How to Tell Insanely Good Stories - 5 Storytelling Techniques That Work Like Magic
Want to captivate any audience with your storytelling? Master these five simple yet powerful techniques—location, actions, thoughts, emotions, and dialogue—to make your stories unforgettable.
Introduction: The Power of Storytelling
Storytelling isn’t just for novelists or screenwriters—it’s a superpower. A well-told story can hook an audience, make ideas memorable, and even influence decisions. Yet, so much of the advice out there makes it seem like a complex, academic pursuit.
But here’s the truth: great storytelling is simple. You just need to focus on what actually matters.
In the next few minutes, you’ll learn five insanely effective storytelling techniques that will transform the way you tell stories—whether you're giving a speech, writing a post, or just sharing an anecdote with friends.
Why Most Storytelling Advice is Overcomplicated
Many storytelling guides drown you in theory: narrative arcs, rising tension, and all that fancy jargon. Sure, that’s useful if you're crafting a Hollywood screenplay, but for everyday storytelling? Overkill.
What truly makes a story compelling isn’t a convoluted plot structure—it’s how deeply you take your audience into the moment.
Consider this:
Instead of summarizing events, imagine zooming into a specific moment, making people feel like they’re right there with you. That’s what great storytellers do, whether it’s John Krasinski recounting an awkward customs conversation or Sarah Willingham flipping a sexist assumption on its head.
Let’s break down the five storytelling techniques that make this magic happen.
5 Storytelling Techniques to Hook Your Audience
1. 📍 Location: Where Does Your Story Begin?
The best stories don’t drop in out of nowhere—they start with a location to anchor the audience in time and space. Think of it as setting the stage before the play begins. The moment you state where you are, your audience starts building a mental image, and boom—they're right there with you.
Example:
✔ "Two weeks ago, I was sitting on my couch, taking a deep breath."
That single sentence is enough for the audience to visualize the setting. Notice how it doesn't over-explain? There’s no need to describe the couch’s color, the number of cushions, or whether you were sipping coffee—just stating the locationis enough.
🎭 Why Does Location Matter?
The moment you name a place—a café, a subway station, a crowded airport—your audience starts filling in the blanks with their own mental images. That’s the beauty of human imagination! The less you force-feed details, the more immersive your story becomes.
🚨 Common Mistake: Overloading with Details
Many beginner storytellers feel the need to over-describe everything, believing that more details = a better experience. But too many details slow the story down and make it harder to follow.
❌ Too much detail:
"I was in a large conference room with a long mahogany table, a projector screen flickering on the wall, and rows of fluorescent lights casting a cold, artificial glow over the attendees."
Sounds nice, but... who cares? Unless those details are crucial to your story (spoiler: they probably aren’t), they just add clutter.
✅ Better:
"I was in a conference room, waiting for the meeting to start."
Simple. Clean. Effective. Now your audience is picturing their own version of a conference room, and the story moves forward without unnecessary baggage.
⚡ Pro Tip: Make It Personal but Universal
If your story takes place somewhere unfamiliar (e.g., a niche location or an exotic setting), keep it relatable by grounding it in universal experiences.
✔ "I was sitting in a tiny street café in Paris, listening to the hum of conversation around me."
❌ "I was in ‘Le Petit Bistro de la Rue,’ a charming 19th-century café tucked away in the 7th arrondissement, known for its blue shutters and delicate floral arrangements on each iron-wrought table."
The first version invites the audience into the feeling of being in a café, rather than drowning them in unnecessary specifics.
💡 How to Instantly Improve Any Story with Location
Before you tell a story, ask yourself:
✅ Where am I? (Not in a broad sense—be specific but concise.)
✅ Is this location something the audience can quickly imagine?
✅ Am I giving just enough detail to set the scene, but not so much that it slows the story down?
When in doubt, keep it simple and let your audience’s imagination do the heavy lifting. That’s how great stories pull people in from the very first sentence. 🚀
2. 🚶 Actions: What’s Happening in the Moment?
What makes a story feel alive? Movement.
Actions are the driving force of storytelling. They pull the audience into the moment by showing exactly what’s happening instead of wasting time with unnecessary setup. When you focus on actions, your story feels dynamic, immersive, and engaging—like a movie scene unfolding in real-time.
🎬 Why Actions Matter
Every great story needs momentum—something that keeps it moving forward. If you linger too long on background details or over-explain the context, you lose your audience’s attention. The key is to skip the fluff and jump straight into the action.
Example:
✔ "I opened my laptop and saw a message from my manager."
Notice how this line immediately places the audience inside the moment? There's no long-winded introduction, just an action that leads naturally into the story. The listener wants to know: What did the message say? What happens next?That’s the power of action—it builds anticipation.
🚨 Common Mistake: Wasting Time on Unnecessary Setup
Many people begin their stories with too much background information. While context can be helpful, it often slows things down and makes the story feel less engaging.
❌ Too much setup:
"So before I tell you what happened, let me explain how my company works and why I even got this job in the first place..."
At this point, your audience is already zoning out. Instead of getting to the point, you're taking them on a long detour through details they don’t need.
✅ Better:
"I was at work when I saw an email pop up from my manager."
This keeps the story focused and immediate. You can always fill in background details later if they become relevant.
⚡ Pro Tip: Use Strong, Specific Verbs
To make your story more vivid and engaging, choose verbs that convey motion and energy.
✔ "I threw my phone on the table and ran out the door."
❌ "I placed my phone on the table and proceeded to exit my apartment."
One version feels alive, the other feels like it was written for a corporate email. Your audience shouldn’t just hear your story—they should feel like they’re inside it.
🛠 How to Instantly Improve Any Story with Actions
✅ Ask yourself: What am I physically doing in this moment?
✅ Start with an action instead of background details.
✅ Use strong verbs that create movement and energy.
✅ Keep it simple—cut any setup that slows down the momentum.
Make Every Second Count
Actions anchor your audience in reality and make them feel like they’re experiencing the moment alongside you. So the next time you tell a story, forget the setup and dive straight into the action.
🚀 Because nothing kills a good story faster than a slow start.
3. 🧠 Thoughts: What’s Going Through Your Mind?
If actions move the story forward, thoughts pull the audience inside your head. Inner dialogue is the secret weapon of storytelling—it makes your story personal, relatable, and emotionally rich.
Rather than simply stating how you felt, let us hear your raw, unfiltered thoughts. This helps the audience connect with you on a deeper level because they’re not just observing your experience—they’re living it with you.
💭 Why Thoughts Matter in Storytelling
Every great story has an emotional core. But instead of saying "I was nervous," or "I was excited," show us what that nervousness or excitement actually sounded like in your head.
Example:
❌ Boring: "I was excited to meet my crush."
✅ Better: "Oh my god, this is actually happening. What if I say something dumb? What if she doesn’t recognize me?!’"
See the difference? Instead of just telling us you were excited, you show us the exact mental chaos happening in your head.
🚨 Common Mistake: Making Thoughts Sound Robotic
Some storytellers try to include their thoughts but end up making them sound unnatural or stiff—like something from a philosophy textbook instead of a real person’s mind.
❌ Too formal:
"I pondered the immense opportunity before me and the ramifications of my decision."
No one actually thinks like this. Inner dialogue should feel casual and real.
✅ Better:
"Oh man, this could be either really amazing or really, really awkward."
Your thoughts should sound like your actual voice. If you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t write it that way.
⚡ Pro Tip: Make It Juicy & Relatable
People love thoughts that feel raw, a little neurotic, and unfiltered—because that’s how we all think.
✔ Instead of this: "I was worried about my presentation."
✔ Say this: "Oh crap, my hands are sweating. What if I forget everything? What if they all just stare at me in silence?"
When you make your thoughts sound real, the audience instantly connects with your emotions.
🛠 How to Instantly Improve Any Story with Thoughts
✅ Ask yourself: What was I REALLY thinking in that moment?
✅ Write it as if you were texting your best friend.
✅ Keep it casual, conversational, and unfiltered.
✅ If it sounds like a corporate email, rewrite it.
🎯 Final Thought: Let Your Thoughts Run Wild
Your inner dialogue is what makes your story yours. It’s what turns a generic experience into something funny, dramatic, or deeply relatable.
So the next time you tell a story, let us inside your head. Trust me, that’s where the good stuff is. 🚀
4. 😲 Emotions: How Does It Feel?
A great story doesn’t just make people hear what happened—it makes them feel it. And the best way to do that? Show emotions, don’t just state them.
Telling your audience "I was nervous" is like giving them a summary of an emotion. It doesn’t make them experience it. Instead, show how that nervousness felt, looked, and played out in your body.
💡 Why Showing Emotions Works
When you describe emotions visually, your audience doesn’t just understand what you were feeling—they feel it alongside you.
✔ Example:
❌ Telling: "I was nervous."
✅ Showing: "My palms were sweaty. I kept tapping my pen against the table and glancing at the clock every few seconds."
Now, instead of just knowing you were nervous, the audience can actually see and feel it.
🚨 Common Mistake: Using Vague Emotional Labels
The biggest mistake storytellers make? Using broad, generic emotions instead of making them tangible.
❌ Too vague:
"I was disappointed."
✅ More immersive:
"I slumped in my chair, let out a long sigh, and rubbed my temples."
See the difference? The second version paints a picture of disappointment, making the reader experience it rather than just being told about it.
⚡ Pro Tip: Use Physical & Behavioral Cues
To make emotions come alive, describe how they manifest physically in your body or behavior.
✔ Instead of this: "I was happy."
✔ Say this: "I couldn't stop grinning. I felt like my chest was going to burst. I actually did a little fist pump in the air."
✔ Instead of this: "He was anxious."
✔ Say this: "He kept biting his lip, his leg bouncing under the table like he was trying to shake off the nerves."
The more specific and visual you make an emotion, the more immersive your story becomes.
🛠 How to Instantly Improve Any Story with Emotions
✅ Ask yourself: How did this emotion physically feel in my body?
✅ Show it through actions, body language, or small details.
✅ Use comparisons or exaggeration to amplify it.
✅ Cut vague emotional labels and replace them with visuals.
🎯 Make Your Audience Feel It
The best storytellers don’t just say emotions—they make their audience experience them. So next time you tell a story, ditch the vague labels and paint a picture of how your emotions looked and felt.
Because when your audience can see what you felt, that’s when your story truly comes to life. 🚀
5. 💬 Dialogue: What’s Being Said?
If emotions make a story feel real, then dialogue makes it come alive. Dialogue is one of the fastest ways to engage your audience because it puts them right in the scene—as if they’re listening in on the conversation themselves.
Instead of summarizing what was said, recreate the exact words exchanged. This instantly makes the story more dynamic, more immersive, and way more entertaining.
🗣 Why Dialogue Works in Storytelling
When people tell stories, they often summarize conversations instead of actually showing them. But a summarized story feels distant—while a dialogue-driven story feels immediate.
✔ Example:
❌ Telling: "My friend was upset."
✅ Showing: "My friend looked at me and said, ‘Dude, what the hell was that?!’"
The second version doesn’t just tell you the friend was upset—it lets you hear their frustration, see their reaction, and feelthe tension.
🚨 Common Mistake: Making Dialogue Too Formal
The biggest mistake people make with dialogue? Writing it like an HR email instead of how people actually talk.
❌ Too stiff & unnatural:
"My manager stated, ‘I found your presentation to be suboptimal in execution.’"
No one talks like that. If they did, you’d probably be plotting your escape from the conversation.
✅ More natural & engaging:
"My manager sighed, shook his head, and said, ‘Dude… that was rough.’"
This feels real because it sounds like something someone would actually say.
⚡ Pro Tip: Make Dialogue Snappy & Impactful
✔ Keep dialogue short and to the point—real people don’t give long speeches in casual conversations.
✔ Add emotion and personality to the words (exasperation, sarcasm, hesitation).
✔ Use body language or tone to add depth (e.g., sighed, smirked, muttered).
✔ Instead of this: "I asked my boss for a raise, and he seemed hesitant about it."
✔ Say this: "I walked into his office and said, ‘So... how do you feel about giving me more money?’ He raised an eyebrow and said, ‘Define more.’"
✔ Instead of this: "She was really happy about the news."
✔ Say this: "She gasped, clapped her hands together, and said, ‘Shut UP! Are you serious?!’"
Good dialogue makes characters come alive. It adds humor, tension, and drama in a way that straight narration never could.
🛠 How to Instantly Improve Any Story with Dialogue
✅ Ask yourself: What were the EXACT words said?
✅ Write it like people actually talk.
✅ Keep it short, punchy, and full of personality.
✅ Use reactions & body language to enhance the meaning.
🎯 Let Your Characters Speak
Next time you tell a story, don’t just summarize what was said—bring the conversation to life. Your audience doesn’t want a summary of the scene, they want to experience it firsthand.
Because great storytelling isn’t just about what happens—it’s about what’s being said. 🚀
🔍 The Art of Zooming Into the Moment
All the storytelling techniques we've covered—location, actions, thoughts, emotions, and dialogue—boil down to one ultimate skill: zooming in.
Instead of summarizing events like a news report, great storytellers take their audience inside the moment. They don’t just tell you what happened; they make you see, hear, and feel it in real-time.
🎥 Why Zooming In Works
Most people tell stories at a helicopter level—hovering over the events, summarizing them from above. But the best stories drop you right into the trenches.
✔ Instead of this:
"Back then, I was at customs, and the officer asked what I did for a living. I told him I was an actor, and he was surprised when he found out I was married to Emily Blunt."
✔ Say this:
"And then I said, ‘Yeah.’ And he goes, ‘You?’ And I go, ‘Yeah.’ And he goes, ‘YOU married Emily Blunt?!’ And I go… ‘Yeah.’"
That’s John Krasinski telling his hilarious customs story. Instead of summarizing, he zoomed into the conversation—letting us feel the awkward pauses, the disbelief, the repetition. It’s what makes the moment so funny and memorable.
🎭 Turning a Summary into an Experience
Sarah Willingham, a British entrepreneur, used the same technique when she told the story about being underestimated in a business meeting.
Instead of saying:
❌ "The lawyer assumed I was an assistant."
She zoomed in and let us watch the moment unfold:
✅ "I walked into the meeting, two minutes late. The lawyer across the table looked up and said, ‘Oh, thank goodness for that—mine’s white with one sugar, please.’"
At that moment, we’re right there with her. We see the man’s assumption, feel the tension, and anticipate her response. And then, instead of just telling us what she did, she shows it:
✔ "I walked over to the coffee station, made him his coffee, placed it in front of him, and said, ‘Would anyone else like one?’"
Instead of just hearing about an event, we experience it.
🚀 How to Zoom Into Your Own Stories
Whenever you tell a story, ask yourself:
✅ Am I summarizing the event, or am I taking my audience inside the moment?
✅ Can I turn this into a real-time experience with location, actions, thoughts, emotions, and dialogue?
✅ Does my story make the audience feel like they’re right there with me?
The closer you zoom in, the more immersive and unforgettable your story becomes.
So next time you're telling a story, ditch the summary—take us into the moment. That’s what makes a story stick. 🚀
Storytelling Mastery Framework & Cheat Sheet
Framework: The 5 Essential Storytelling Techniques
This framework provides a step-by-step approach to crafting engaging, memorable stories that captivate your audience. Follow these five core elements to zoom into the moment and make your stories irresistible.
📍 1. Location: Set the Scene
✔ Clearly state where the story takes place.
✔ Keep it simple—just one or two words (e.g., "conference room," "airport").
✔ Let the audience visualize their own version of the space.
❌ Common Mistake: Overloading with unnecessary details.
✅ Better Approach: Give a location but let the audience fill in the gaps.
Example:
- "Two weeks ago, I was sitting on my couch, scrolling through my phone."
- "September 2019—I was standing outside the conference room, taking a deep breath."
🚶 2. Actions: Show What’s Happening
✔ Start with what you’re physically doing in the moment.
✔ Use strong, specific verbs to create movement (e.g., "typing," "pacing," "laughing").
✔ Bring the listener into the experience right away.
❌ Common Mistake: Over-explaining backstory before getting to the action.
✅ Better Approach: Jump straight into what’s happening NOW.
Example:
- "I was standing in line at airport security, clutching my passport."
- "I opened my laptop and saw an email from my boss."
🧠 3. Thoughts: Share Inner Dialogue
✔ Let the audience hear your thoughts in the moment.
✔ Keep it raw, unfiltered, and conversational—how you’d actually think.
✔ Helps create relatability and emotional connection.
❌ Common Mistake: Making thoughts sound too formal or robotic.
✅ Better Approach: Use natural, slightly exaggerated thoughts to engage the audience.
Example:
- ❌ "I was excited to meet my crush."
- ✅ "Oh my god, what if I say something stupid? What if she doesn’t recognize me?!"
😲 4. Emotions: Make Them Feel It
✔ Instead of telling emotions, show how they look or feel.
✔ Use body language and physical reactions to express emotions.
✔ Helps immerse the audience in the experience.
❌ Common Mistake: Using vague emotion labels (e.g., "I was nervous").
✅ Better Approach: Describe physical or behavioral cues that show the emotion.
Example:
- ❌ "I was really disappointed."
- ✅ "I slumped in my chair, let out a long sigh, and rubbed my temples."
💬 5. Dialogue: Bring the Scene to Life
✔ Instead of summarizing, recreate real conversations with dialogue.
✔ Keep dialogue short, natural, and engaging.
✔ Helps the audience connect with the characters in your story.
❌ Common Mistake: Making dialogue too formal or unnatural.
✅ Better Approach: Use concise, real-sounding dialogue.
Example:
- ❌ "My boss expressed his dissatisfaction with my presentation."
- ✅ "My boss shook his head and said, ‘Dude… that was rough.’"
🔥 Cheat Sheet: Quick Reference Guide
📝 Before Telling a Story, Ask Yourself:
✅ Where am I? (Location: "At the airport security line")
✅ What am I doing? (Actions: "Holding my passport, shifting my weight")
✅ What am I thinking? (Thoughts: "Crap, did I pack my toothpaste?")
✅ What am I feeling? (Emotions: "Heart racing, hands sweating")
✅ What’s being said? (Dialogue: "The TSA agent raised an eyebrow and said, 'Sir, is this your bag?'")
⚡ Quick Fixes for Boring Stories
❌ Too vague? → Zoom into the moment and add actions, thoughts, and dialogue.
❌ Too much setup? → Cut straight to the moment that matters.
❌ Too robotic? → Make thoughts & dialogue sound real and conversational.
❌ Too summary-like? → Show, don’t tell. Use emotions and body language.
💡 Pro Tips for Next-Level Storytelling
✔ Use pauses—let key moments sink in.
✔ Vary your tone and pacing—don’t rush.
✔ End on a high note—a twist, a punchline, or a strong takeaway.
🚀 Bonus: One-Minute Story Formula
If you're in a hurry, follow this format for a quick, engaging story:
1️⃣ Start with location: "Last summer, I was at a tiny café in Paris."
2️⃣ Show action: "I took a sip of my espresso and glanced at my phone."
3️⃣ Share thoughts: "Wait… why is my mom calling me at 3 AM?!"
4️⃣ Reveal emotions: "My stomach dropped. My hands felt clammy."
5️⃣ Use dialogue: "I answered, and she said, ‘Are you okay?! I just had a dream you got arrested!’"
🔹 Punchline or takeaway: "Apparently, my mom’s intuition is strong—I had just gotten a parking ticket."
🎯 Master the Art, One Story at a Time
Storytelling isn’t about fancy words—it’s about taking your audience into the moment and making them feel something.
With this framework and cheat sheet, you’re now equipped to tell insanely good stories that people will remember, repeat, and love.
Go tell your next great story! 🚀
Your Stories Just Got 10x Better
Master these five storytelling techniques, and your stories will never be boring again:
✔ Set the scene (Location)
✔ Show what’s happening (Actions)
✔ Let us into your head (Thoughts)
✔ Make us feel it (Emotions)
✔ Use real conversations (Dialogue)
Next time you tell a story, zoom into the moment—and watch as people hang on to your every word.
Now, go forth and tell better stories! 🚀