Essay Example on Telling Your WIC Story Why and How Why tell Stories

Telling Your WIC Story Why and How Why tell stories Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we can use to convince others of the value of a cause Your story is the why of WIC the art of translating values into action through stories Through stories individuals communities and organizations construct their identity and inspire action Each of us has a compelling story to tell that can move others The key to storytelling is understanding that values inspire action through emotion We experience our values emotionally they are what move us to act Because stories allow us to express our values not as abstract principles but as lived experience they have the power to move others to action as well It is a good idea to use WIC data in your advocacy however it is always best to start with an emotional values based appeal such as your WIC story then to use data driven success indicators as supportive points How to Tell an Effective WIC Story We can only tell our own story not anyone else's so our story can only be what we find compelling about working for WIC what difference being a WIC participant has made in our lives etc Our stories express the values or experiences that call us to take leadership on WIC advocacy

The key focus should be on critical points of problem solving moments in our lives when values are formed because of a need to give or receive help When did you first recognize the value of the work you do or learn something that changed your family for the better and made you want to take action Why What were the circumstances What WIC person program or service existed to help you The three key elements of storytelling structure Challenge Choice Outcome A plot begins with a challenge that confronts a character in this case a WIC participant or staff member with an urgent need The choice of how to meet that need yields an outcome and the outcome teaches a moral Because we can empathetically identify with the character we can feel the moral We not only hear about someone's courage compassion or resourcefulness we can also be inspired by it The story of the character and their effort to engage around values engages the listener in their own challenge choice and outcome relative to the story Each story should include all three elements It's not enough to say I was scared 

Take some time to think about the elements of your story in the context of the challenge choice and outcome In this case the outcome might also be the thing you learned in addition to what actually happened Remember the purpose of telling your story of self is to begin to create common ground with your audience by sharing a story that reflects the values that brought you to work on your given issue and where those values come from Storytelling Photographs No matter your age or where you come from I'm sure you find stories become more interesting when there are illustrations Pictures somehow make the stories alive and they feed a lot to your imagination Tips and Tricks for a Good Storytelling Photograph These tips and tricks will help you come up with photos that tell clear focused stories It is important to use different types of images if you want to create the right pacing for your story You can choose from wide shots a medium shot a detailed or close up shot a portrait shot or a shot showing your subject in action Your photographs should not be redundant Choose the photos you will use and exclude those that do not add anything significant to the overall effect you want to create Not all the photos you took need to be used Make sure that the first photo will immediately draw viewers into the story Your first image should be compelling and should invite curiosity Another important element is framing As mentioned earlier you should be able to identify which object needs to be included or excluded in a shot