What are storytelling genres? And how to use them.

What are storytelling genres?

Storytelling genres are, most generally, the shape or form the story takes. Each genre emphasizes some things over others. For example, some genres emphasize the present, while others emphasize our optimism/pessimism about the future. So, a genre is only useful when you know what you hope to accomplish (reflection, action, or awareness).

Genres highlight some things over others. This is why different genres exist in the first place. There is no perfect genre that tells the complete and total story. Every story is incomplete, which is why people who say "but you didn't talk about _______" drive me out of my mind. Every story is incomplete. Fully stop. When we realize that every story is incomplete, we are released from our heroic impulse to create perfect communication.

I will say this over and over again: communication cannot guarantee successful outcomes, only increase the probability that you will be heard.

Storytelling genres are a very old concept that few people (not even the best speechwriters or speaker coaches) know about, let alone use. Yet knowing that storytelling genres exist and how to use them are a completely different matter.

Genres don't make your story less authentic. Rather, genres put your message in a form that people recognize. It's this recognition that creates resonance and gives it the best chance to be heard.

Why using a genre is important.

Here’s another way to think about it. A genre provides the guardrails for the story. It keeps the story headed in a direction and avoids the side roads that could consume you. We’ve all heard that talk before. When the person gets up there, has notes in front of them, then proceeds to be off notes the entire talk. At other times, speakers get so caught up in qualifying everything, that they say nothing at all.

This is where the genre comes in: it points you in a direction. It’s really that simple. It just points you in a direction and then puts up guardrails so you don’t fall off. As with any guardrail, it’s still possible to jettison off a cliff but you really have to work at it. Just keep in mind that you deliberately choose this road, so if you don’t like where you end up, off a cliff or down a side road, all you need to do is pick a different road.

Real life storytelling via spoken or written word is no different. There are genres that have been used for millennia. Aristotle identified three genres: epideictic/ceremonial (talking about the present), forensic (past), and deliberative (future). He didn’t invent them. Instead, Aristotle observed how people spoke and identified these three genres. There are a lot more. But let's think about this in the context movies.

Movie Genres-examples

Let’s think about the action movie genre. Keep in mind that what I mention below are very generic elements or features. These elements can be mixed around and can be in almost any order (except the first and last elements). So, instead of putting on your skeptic attitude, just go with me for a minute. Just imagine this genre, the narrative arc, the movement of the story. Because it's the movement of the story where genre has it's biggest impact.

Action movie elements:

1. An everyday hero is just going about their daily life.

2. A bad person or group is plotting something bad.

3. Something bad happens.

4. The hero is thrown into the story not by their own choice but because they are now directly involved.

5. The hero suffers a defeat. But this defeat provides them with the motivation to defeat evil, even if it means their death.

6. The hero has a little victory but it’s not over yet. Elements 5 & 6 are repeated over and over again until …

7. The hero defeats the enemy and all is right in the world.

Is this a formula? Sure. But not really. There are so many ways these elements can be incorporated. But it's the idea that there's a hero and this hero does something. It's a classic good overcoming evil arc but there are elements that distinguish it from other genres. (If you're thinking it's a hero's journey story, you're partially right but that's the topic of another post.)

Think about your favorite action move. Got it yet? If you hate action movies, just think about your favorite movie. What is the general shape of the story?

Now, imagine telling that story using a romantic comedy or horror genre. It's weird. But imagine if Tommy Boy were a horror movie. That's fun to think about, unless you haven't seen it. Then, well, that just makes me sad.

Take a minute to think about the shape of your favorite movie and how that story would be different if using a different genre. The story completely changes.

The exercise you just did demonstrates the importance of choosing your genre with intention. Know what you're choosing and what you're losing. Be deliberate about your choice. Each situation will demand a different choice, depending on your desired result.

How to use storytelling genres.

Genres provide a general storyline. If the guardrails metaphor hasn't been helpful, here's another metaphor: construction/building. A genre is the frame of your house. It's the general structure. Different genres allow you to build different kinds of houses. If you need a house with five bedrooms, that's a very different structure than a studio apartment. Different frameworks get you different outcomes.

First, identify if this is a story about the past, present, or future. While all three may come into play, your primary focus will be on one. Is this a story about who we have been or an act that we need to revisit (past)? Or, maybe, this is a question of who we want to be right now. There's this thing happening now and we need to examine our present. Yet again, maybe this is a story about the future and what should be done.

Am I talking about the past, present, or future?

Past: what have we done/thought that we need to reexamine? We realize that our past thoughts/actions were good and/or bad. We need to make amends. Stories about justice, trust, and reconciliation are typically stories about the past. Here's an example: the breakup conversation.

Let's say you want to end a relationship. That's always hard but it's a normal part of dating. A breakup story that focuses on the past could be something like this: I've always been in a relationship with someone. I'm realizing that my fear of being alone has driven me to jump from relationship to relationship. I've never taken the time to get to know myself and ask myself what I want and need. I'm sorry I put you through this but I know that I need to get to know myself, which is why we can't be together now.

One specific genre related to the past is apologia (aka. apology). These are stories about the past, specifically about justifying or explaining past actions. We hear these all the times. Anytime anyone apologizes to us they justify their actions. Sometimes that justification is about saying they didn't really do anything wrong, while other times are simply to say there is no justification. There is no excuse. I was wrong. Please, forgive me.

Present: who are we now and who do we claim to be? This story is best utilized when we want to celebrate or blame something about ourselves in the present. We put who we are right now center stage, what we value, and why these things are important to the person we hope to become. These are typically stories about values that we all share. Sometimes we accuse someone else (YOU!) of forgetting who you are. At other times we praise our community for being an inclusive and welcoming place but we can do better.

One specific genre is prophetic. The prophetic genre is biblical yet it is used in virtually every movement striving for social change. A prophet is outside the community and judges their present actions. They are the accuser and judge. At times we think of the prophet as someone who is on a street corner yelling at everyone about the end of the world. While that would be a prophetic story, I think we've all served as the prophet to our friends or family. When they are about to make a really bad decision (relationships?), we speak to them as a prophet:

Stop it.

Remember who you are.

Stop choosing partners who are bad for you.

Return to a path where you can flourish.

Future: what action should we take and what are the consequences of doing _____? Stories about the future focus on what we should or ought to do. You don't spend a lot of time thinking about who we/you are because it's about putting your values into practice. Future stories are stories about doing something specific. Do you want them to donate money, time, or things? Tell them what you want and why it's important for them to do it.

Most stories trying to fix a problem fall into this category. And there are several genres that do this. One of them is the deliberative genre. This genre is laser focused on identifying the cause of the problem, who's to blame for it, how to fix it, and what happens if it's not fixed. For example, I want to break-up because you annoy me. You chew your food too loud, your laugh is obnoxious, and I find your constant need for attention childish. We can't stay together because I can't stand to be around you. The problem is their annoying habits. They are to blame for your collective problems and the only solution is severing the relationship.

Only after you've determined if this is a story about the past, present, and future, can you figure out what genre is most appropriate for your goals.