Storytelling in publications

People have always needed stories. To communicate and to feel connected.

Good stories become part of our lives and our culture.

That is why, if there’s one thing the most recognized brands have in common, it’s that they all tell a story.

Storytelling is the art of storytelling and they say that all stories begin with a “once upon a time” but in our case, all our stories begin with the index.

It is true that the design, the layout, the photographs are important for a publication to enter through the eyes, but it is also true that the content is also important.

That is why the table of contents is a key piece to create before we start writing a publication.

First, we will have to brainstorm and see what we want to talk about in the publication.

Once we have the ideas clear, we will start writing the table of contents, but how do we make the table of contents attractive enough?

We will create a table of contents that can arouse the reader’s attention. That is why the table of contents will be composed of a battery of questions to make the reader curious.

We could say that these questions are a problem and the answer to that question or problem is the solution.

In addition, we have to attract the future reader through the text and the organization.

On the one hand, through the text, we will consider the following sections:

• Use short sentences
• Do not overuse connectors
• Do not use long words, as this can complicate reading comprehension.
• Use comparisons, they give the texts a deeper level.
• Humanize writing tell stories and humanize them.

On the other hand, the organization of the text and the ideas. Keep in mind that the brain tends to organize ideas, starting from the general to the particular. But it is possible to tell the same story, presenting it the other way round and highlighting human beings.

Now, what techniques can we use so that we can capture the attention of our clients?

As we know, storytelling is a tool to strengthen the brand and get customers to create a solid link with the company or, in our case, associations.

• Be very clear about who we want to address with the publication.
• Define the emotions we want to generate
• Use simple and easy to understand language
• If the publication goes further, you can create a character that connects with the public.
• We have to make the audience feel identified with what we say
• And finally, never leave out the brand name.

Therefore, the text has to be able to: Motivate, Excite, Engage and Connect.