Motivation a key element of storytelling
“Funny Girl” starts with Barbara Streisand wishing to be a star.
“My Fair Lady” opens with Julie Andrews wishing for a room somewhere. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” begins with Quasimodo wishing he could belong “Out There.” “Into the Woods” begins with six characters declaring their wishes.
Call it the “I wish” song.
“Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.”
— Kurt Vonnegut, novelist
Every Disney musical — not to mention many other film and stage musicals — starts with an “I wish” song, reports Ira Glass in a recent episode of “This American Life.” It’s first song the main character sings.
That motivation launches the story’s action. Overcoming the obstacles that get in the way of your character’s wish drives the action of a good story.
Whether you’re writing social media or content marketing or anything in between, great stories start with your protagonist’s wish.
I wish, I wish, I wish.
So what does your protagonist want?
- I wish I were human. In “The Little Mermaid,” Ariel sings, “When’s it my turn? Wouldn’t I love? Love to explore that shore up above, Out of the sea, wish I could be, Part of that world.”
- I wish I had the perfect husband. In “Fiddler on the Roof,” the daughters sing, “Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a match, Find me a find, catch me a catch. Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Look through your book, And make me a perfect match.”
- I wish I were somewhere more exciting than Kansas. In “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy sings, “Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly, Birds fly over the rainbow, Why then oh why can’t I?”
What do your characters wish?
The best corporate stories start with a wish, too:
- Nike’s story begins with founder Bill Bowerman wishing he could create a shoe sole that would give runners more traction.
- Hallmark Cards started with entrepreneur J.C. Hall wishing to get out of Nebraska and become a postcard salesman.
- Post-it Notes began with 3M scientist Art Fry wishing for a bookmark that would stay put in his church hymnal.
What’s your main character’s “I wish” song?
How can you tell better business stories?
Stories are so effective that Og Mandino, the late author of the bestselling The Greatest Salesman in the World, says, “If you have a point, find a story.”
Learn to find, develop and write stories that engage readers’ hearts and minds at Master the Art of Storytelling, our business-storytelling workshop starting March 3.
There, you’ll learn how to find the aha! moment that’s the gateway to every anecdote. How to start an anecdote with a bang — instead of a whimper. And how to use “the most powerful form of human communication” to grab attention, boost credibility, make messages more memorable and communicate better.
Save up to $100 with our group discounts.