Episode 21 already and this time I am going back to the topic of storytelling…

I reached out to Michael L. Kent, Ph.D who did research around using the 20 Master Plots in Public Relations and recently published a paper on the topic.

It was Forster, an English novelist who said: “‘The king died and then the queen died, is a story. The king died, and then the queen died of grief, is a plot.”

So why is it that we PR professionals are not really making the best use of a method which has been documented for ages…

“Plot isn’t an accessory that conveniently organises your material according to some ritualistic magic. You don’t just plug in plot like a household appliance and expect it to do its job. Plot is organic. It takes hold of the writer and the work from the beginning.”
Ronald Tobias

Michael tells us what he found while doing research in storytelling and the use of plot lines in public relations. We’ll be talking about “the quest”, “revenge”, “the riddle” and using these plots in corporate stories and mission statements.

We will also discover how we still have a long way to go…

About my guest:

Michael Kent is an Associate Professor of Public Relations at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College. Kent has been teaching for more than 20 years and has taught more than 35 different courses, including Introduction to Public Relations, Public Relations Writing, Advanced Public speaking, Media and Mass Culture, and others.

Kent conducts research on New Technology, Mediated Communication, Dialogue, International Communication, and Web Communication.

He also consults on research methods, message design, mediated communication, journalism, and public relations. Kent has published dozens of articles and books, including a public relations writing textbook, and two public speaking textbooks.

Links for this podcast:

• If you would like a copy of Michaels research paper, please send an email.
• Download the The Master Plot Checklist (PDF)
• Book : The 20 Master Plots and How to Build Them – Ronald Tobias (aff. link)
• Book: Public relations writing: A rhetorical approach.
• Book : Bare Bones Public Speaking. Amazon.com/Kindle.
• Book : Toasts, Eulogies, Introductions, and Other Special Occasion Speeches. Amazon.com/Kindle.

The post Using the 20 Master Plots of Storytelling in PR with Michael L. Kent, Ph.D appeared first on Online PR Training.