seriously studying the skill of storytelling. I read every book and magazine about writing that I could get my hands on. Not just slick new material, but musty old books going back more than a hundred years. I studied everything.
I scribbled extensive notes. And most importantly, I put that advice into action. That meant changing what I was doing wrong, overcoming my past mistakes, figuring out how to write better, and putting in massive effort.
Today, I’m a full-time writer. Every day, I’m thankful for that fact. And as a bonus, I now have a shelf jammed full of outstanding books on storytelling.
One of the most helpful books is Writing Screenplays That Sell by Michael Hauge. I write novels, not screenplays, but that doesn’t matter. This book is packed solid with practical, nuts-and-bolts techniques you can use to write a better novel, short story, or any work of fiction. It’s no exaggeration to say that reading that book transformed the way I look at stories.
I’ve also recommended Hauge’s other book, Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds, to hundreds of aspiring writers. It’s a must-have on every writer’s bookshelf.
But what about non-writers who want to tell great stories?
Finally, Michael Hauge has written a book about that, too. It’s called Storytelling Made Easy: Persuade and Transform Your Audiences, Buyers and Clients – Quickly, Simply and Profitably.
It’s aimed at businesspeople who want to use storytelling to sell products or services, or communicate better with clients. But the effortless way he explains the basics of storytelling make this book a worthwhile read for anyone.
The paperback edition is $19.95, and the Kindle edition is $9.99. But from now until Sunday, June 11, you can get the Kindle edition for just 99 cents.
(You can also get the paperback version here.)
By the way, I don’t have any business connection with Mr. Hauge at all. I’m just sharing the news about his new book because I’m convinced, by my own experience, that he is the world’s foremost authority on storytelling.
That’s why I just bought his book. Check it out.
Do you have a favorite book about storytelling or writing? Leave me a comment below.
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