First I will thank Nathan Baugh, for his WorldBuilders emails I savor every day and especially for his August 5 post with 100 historically- and -culturally relevant ideas for personal storytelling.

We all need to improve our storytelling, to be more memorable. It’s one of the oldest professions in world history (let’s not argue what is the oldest!) and its fascination transcends all cultures.

And it is even more relevant now, to rise above the din, offer your voice, to help yourself and to energize others. Just like I am doing here.

Today I am starting a series of 4 posts that each use 25 of his 100 ideas. His words in non-italic; I added my ideas in italics at the end of each of them to answer the questions I get so often:

What should I post about?

How can I garner the right story ideas to tell others?

Why should anyone care?

You are no longer unable to relate just one personal aspect (hopefully more!) of your career narrative story!

Over the next days you will get 100 great archetypes as Baugh calls them, and the same quantity of my self-curated idea jogs to tell us a story about:

  • why you,
  • how you won,
  • how you lost and resurfaced,
  • how you put in the time and emerged victorious,
  • how,
  • why,
  • never what. Because that’s what all the others do. Be unique in your story.

Here are the next 25 (the first 25 are at https://wp.me/pT2tC-uc8_:

100 Timeless LinkedIn Post/Article Archetypes

26. Family Drama: Focuses on familial relationships, conflicts, and dynamics. I had a family challenge and operated my business as best I could during this time. Here’s how

27. Rebellion: Characters challenge authority or oppressive systems. I beat the old system with my unique views and actions

28. Time Travel: Characters move backward or forward in time, impacting the past or future. Here’s how my past makes me who I am today and my present indicates where I can take my clients in our future

29. Apocalypse: The story centers around a catastrophic event that threatens the survival of humanity. How I survived an existential business threat and what I learned

30. Power and Corruption: Characters deal with the abuse of power, political intrigue, and corruption. How I left behind toxic bosses and survived with my sanity

31. Redemption Quest: The protagonist seeks redemption for past sins or mistakes through a series of trials. I f-ed up and how I made up for it

32. Unrequited Love: Focuses on a character’s one-sided romantic feelings for another, often leading to emotional conflict. My client left me and how I won them back

33. Tragedy: A story in which the protagonist faces downfall or failure, often due to their own flaws or circumstances. How I rectified a client’s loss and won “brownie points” for it

34. Reincarnation: Characters are reborn in different eras or bodies, often with the goal of finding each other again. A client left me and came back telling me that {why me}

35. Survival of the Fittest: Characters must compete or fight against each other to survive or achieve a specific goal. How I won the battle and eventually the war

36. Framing Device: The main story is presented within the context of another story, serving as a narrative framework. I learned this form someone else and this is how I applied that wisdom in my own way

37. Stranger in a Strange Land: A character from a different culture or background experiences life in an unfamiliar setting. I left my “home” and jumped head first into a strange industry/environment/company and why it’s been a great experience

38. Escape from Death: The protagonist is faced with imminent death or doom and must find a way to survive. I though my business was kaput but then this happened and what I learned from my near-death experience.

39. Forbidden Knowledge: Characters pursue knowledge or power that is dangerous or forbidden. I an expert in my field and know too much but this is how I meter out my experience to not seem too pushy

40. Society vs. Individual: Focuses on the conflict between societal norms and the individual’s desires or beliefs. I challenged the old belief system with my unique views and actions

41. Supernatural Encounter: Characters encounter supernatural beings, creatures, or events. Not a LinkedIn topic that will win you clients in this solar system, so save us the close encounter

42. Body Swap: Characters switch bodies, leading to humorous or insightful situations. I rewrote my LinkedIn profile from the POV of a reader of my own experience, and this is why I am glad I did

43. The Prophecy: The story revolves around a prophecy or prediction that shapes the characters’ actions and fate. I always knew that if I {did this} I would gain and propel myself into the realm of godliness

44. Seeking Home: The protagonist embarks on a journey to find a place where they belong. I returned to my roots in {whatever} and why I am glad I did

45. Framed for a Crime: The protagonist is wrongly accused of a crime they didn’t commit, leading to a quest for justice. I was wronged and proved it and how I won and learned to keep this from ever happening again

46. Wandering Hero: A heroic character roams from place to place, helping others and righting wrongs. See #37 above: again, I left my “home” and jumped head first into a strange industry/environment/company and why it’s been a great experience

47. The Masquerade: Characters conceal their true identities or intentions behind masks or deception. I know lies and smoke and mirrors never work and how my honesty wins me business

48. Time Loop: Characters are trapped in a repeating time cycle, reliving events until a resolution is reached. As in #28 above, a twist on: here’s how my past makes me who I am today and my present indicates where I can take my clients in our future

49. Love at First Sight: Characters fall deeply in love immediately upon meeting each other. How I qualify the best clients early in our relationship

50. Human vs. Nature: The story focuses on characters’ struggles against natural disasters, animals, or environmental challenges. My business thrived in a {name your natural disaster} because I…

25 more tomorrow.

I’d love your comments on how helpful this is to you. Then I’d really like to move you to be courageous and write your first one and publish it to LinkedIn as a post or Newsletter article. Once you try, the more you will find your voice to talk more about why you in deeds and stories. Now try for two in a week. See? not so hard…