Ira Glass on Storytelling

Via Sandeep on the POST-NUP WEB SHOW SERIES BLOG:-

If you’re an artist, consider yourself officially out of excuses.

The cost to produce your material, distribute it widely, and reach out to potential fans is no longer a real barrier.

But, that’s probably not what’s really stopping you (or me).

What stops us is fear: that our work will be rejected, that it won’t be as good as what we’ve done before, that we were never good enough to do it in the first place, etc., etc., blah blah blah.

1. Ira Glass on the Taste Gap
Ira Glass is the creator and host of the radio show This American Life.

In an interview with CurrentTV, he tells us that the only way to bridge the gap between the stuff you like (your taste) and what you are capable of (your skill) is to work really hard, for a really long time (inspired yet?).

I really appreciated the end of this segment, where he actually plays some of his earlier radio work, which as he says, is actually kinda crappy.

MORE HERE:-
http://www.postnupshow.com/diy-tv-four-pieces-of-inspiration/#


Ira Glass on Storytelling, part 3 of 4



To paraphrase:

First couple of years... what you're making isn't that great.
But your taste is still killer & your taste is good enough to tell that it's kinda crappy.

People tend not to go past that point.

Everyone I know went through that phase of years... they knew it fell short.
It didn't have that special thing.
You've gotta know it's totally normal.

And the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work.
Volume.
Give yourself a deadline. Best if someone is waiting for your work.

Its only by going through a volume of work that you'll catch up and close that gap - your work is as good as your ambitions.

Want more? Oh, alright then.

Ira Glass on Storytelling, part 1 of 4

Building blocks of storytelling:
Anecdote
(sequence of action, raising questions)
and Moment of Reflection
(here's why you're listening to this story, the bigger something)

Ira Glass on Storytelling, part 2 of 4

On Finding Great Stories.
Anything you put on tape tries to be crap.

You have to prop it up agressively at every stage of the way - cutting the boring parts, getting to the heart - you have to be ruthless.

Anything that's good is from people being tough.

Failure is part of success.

Ira Glass on Storytelling, part 4 of 4

On 2 common pitfalls.
Everything will be more compelling if you talk like a normal human being.
The more you are your own self, the better you are.

If someone's got a good personality, they let other people talk.

CLICK HERE for Ira Glass' show - THIS AMERICAN LIFE


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