The Role of Tension in Storytelling
Good Client Stories
At Pohl Strategic, we love the stories we are telling for our clients in the world of architecture and construction. Because every structure has a story, and our clients play an active and important role in some great stories.
A story is about change. It’s about how someone goes from here to there (either an inward journey or outward, or both). But the situation at the end of the story is always different than at the start: people have changed, situations have changed.
Good stories are always like that—they go somewhere, something happens. If nothing happens or changes in a story, it’s just plain boring. We all prefer good stories.
Not every story is an exquisite work of art, but all good stories are made up of the same good stuff—characters, setting, and plot. Those are the basic raw materials of every good story, of which there are many great examples in life, literature, and film.
Three-Act Structure
When it comes to plot structure, one of the best ways to understand a good story is to think of the storyline in three acts:
Act 1: Beginning Setup Question-Problem-Desire
Act 2: Middle Conflict Tension-Delay-Frustration
Act 3: End Resolution Answer-Solution-Satisfaction
- In Act 1, we introduce the character(s) and describe their setting, their situation/problem, their desire, their hope, their need, etc.
- In Act 2, we describe the challenges/obstacles they face, i.e., what/who is getting in the way of their problem being resolved or their desire being fulfilled.
- In Act 3, we describe how the problem was solved, how the question was answered, how the desire was satisfied, and how the hero saved the day.
Of course, not all stories have happy endings, or resolve in the way we expect. Sometimes, stories end with a new question, or a bridge to a new possibility. Sometimes, the transformation has created an entirely new direction leading into the great unknown. But still, the story ends. At least, that part of the story ends.
Essential Tension
Tension, however, is always essential. It brings perspective to the problem/question and meaning to the solution/answer. Again, boring stories downplay conflict or resolve tension too quickly. We need to explore complication in the story, so that change is meaningful.
For one of our clients, Dynamic Fenestration (that last word means windows and doors), their mission statement says this: We help architects overcome the complex challenges of tailor-made windows and doors. That mission statement identifies the conflict, or tension, that many architects face, i.e., figuring out how to design, supply, and install good windows and doors for the structures they are designing. That aspect of their work is ripe with good stories, and Dynamic plays a role. Builders face other challenges. Every industry encounters their share of conflict and complication, and so there are many good stories ready to be written.
Are you ready to tell your stories? Let us know if you need a hand. Good stories don’t need to be long, but the basic elements need to be there, especially the tension. Let’s talk about how we can work together to tell your best stories.
