From story to impact

Help crafting clear, intentional messages while critically analyzing purpose, audience, and impact, all while maintaining authenticity.

Duration: 120 minutes. Drafting stories: 30 minutes. Introduction: 20 minutes. Analyzing stories: 40 minutes. Summary 20 minutes.

Difficulty level: 5/5

Preparation

• Ask each participant to draft a real story they feel is socially important to share. Ideally, they should have it written down or clearly structured in a few points (30 minutes).

• Prepare printed sheets with the critical analysis steps or write them on a board or flipchart.

Introduction

Guide participants through the following 5 steps that can help them critically analyze their story (20 minutes).

The critical analysis steps

• Core Message: Define the story’s core message in one clear sentence. 

  • What is the central lesson or point your story is trying to convey?

  • What is the main idea or theme of your story?

  • What do you want the audience to take away from this story?
    

• Audience Profile: Create a profile of the intended audience, considering factors such as: 

  • Age, culture, and values; 

  • Possible sensitivities or experiences; 

  • How the story might resonate with or challenge them.

  • What could they easily understand? 

  • What would be difficult for them to relate to? 

  • How could you connect with them?

• 3. Impact Analysis: List the story’s potential positive and negative effects. Reflect on:

  • How the story could inspire, educate, or empower

  • Ways it might be misunderstood, misinterpreted, or trigger unintended emotions

• 4. Symbolism and Imagery: Identify symbols, metaphors, or imagery used in the story. Consider:

  • How these elements might be interpreted in different cultural or social contexts

  • Whether any imagery could carry unintended meanings

• 5. Emotional Mapping: Map the emotions embedded in the story. 

  • What emotions are explicitly expressed in the narrative?

  • What underlying emotions are conveyed through the story?

  • Does the language effectively communicate these emotions to the audience?

  • Are the emotions consistent with the overall intent of the story?

Instructions

• Offer time for participants to work individually through their analysis. Encourage them to reflect deeply at each stage (40 minutes). 

• To help clarify their story’s intent without losing honesty, suggest the following:

• Focus on the main message: What do you want people to take away from your story?

• Respect your boundaries: Are there parts of the story that feel too personal or uncomfortable? Can you adjust them?

• Stay true to your values: Does your story reflect your true feelings, even if it’s hard?

Wrap-up

Gather participants to reflect on their story development process:

• What elements of the analysis were most challenging for them?

• Did the analysis significantly impact the shape, style, or form of their story?