Communicating through stories is not a new concept. Storytelling has been part of human society for as long as we can remember. Our life experiences frequently make excellent stories that allow us to teach and encourage others. Storytelling can also be utilised in professional contexts to enhance communication and foster meaningful relationships. 

However, this form of communication has only recently been introduced within organisations. Companies are starting to realise the inherent value of soft skills like storytelling, leading to a significant change in the way individuals communicate within corporate environments. Corporate communication has started to shift from the formal and directive communication style that is traditionally used in the workplace, to communication that is more engaging and participatory. 

What Is Storytelling?

Storytelling is a communication technique that makes use of narratives and stories to deliver a message. Derived from the age-old tradition of passing down cultural folklore and tales from one generation to the next. Stories have the ability to motivate and elicit action. In contrast to conventional communication methods, where facts are delivered in a passive matter-of-fact manner, communicating by way of storytelling tends to have a greater and more long-lasting effect on listeners. Storytelling allows listeners to transform and apply stories to their own personal thoughts and experiences. Stories have the ability to make information more personal and relevant and help us understand and remember information better. 

The Best Storytelling Courses to Master Impactful Communication 

The Power of Storytelling – EdX

This storytelling course, presented by the University of Maryland, is designed to equip Project Managers and other professionals with the ability to communicate effectively using stories. If you are wondering why you should bother learning a skill far removed from project management, we encourage you to consider the potential benefits of storytelling. 

Stories can help you to communicate large amounts of information to team members and stakeholders in a way that is easy to understand, remember and act on. This course focuses on developing storytelling skills with the aim of enabling you to design and deliver enticing and effective project visions and risk management strategies, persuade stakeholders, and motivate team members. 

Important Details
The course is self-paced, but you should ideally set aside 3-5 hours per week if you would like to complete the course in approximately 5 weeks. The course is free, with the option to upgrade at a cost of £149 if you would like to receive a certificate upon completion. You can find more information on the course here. 

Storytelling Course – Skillsme Academy

Overview 

Do you want to become an influential and impactful communicator? Or perhaps you want to learn how to connect with just about anyone and establish meaningful long-term connections? The good news is that you can. 

By mastering storytelling communication techniques, as presented by Skillsme Academy, you will be able to wave goodbye to the embarrassment of fumbling over your words during an interview or the frustration of being interrupted by a charismatic colleague at work. This interactive Storytelling Course will teach you everything that you need to know to overcome communication barriers.  

Important Details

You will learn why, how and when to use stories to help you to achieve your goals, and how you can create stories that captivate and immerse your audience. The course also addresses the ethical do’s and don’t of storytelling. 

The Skillsme Storytelling Course is both a theoretical and a practical course. Lessons are hosted on Zoom by Diana Robertson, award-winning public speaker, storyteller, and founder of Skillsme Academy. Classes are on Wednesday evenings from 18:30 to 19:30 (UK timing). Classes are limited to a maximum of 20 people, to guarantee an interactive experience. 

The course will cost you £149 and includes virtual practise sessions of up to 7 hours and video lessons of 3 hours. If you are hesitant to commit, you can always attend the first class with a 100% money-back guarantee if you choose to drop the course at this point. 

You can find the schedule here, and you can use this handy time zone converter to determine class times if you are located in a different time zone. 

The Art of Storytelling Presented by Neil Gaiman – MasterClass

Overview 

Join New York Times bestselling novelist, Neil Gaiman as he presents his online writing and storytelling class. Gaiman is best known for penning captivating fiction titles such as American Gods, Coraline, Good Omens, and The Sandman. Who better to teach the art of storytelling and fictional writing than a masterful storyteller? 

You don’t need to be a fan of his work to benefit from this storytelling course though. There are several reasons why this course made our list of the best storytelling courses. Gaiman’s passion, enthusiasm and expertise are apparent throughout and make this course a real winner in our books. 

Presented online, this storytelling masterclass can be accessed from anywhere in the world, using any device, as long as you have a stable internet connection. Each lesson is interactive and delightfully easy to follow, as one would expect from an expert storyteller. In addition, this online masterclass is an excellent choice for anyone looking to take their storytelling abilities to the next level – whether you are an aspiring writer or seasoned word sleuth. 

Important Details

Neil Gaiman’s storytelling course consists of 19 video lectures of about 12 minutes each. He addresses topics such as finding your voice as a storyteller, how to find inspiration for stories, as well as the fundamentals of fiction writing. Upon completion, you will be equipped with the skills to edit and create vivid content for a variety of genres. As an added bonus, and much to the relief of writers worldwide, Gaiman shares his strategy for tackling writer’s block. 

Gaiman’s storytelling course is included as part of over 100 on the MasterClass website. There are three paid plans to choose from, with their Standard Plan priced at £12 per month. Although, you will need to upgrade to either the Plus or Premium Plan to be able to download lessons for offline use. You can view the MasterClass Plans here. 

More Storytelling Courses 

Nowadays, much of the world’s knowledge can be found online. With that in mind, it would be impossible to list each and every worthwhile storytelling course in this article. That being said, if you’d like to further your knowledge or if none of the courses we’ve picked tickle your fancy, there are a handful of other courses we simply had to mention. 

Here is our extended pick of noteworthy communication and storytelling courses: 

Conclusion

We hope that you will find the perfect storytelling course to help you learn to help you on your journey to attention-grabbing communication and storytelling. Whether you are hoping to improve your communication and storytelling skills on a personal level or professionally, we’re confident that these storytelling courses will help you accomplish your goals and blow away your audience.