Luke_10_I

Simmons says that we can't fight human nature. We can't help but pay more attention to the negative stories. We are gripped by stories of fear - Negative reinforcement.

Simmons says the stories we choose to tell have a dramatic impact on our environment. I agree. The type of stories we tell, iterate how we feel on the inside. I don't believe that we can change what's on the inside by simply changing the stories we tell. But by monitoring the type of stories we tell and then reflecting on why we are telling those stories we can then change the inside. That will then change the self imposed climate we function in.

Luke_9_I

Simmons does seem pretty preachy in this chapter. Her lessons transcend storytelling. I actually thought it kind of absurd that they were being applied to something as small (in the grand scheme of things) as storytelling. Be mindful of your humanity, be humble, don't be negative...
The things she lists that are specific to an audience don't seem out of place, but can easily be applied to something as large as life.

Luke_7_Q

I was very skeptical when I picked up this book, not having found much useful in the past 4 chapters. The title of Chapter 7 set me back. "Influencing the Unwilling, Unconcerned, or Unmotivated." I felt like she knew a little more about me and how I was feeling(about reading her book). It opened me up to the story she told in the first pages that then opened me up to what she had to say in this chapter. I really liked what Simmons had to say, until she started contradicting herself. On Page 167 she starts building the very boxes that she spent the last couple pages tearing down. I find it fascinating that I'm using her previous words and lessons to analyze what I'm reading of hers currently. Ideas or similar occurances?

Luke_6_I

Chapter 6 didn't do much for me until I got to the Epic-Sized Drama heading. Simmons basically says that in order to sell your story you have to believe it yourself. Who would listen to you if you don't think your worth listening to? You've got to have confidence in yourself to influence others. The End.

Luke_5_Q

"Once we decide that no theory will be right all of the time, we are free to develop a few theories that are successful and often useful."

Is Simmons asking us to accept mediocrity?

Just trying to spark discussion.

Luke_3_I

Simmons tells us to practice our storytelling to get better. She lays down every possible way that (she thinks) that we can communicate. Facial expressions, body language, general appearance, hand gestures...But it all comes back down to chapter one. We have to gain our audience's trust. We have to give them reason to think we are being truthful and worthy of their ears.

What harsher audience is there than a child? They have no shame. They know if you're bull shitting them. Try, just try and keep a toddler's attention. Try to convey to a teenager that you are worth listening to and learning from.

Aren't children the best audience to practice our storytelling? We've got our work cut out for us on these projects, but who better to challenge us?

Luke_3_I

Last year in Dr. Joe's 690, we all looked at our Meyer's Briggs typology. I'm an ENTP. Middle of the road on ENT. Very well pronounced P. I'm a "P" to a fault. It's difficult to focus on any one thing because I'm interested in so much. I have problems with attention span on a large level.

While reading Chapter 3 I noticed Simmons using societal issues as examples of story and fact. Simmons also alludes to each and every one of us telling ourselves stories we believe in(or don't believe in) to uphold or oppose major societal issues. Because these are such big issues and require so much attention in a person's life I'd like to refer to these as macro-stories.

I believe that there are only so many macro-stories that one can commit themselves to before personal effectiveness is compromised. We have a macro-story attention span. In order to preserve those stories most important to us there comes a point where we must reject other stories as truth or priority. This preserves our effectiveness toward a chosen societal issue.

Luke_1&2_I

I like what Simmons is attempting to do in Chapters one and two, but I don't like being restricted to a mere 6 heading umbrella. She can't possibly have covered every reason for telling a story in a six categories. It's a big red flag.

If she is supposed to be teaching us shouldn't she build some faith in her readers first? We know she is a person and is therefore flawed. Annette, show me that you know your theory has holes in it. I don't mind you covering your ass as long as you let me know you're doing it.