The women playing the cello...

I did a film that's on YouTube of me reading hate mail with a woman playing the cello in the background--Richard Dawkins

I have a series of writing workshops over the next few months. Digital storytelling is a collection of many forms of media including text, photography, video, audio and graphics. My approach to this type of gig is to always create with fresh set of eyes.

If I am not excited and curious about being present, how will my audience engage?

A single truth about telling a story?

Nobody remembers a list.

Think about a talk where you were in the audience and it was basically a data dump. Perhaps these were important facts but would you be able to recall them during the session break out in the hall?

How do you avoid the trap of over-burdening a set of slides? Try out your story on a friend. If the theme of your upcoming talk can’t be encapsulated in a narrative conversation, you have a problem.

Photo by Ben Duchac on Unsplash

Oral storytelling in conversation reveals what works and what does not. How did your friend respond? Were there parts of the conversation where she became more engaged? What questions were asked? Where were clarifications needed?

Is there an angle to your story that is believed by most people? Is there a friction between this belief and reality?

Learning how to tell story isn’t simply about standing at a podium. It can inform how you interview for a job, network with colleagues or sprinkle a little rizz into your space.

I think of something Michael Lewis describes in his Masterclass in Storytelling.

Explain a mistake the world is making.

The perception is AI as the answer — the reality is a little more nuanced.

Tell that story.

Open - Source Solutions for Geospatial Analysis is my more tech themed newsletter. Through letters and messages I do know that many of you here also have a tech edge. I have decided to pay attention to having a YouTube presence and sharing tutorials and talks on that platform — you can head over there if that interests you.

https://www.youtube.com/@datamongerbonny

The reason for this move is offered below the paywall — nothing too draconian but I am more comfortable telling the story to a smaller group.

Also one more perk for paid subscribers, beginning next week Sundays will include a special post for sharing reader questions and a small story prompt aligned with the week’s inbox.