The Best Trick to Make Your Stories More Impactful

Storytelling has a lot of different looks. There are all sorts of genres—from sci-fi and fantasy to historical fiction and biographical narratives. And each has its own story aesthetics that make it entertaining, engaging, and memorable. And, depending on the medium you’re crafting your story for, different techniques and methods will make it really stand out. 

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So when creating stories for the stage, how can you make them more impactful and helpful to your audience? How can you make them unforgettable? 

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The typical advice of starting with the action, choosing the right structure with a strong narrative arc, using specific descriptions and clear details, and adding strong emotions can absolutely help. But this typical storytelling advice leaves out one important aspect that’s often overlooked.

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This storytelling trick is simple, yet powerful—and will help you create a fully experiential performance for your audiences.

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The same story, but something’s different. 

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Take for example two different versions of the opening act of a story.  They’re both about the same situation and have the same general flow, but something’s different (you’ll probably quickly notice what it is). 

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Version One

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“When I was 22 years old, I had my first major serving job at a hotel restaurant by the airport. It was completely understaffed, barely supervised, and I was often way out of my element. On this particular day, there was no host, no busboy, and the manager was nowhere to be found. But it was looking to be a slow day (as usual) and I figured I could manage just fine. That is, until my coworker from the catering department ran downstairs and pulled me aside. She told me there was a conference of 200 people about to get out of their morning session and they had nowhere to go for lunch. She was going to send them down to my restaurant in ten minutes…”

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Version Two

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“I’m 22 years old and I arrive for another shift at my first major serving job—a hotel restaurant by the airport. This place is always understaffed, barely supervised, and I’m way out of my element. On this particular day, I walk in the doors to find there’s no host, no busboy, and the manager is nowhere to be found. But it’s looking to be a slow day (as usual) so I figure I’ll be able to manage just fine. That is, until my coworker from the catering department runs downstairs and pulls me aside. She tells me there’s a conference of 200 people about to get out of their morning session and they have nowhere to go for lunch. She’s sending them down to my restaurant in ten minutes…”

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What makes these two stories different (especially when performed live on stage as both an auditory and visual experience) is the verb tense. The first story uses past tense, while the second story is told entirely in present tense. 

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The Power of Present Tense

Most people tell stories in the past tense. It’s only natural. After all, if something happened 15 years ago and you’re talking about it today, it makes sense to use past tense. 

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But on stage, as you craft a transformational experience for your audience, telling stories in the present tense can be much more effective. Using present tense makes it seem like your stories are unfolding in that very second. It draws your audience in and keeps them engaged in your story. It makes it feel more real to them—and to you. 

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When you tell your stories in present tense, it helps you achieve two important goals that can make your stories more memorable, more helpful, and more powerful. 

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Storytelling Goal #1: Tell your stories in the moment. 

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As a speaker, it can be tempting to tell your stories from a place of safety. But if you tell your story as the person who already lived through the experience, conquered the giant, and defeated the dragon, the magic disappears because the stakes disappear. 

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When you tell the story from a place of ease and assurance, looking back on the past experience, your audience likely won’t experience that visceral feeling of suspense and anguish and the cathartic release of the final resolution. 

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But telling your story in the moment—as the human being who’s facing rejection, battling their demons, and fighting to survive—that is what builds a vivid tension that ignites the audience and keeps them on the edge of their seats.