Does Your Scrapbook Have a Story Arc?

By tweaking your scrapbooks to have strong story arcs, they’ll jump off the shelf or out of the computer, fascinate your audience, and tell your family story in a compelling way. Are you ready to take your stories to the next level?
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“Those who tell the stories, rule the world.” – Plato
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Why is STORY so Important?
- Expressive writing dates back to 10th century Japan.
- Our brains think in story and don’t distinguish between a story and real life
- Story brings meaning to our lives and puts things we learn into context
- Story is how we gain wisdom from events that happen in our lives
- Stories influence people
- Life storytelling is an umbrella term that includes memoir, personal essay, songwriting, poems, scrapbook pages, and other ways of sharing your life.
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“If you wish to influence an individual or a group to embrace a particular value in their lives, tell them a compelling story. – Annette Simmons, Writer
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What is a Story Arc?
A story arc (contraction from “over-arching story”) is a sequence or series of installments which shows a transformation from a particular impetus. The typical 3-point story arc has an Opening, a Climax, and a Resolution.
Consider a different story arc – Nigel Watts 8-point arc:
- Stasis – Everyday life. Business as usual.
- Trigger – This sparks the story (positive or negative)
- Quest – Seeking to get to a new situation
- Surprise – Possibly multiple surprises, obstacles, pleasant events
- Critical Choice – A big decision revealing personality, not a chance happening
- Climax – Results of the choice
- Reversal – Changes the status of the characters
- Resolution – Return to a fresh “normal” situation, wiser, story complete
Tweaks to Include Story Arc in Scrapbooks
- Identify recurring themes or compelling storylines in your past work
- Chronological, but include ups and downs.
- No one’s story is perfect, show your struggles (Marcia Fortunato)
- One word (Ali Edwards)
- Week in the life or day in the life
- Scrapbooking your faith or other topic (Courtney Walsh)
- Create a scene to invite readers in – What did you smell? What did you hear? What did you taste? What did you see? What did you touch? What did you feel (emotions)?
- Pick one moment in time
If you’d like to learn how to write YOUR life stories, check out our free webinar: 4 Simple, Proven Methods to Writing the First Chapter of Your Life Story in Just 7 Days.