The world is shaped by two things!

A Morning with Magic

“The world is shaped by two things – stories told and the memories they leave behind.”

– Vera Nazarian

The rainbow looked so beautiful.

It was more so because I was enjoying it with my little daughter who loves watching rainbows.

She wrapped her arms around me and said, “I feel so nice watching this with you!” My eyes filled with tears of happiness.

But it wasn’t always like that.

Mornings were always hurry-burry.

We barely sat down to eat breakfast; it was always eating while running.

Evenings were exhausted, tired.

Weekends were the only times we would even speak to each other.

Until one day, I said, “Enough is enough!”

Did I stop working?

No, I didn’t!

I found a better job that respected my time, gave me a better work-life balance, and didn’t stress me out.

But that is not what helped me watch the rainbow with my daughter!

Instead, it was a side hustle that I started while I was working, which eventually became a full-time income for me, and also gave me the time to watch rainbows with my daughter.

So, if you haven’t yet started, then this is the time to do it!

Two lessons that I want you to take away from here:

1. If you are stressed at your current job and don’t have time for your family, find one that does.
2. Start a side hustle while working because you never know when you will need it full-time.

The Essence of Storytelling

This story from my life illustrates the power of storytelling.

I note these moments down every day in a Notion page called “Life Quests.”

I use these stories in my articles, videos, podcasts, and posts.

And you’ll see me doing more of it here!

Storytelling is not difficult. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It can be extremely simple.

Storytelling in Podcasting – Why it matters!

Podcasting is an intimate medium.

Listeners often tune in during their commutes, workouts, or while doing household chores.

What keeps them coming back?

Stories.

Stories create connections, evoke emotions, and make your content memorable.

But how do you use storytelling in podcasts?

Here is how you do it!

How to Use Storytelling in Podcasting

Start with a Personal Anecdote

Begin each episode with a personal story. This sets the stage and makes your content relatable. This could even be a small experience (It necessarily need not be a long story)

Example: Share a moment from your week that ties into the episode’s theme.

Incorporate Listener Stories

Encourage your audience to share their stories. Feature these in your episodes to build community.

Example: Ask listeners to submit their experiences related to your topic and discuss them on air.

Create a Narrative Structure

Outline your episodes with a clear beginning, middle, and end. This helps in keeping your listeners engaged. Stories aren’t only about narration. It is also about a structure. This structure should give the listener a feeling of listening to a story!

Example: Introduce the topic, delve into the main content with examples and stories, and conclude with key takeaways.

Use Vivid Descriptions

Paint a picture with your words. Use sensory details to make your stories come alive.

You want your listeners/audience to experience what you are saying. So make it look real by using words that trigger emotions and paint a picture. (I will discuss this in more detail in another of my post, maybe next week!)

Example: Instead of saying “I was stressed,” describe how you felt, the tightness in your chest, the constant headaches, and how it impacted your day.

Connect Emotionally

Stories that evoke emotions are memorable. Share your highs and lows to create a genuine connection with your audience.

Example: Discuss the emotional journey of a project, not just the technical details.

End with a Moral or Lesson

Conclude your stories with a lesson or moral. This gives your listeners something valuable to take away.

Example: Reflect on what you learned from the experience and how it can help your listeners.

Tips to Find Your Stories

I was very bad with stories.

I would often wonder where those people get their stories from.

That is why I started following a few amazing storytellers. I even joined a course on Domestika to see how they find so many stories to tell.

Turns out it is not that difficult.

It is all about keeping your eyes and ears open.. and listening to stories around you.

Here’s a video that I am sure you will like.. It will in fact, teach you the art of story-telling.

(PS: It is his advice that I used in this articles as well)

Here are a few simple tips to build a repository of stories that you can use for your content.

Keep a Story Journal

Document daily events, no matter how mundane they seem. Over time, you’ll find gems in the ordinary.

Use tools like Notion, Evernote, or even a simple notebook. I prefer using Notion since that is my go to tool for pretty much everything in my content creation process.

Reflect on Past Experiences

Revisit your past experiences. Often, the most powerful stories come from moments of personal growth and challenge.

Set aside time each week to reflect and jot down significant memories.

Observe and Listen

Pay attention to the world around you. Stories are everywhere – in conversations, observations, and interactions. Keep your eyes and ears open and listen to everything happening around you.

You will find a hundred stories in your surroundings.

Make it a habit to note interesting occurrences or dialogues you overhear.

Ask Questions

Engage with your audience and ask them to share their stories. They will have a lot of stories to tell. You can use those stories by giving it your own spin.

This not only provides content but also strengthens your community.

Create a segment in your podcast where you address listener questions or stories.

Conclusion

Storytelling is a powerful tool in podcasting.

It creates a connection, evokes emotions, and makes your content memorable.

By incorporating personal anecdotes, listener stories, and a clear narrative structure, you can transform your podcast into a compelling and engaging experience.

So, start documenting your life’s little moments. You never know which story might resonate deeply with your listeners.

Happy storytelling!

I put in about 18 hours every month to create this newsletter, starting from researching to writing and editing it.

So, If you enjoyed reading this Newsletter, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could recommend it to others. You can send them to https://theloudspeakeronline.com to subscribe to it for FREE!

What am I reading?

I released my first book – “The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Affiliate Marketing”, a few weeks back.

As of now it is only available on the local online store Pothi and on Amazon US.

The book is scheduled to be released on Amazon India and Flipkart in another couple of weeks.

But I also have an ebook version of the book for people who prefer reading eBooks.

The response to the book until now has been good.

If you are interested in learning more about Affiliate marketing, you can pick the ebook version now.

Indian customers get a parity discount of 60% on the book!

Check it out here!

If you would like to know more about all the books that I have read or, am reading, you can find all of them on my Amazon storefront.

Go ahead and check it out!

The Last week on the Podcast

The last 4 episodes have been about email marketing for podcasters.

I still see a lot of podcasters aren’t really giving the importance that they should be giving to list building and email marketing.

If you aren’t doing it, then you are doing yourself a grave injustice.

The last week, one of the top creators on Instagram was blocked out. Nobody knows the reason why.

This is normal if you are building your assets on rented space.

So I would recommend focusing on list building.

Anyways, the latest in the series that I released was some basic email marketing tips that can help you level up your email marketing game.

Listen to the episode now!

Episode – 144 : Basic Email Marketing Tips for Podcasters!

And if you have any questions, just drop me a note and I will respond to your questions.

That’s it for this week!

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