Monday Mastery: Revelation and illumination
Two storytelling approaches to help you achieve your communication goals
Welcome to Monday Mastery, a series designed to shift your perspective, teach you new techniques, and help you become a more effective writer, one tip at a time.
Storytelling plays an important role in communicating with audiences. When we use stories in our writing, audiences can more easily connect with what we’re saying, because they literally put themselves into the story.
In my academic studies, the terms “co-creation” and “co-construction” came up as ways to describe this process. As you tell a story, the audience imagines themselves living through it. It becomes a personal experience, in a way.
In her book The Perfect Story, author Karen Eber puts it this way: “There are two versions of each story. The first is the one told by the storyteller. The second is the interpretation of the story by the audience as they filter it through their own experiences and understanding.”
Storytelling is powerful.
And there are two different ways to approach it in your writing:
Revelation
A revelation story reveals something about you, the writer. It allows you to create a personal, human connection between yourself and the audience.
Example: The CEO who talks about the time he attempted to summit a mountain peak, and got caught in a lightning storm. He was terrified as he huddled in a small cave while the storm raged around him. When the storm ended, and the CEO emerged, he swore he’d never again undertake a large project without careful planning.
Illumination
An illumination story illustrates a theme, trend, concept or idea. It illuminates something that may feel abstract or different, and puts it in a more familiar light for the audience.
Example: The startup founder who talks about a large tech company that went out of business a decade ago. The company was well-known for a particular solution — but over time, they kept adding features, trying to satisfy every small customer request and solve every customer challenge. Eventually, the product got so bloated and overcomplicated, customers abandoned it for simpler solutions. And that is why it’s so important that the software the startup is building remains simple and intuitive, and that the company not try to be everything to everyone.
How do you choose which approach to take for your story?
First, consider your goal.
Do you want to personally connect with your audience? Use a revelation story.
Do you want your audience to better understand a concept? Use an illumination story.
And it’s okay use more than one story in your writing, talk, or whatever communication you are planning!