At Margate Bookie, we love telling you about new books that share our love of literature and storytelling. It’s also great when a member of Team Bookie brings a new publication out. And this month, we’re cheering on the release of our Founder and friend, Andreas Loizou.
The Story is Everything is a must for mastering creative communication in the business world. Margate Bookie chats with him to find out what we can learn from his new book and how great storytelling appears in all walks of life.
Where does the idea for The Story is Everything come from?
I want my readers to know why stories win. It’s time to make genuine contact with your audience and throw away boring slide decks.
My life has always been split between literature and business. The idea that some of us are left brain and others right brain is very limiting. I think it’s wrong, and you will too once you’ve finished the book!
What makes a great storyteller stand out in a very crowded world?
Great storytellers change us. They influence what we think, feel and do. But they can only do this if they are constantly thinking about their audience.
We judge storytellers very quickly. They must have a reason to tell their story, they must tell it with emotion, and they must be organised. I go all the way back to Aristotle to show this has always been true. And then I teach you how to show these three vital facets to your readers from the very first sentence.
When has storytelling helped the Margate Bookie?
We run writing courses for local people between 16 and 24. The quality of work was really high, so we decided to display it on a wall in Turner Contemporary.
During our litfest, a lady appeared in the bookshop and asked to see the poems up on the walls of the Turner. She seemed a bit intimidated by the crowds, and had never been to a gallery before, but she told me, with a tear in her eye, that her grandson’s poems were up on the wall.
That little flicker of emotion you feel – joy for the granny, her pride in her grandson – is what happens when our raw data becomes human. Instead of banging on about project outcomes in the community, we tell this tale to our funders. What was once a percentage is now a person.
Got a tip that can make our writing better now?
Easy. Spend five minutes and consider your ideal writing conditions. Think about the time of day, the place you sit, whether you want monastic silence or music. Get these right, and your storytelling will flow.
How can we find out more?
The Story is Everything is published by Laurence King/Quercus. It’s out on Thursday 14 April 2022. You can get it here.
