Stories that Move Mountains: Storytelling and Visual Design for Persuasive Presentations

7

What If

At first, I see pictures of a story in my mind. Then creating the story comes from asking questions of myself. I guess you might call it the ‘what if - what then’ approach to writing and illustration.

—Chris Van Allsburg, Caldecott medalist, author and illustrator of children's books

What if you slept? And what if, in your sleep, you dreamed? And what if, in your dream, you went to heaven and there plucked a strange and beautiful flower? And what if, when you awoke, you had the flower in your hand? Ah, what then?

—Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English poet, philosopher, and co-founder of the Romantic Movement in England

The preceding three chapters focus on what you want to happen. Life is rarely so straightforward that there's just one path to follow. Members of your audience may have different ideas, options, or alternative outcomes in mind. After they hear your story, they may also start to speculate on future possibilities, on what they could do if the change you're proposing happens, and on the alternative ways to get there. How can you take the lead and avoid having the audience redirect the story?

DON'T LET THEM STEAL YOUR THUNDER Why wait for someone else to point out the risks, challenges, or potential downside in the story. Do it yourself, steal the argument, and deal with the issues. After you've raised the issues, putting them in context and explaining how they can be resolved, gives you a better chance of convincing the audience of your story.

EVERYTHING IS ...