now, I want to tell you a story ...

being able to communicate,  vital — being able to tell as story - apparently priceless.

Storytelling can be an indispensable skill for sharing your passion with the world, building awareness with customers and creating partnership relationships. 

As one of the world's worst joke tellers I was pleased to hear that good stories have an anatomy, I sort of knew in my mind there was structure but now I know there are rules I feel sooooo much better.

In fact I have come across two, and I'm sure there will be more, but two is a good starting point.

ONE: THE STORY SPINE

U.S. playwright Kenn Adams developed this tool for telling professional stories. 

The Platform introduces the issue or topic.

e.g. Once upon a time...   We know...   Research shows...  Experience tells us ...

The Catalyst explains why this is important today.

e.g. But one day, something changed...  a problem arose ...  

The Consequences explains the journey and the "problem."

e.g. Because of that... (This is repeated as many times as you wish.)

And then _____ occurred.

Example: This change caused...

The Climax is the turning point that leads to the proposed solution.

e.g. Until finally...  this means...  an option...

The Resolution is the final -- and positive -- solution to problem. 

e.g. And the moral of the story is...  or a call to action - please join us...   could you ...

TWO: THE WAVE FORM CLIMAX

great for public speaking, where you need to carry a crowd along with you, get attention, persuade actions.

Nancy Duarte  analysed the structure of some of the best social and political speeches and uncovered the story structure in them... she found that the storyteller takes the listener on a roller coaster 

from a low of what something currently is -  a problem — to a high of what it could be - a dream — back to what it is a barrier — to what it could be, a solution and so on. Building a need to act/be involved in the listener and developing a hope/belief in a solution: 

but she tells it better -  see Nancy Duarte talk on this at TEDxEAST

THREE: A new addition (June 1 2013) - from the TED people on shaping a presentation - it's a long article but give you all the "how to" for a great  even "Killer Presentation"