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Storytelling Glossary

For businesses or nonprofits – Getting started with key storytelling terms

Matthew at the butterfly jungle at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. He is wearing a white San Diego Padres cap and a blue track jacket smiling. In back of him are life size butterfly wings for taking pictures. The butterfly wing on the right hand side has an orange parrot named the Andean cock-of-the-rock.

The fundamentals of great storytelling start with the key terms below. Some of them are basics like character and plot that everybody knows. Others are a bit trickier to pick up on like rhythm or rising action in a story. Even though they make simple, in practice they become complex, powerful tools for expressing and communicating the message we want to our audience. If we find the right mix of storytelling ingredients, we can create a memorable story that people connect with.

Essential Storytelling Terms

Character

A picture of my two cats, Bartlet and Ash lying together in their box. Ash is orange and white, looking at the camera. Bartlett is charcoal and grayish white, sleeping. The headline above reads, "Who am I?" There is a bulleted list on the left hand side that says, "Eat, Sleep, Groom, Play, Whine, Repeat."

A person or the people in a story. Stories have main characters, supporting characters and antagonists (villains or people who work against the main character). Characters allow us as the audience to empathize and relate to people, easing our immersion into a new world.

Theme

The topic or main message the story communicates to the audience.

Plot

What happens in the story. The events and actions that lead the main character from point A at the start to point B at the end.

Setting

The where and when of the story.

Narrator

An old male horse named Klaus with brown spots around his nose. He has white around his nose and his eyes are looking at the camera. In the bottom left hand corner is a caption bubble that reads, "Look who's talking?" It references the glossary term above, narrator.

Who’s telling the story? Is it

  • 1st person – Me, “I” language highlighting a personal brand.
  • 2nd person – Using “you” language, speaking directly to customers or donors.
  • 3rd person – Talking about an organization or business.

Hook

The first impression. This could be the first frame of a video, or those first words that catch the audience’s attention. There’s something out of the box, out of the ordinary that leaves them wanting more.

Conflict

A picture of a lion, the sign at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park at the enclosure. The lion has a caption bubble next to him saying, "Mufasa, why can't we be friends?" referencing the glossary term above, conflict.

The problem the main character faces in their story. How do they react to this problem? Are they able to find a solution? How does the character grow from their conflict?

Rising Action

The action and events of the main character after the conflict is introduced. This is the middle of the story.

Climax

The dramatic moment in the story where the conflict is resolved. 

Resolution

The conclusion of the story. How has the character changed? We can share a CTA here, and at the beginning.

Tone

The personality and attitude of a story. This is the feeling we get from reading or watching a story.

Rhythm

How the story sounds through its language. This can be essential to the pace and mood of the story.

Back to list of terms

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Scenic photo at the very end of the African plains/valley area of the Safari Park. There is green grass, trees and sloping hills with gates for specific animals. Water buffalo, rhinos, giraffes, impala, zebra and giant pelicans live out here. There is a large hill in the background.