Archive: January 2010

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Who Says Johnny Can’t Write (A Good Story)?

I’m tired of reading how American students lag behind their international counterparts on the academic front. Johnny can’t write. Johnny can’t add. Johnny can’t spell. Even The Wall Street Journal has piled on with an article which highlights that only 23 percent of the 2009 high school graduates taking the ACT admissions test have the skills to succeed …more

Communicating with Fresh and Compelling Language

We associate the “sound bite” with television. Capture your idea in an entertaining 20 seconds and increase the likelihood of making the 11 p.m. news. The same concept exists in print journalism. At the risk of oversimplifying, given a choice between dull or exciting, reporters will take exciting every time. One of my all-time favorite …more

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime … for a Good Story: The Future of Journalism

This is a story within a story. A journalist named Paige Williams had the story. She just needed a publication to publish the story, a not-so-minor detail. After multiple rejections and finally selling the piece to The New York Times, only to have the opportunity go south, she took matters into her own hands. Specifically, …more

Top Storytelling Blog Posts From 2009 (Part II)

I shared half of my list of favorite posts from a cruise through the past yesterday. Here’s the remaining five. 6) Iron Reporter: Wall Street Journal Versus NY Times On A Russian Train I came up with the Iron Reporter concept for scrutinizing how two different reporters cover the same topic. In this case, my …more

Top Storytelling Blog Posts From 2009 (Part I)

I cruised back through my 2009 posts, flagging my personal favorites. Here’s half the list: 1) AIG Jumps Into Fray with Its Side of the Story This was my first time getting in touch with my inner smart-ass self: The power of empathy championed by Oprah and her ilk is not lost on Mr. Liddy. His …more

Storytelling Serves as the Basis for "Narrative Medicine"

The power of storytelling is now being deployed in medicine. The Irish Times writes on the topic “Keeping the Narrative Going,” kicking off with the question: Why settle for role of tragic victim when you could have that of courageous survivor? It makes sense. If storytelling offers the means for more effective communications in life …more

Telling a Story Through Visual Means

We are inundated by information. (How’s that for going out on the limb; hopefully not a precursor for 2010.) If all or part of that information can be translated into a visual, you strengthen the “consumption” process – particularly in areas of complexity; i.e., technology, cleantech and life sciences. That’s why, when I projected the …more

The Quest to Hide a Train Wreck Story: Crisis Communications

Everybody loves a train wreck and what I affectionately call a “NASCAR story.” Even the promise of a collision tends to attract a crowd. With this as the backdrop, UTStarcom faced a quandary. The Justice Department had nailed the company for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a fancy phrase for bribery. How does …more