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Tuesday, September 26, 2017

New Scene - White Noise

I already don't love this scene, it's going nowhere and doing nothing, but I think there's a spark of something in here. I'll have to rework it later:


***

Normally, the workshop would have his full attention. But his over-dose concoction left him more groggy than it had in days past.

After a shower, Ash opted for the front porch. He brought his coffee, thanks to the Kurieg, a Christmas gift from Sheriff Danny, and a microwaved breakfast sandwich. The wrap-around porch was situated with a view of the forest. Thanks to his family’s inheritance, he owned 100’s of acres in any direction of the house, with the exception of an easement that served as an access road for his neighbors.

The sun was still at the back of the house, which left him in relative shade. Three white-tail deer were eating berries off of the wild bushes he’d left to attract them. It was already hunting season, but they seemed to know they had sanctuary here. He’d never fired a weapon this close to the house and they seemed to know it.

The three deer each twitched their ears backward and raised their heads in unison. They looked back down the five-mile driveway. He called it a driveway, even though it was just a dirt road with rocks and a periodic planning from Ben, the local snow plower, tow truck driver, plainer, and anything else that needed an occasional driver.

Dust clouds billowed into the air about a mile down the road, the white-tail hopped off into the forest. Ash walked inside and grabbed his pistol, shoving into the holster under his flannel shirt; then took the rifle outside and laid it again the rail in front of the rocking chair before resuming his coffee and breakfast.

Eventually, a Ford Ranger pulled into the roundabout in front of the house. A rental, based on the tags. The driving style didn’t give Ash the impression that he was under attack, so he let the rifle be for now. He could make out a single occupant, female, darker skin, crazy hair popping out the back of a bright multi-colored crocheted hat. She stepped out of the vehicle revealing a form-fitting joggers outfit, equally bright, mostly purple.

“I’m sorry to bother you,” She said with a warm voice, unlike any he’d heard around these parts. “I’m a bit lost.”

“It happens, the GPS sends people here occasionally,” He looked her over before landing on her eyes. Not a bad distraction for an otherwise groggy morning. “Where are you trying to get to?”

“Some trail, called Hiawatha?”

“Well ma’am, you are quite a ways off then. I’d say you are about a two-hour drive by the time you get back to the freeway and then on to Lookout Pass.”

“Uhg,” her eyes dropped and she looked like she might cry. “Dang GPS! I’ve already driven around quite a bit to land here. I think I’ll have to make that a trip tomorrow. Is there any kind of city around here, hotel, anything really?”

“Town’s not much to see this time of year, it’s more of a summer spot for tourists. Just set the GPS for Harrison. Once you land on 97, you’ll drive right through it. Don’t blink though, or you’ll miss it. It’s only about one or two blocks long. Make sure to stop by the Ice Cream place, they should be open until Oktoberfest. That will help you forget the drive you took to get here.”

***


Darrell G. Wolfe

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant | Multipotentialite

Transformation Ministry

Today I had the honor of meeting a group called, Heart Writers. It's a group for anyone who feels they have a book to write. There were poets, short story writers, fiction writers, memoir writers, and others.

During our talks, the leader presented the idea that all of our writing, even the seemingly random blog posts, could be a form of ministry. In my mind, writing and ministry mean theological works such as explaining the Bible. I've done plenty of that; however, that got me thinking about Ted Dekker and his teaching on writing fiction.

He said that one major key is for your character to undergo a major internal transformation.

Ted Dekker said (see more here):
What is story? Story is a series of events involving worthy characters who change (are transformed) as a result of those events.
This was a great reminder that ministry means a lot of things. As Ted's character changes, I'm going through that transformation with him/her. I'm being transformed a little in the process myself. That is Ted's Ministry to me, the reader. That is my ministry to my readers, few and far between though they may be.

Long after the average reader had forgotten all ten steps, and most of the habits, he/she will remember Frodo almost quitting and Sam coming to his aide, to push him to move on. They will feel with Captain America as he refuses to fight his best friend. They will laugh and cry with the revelation that God can be a black woman (The Shack).

Story is what God used to reach us on the Bible. There are facts, lists, but the vast majority of God's Word to Mankind was told through story. Jesus said, "greater things that I do". He was a master storyteller above all else he did. Audiences may have gotten healed when they came to him, but they stayed long enough to get healed because they were captivated by his stories.

Story is the most important ministry I can be involved in, for my skill set.

I NEED to tell a story... Maybe more than one.

Darrell G. Wolfe



Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant | Multipotentialite

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Why Storytelling?

Storytelling is the lifeblood of the human race. Sure, many have replaced books with movies or YouTube videos, but great stories transcend.

From ancient times, The Storyteller, was a guest of kings and paupers. He/She was the keeper of legacies, histories, and entertainment. Unlike the best selling "5 secrets to a better ...." or "10 things you need to know about...", type books, stories stick with you. I can't remember the 7 habits, but I remember Frodo beating all odds to get that ring to the volcano.

When you think about all the elements of your brand, story is among the most important parts. Once your brand story is simple and simply told, it informs the rest of your brand. It decides the fonts, colors, and styles you use.

Your brand story will be the the thing you use to get who you are into the mouths of your truest fans, so they can tell others who you are. Often without knowing they are telling your story.

Food for thought...

Here are some clips from great articles about using story telling in Brand Marketing:



FastCompany: Why our brains crave storytelling in marketing

When reading straight data, only the language parts of our brains work to decode the meaning. But when we read a story, not only do the language parts of our brains light up, but any other part of the brain that we would use if we were actually experiencing what we’re reading about becomes activated as well.


i-Scoop: Questions to ask yourself about your brand story


  • What is the story and narrative behind everything you do as a brand, ranging from what you stand for to the reason why you developed solution X or decided to support ‘good cause Y’? 
  • How can you get to that story that’s part of your brand and even people’s DNA instead of to just the facts? 
  • How do you actually connect with people in the language they understand best: the language they can “visualize” in a story-like context?
  • What types of stories appeal to your content marketing “personas”?
  • What about the stories your customers and ‘audiences’ are already telling? How do you listen to those and include them? 


Entrepreneur.Com: Storytelling Could Bring Your Brand to Life and Strengthen Your Marketing Impact

A brand's story is no longer limited to or controlled by the media outlets and advertising that it uses. One would even say that this has been completely reversed: the media now runs stories based on how much traction they've gained elsewhere. Your customers and advocates are now the tastemakers, giving power to the stories that resonate with them.


Forbes: 5 Secrets to Use Storytelling for Brand Marketing Success

Honesty and transparency are important in brand storytelling. Yes, you’re crafting “stories,” but they need to be rooted in the reality of your brand, products, and industry. In other words, even brand stories must adhere to the three primary steps of brand-building: consistency, persistence, and restraint.

Darrell

Topos Consulting Questionaire


If you think you'd like to have me help you tell your story, work on your website, or polish your personal or business brand, just email Me@DarrellWolfe.com and provide me the following:

Your Contact Information:

  • Your Name 
  • Your Position
  • Brand Name
  • Industry
  • Address
  • Telephone
  • Email
  • How did you hear about Topos Consulting?

The following are questions to consider. Don't worry if you don't have the answers yet, this is part of why you are using Topos Consulting. But these will get you thinking:

What is your story?

  • What product or service do you provide?
  • Why did you decide to pursue this business?
  • What makes you special, unique, or qualified to do this?
  • What is your favorite part of doing this work? 
  • Why do you find it rewarding?
  • What value do you provide?
  • What impact has it had on the people you serve?

What are your brand elements?

  • Colors (Do you have RBG, or Hexidecimal Codes?)
  • Fonts (Georgia, Times New Roman, Etc)
  • Logos (or images)
  • Do you have digital copies for any of these?

eTools: Do you already have any of the following?

  • Website
  • Domain Name
  • Facebook Account (personal not business)
  • Facebook Page (business not personal)
  • Email List Service
  • Google Place Listing

eTools: Do you already have user ID's for any of the following?

  • Wordpress.Com or Blogger
  • Domain.com
  • Facebook
  • Google Place
  • MailChimp
  • Gumroad or another way to store and deliver the PDF?

Darrell

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