There are a lot of words being thrown around…
Words like “story” and “narrative” are used differently in different disciplines.
These are the definitions I use.
The Big Ones
Narrative
Story
Useful Story
Simple: How we organize information in our minds.
More detailed: The cognitive process of organizing information to be useful. (Also called narrative cognition.)
The output of narrative: narrative produces a story. Stories can be written, spoken, acted, danced etc.
A story created to generate knowledge about the real world.
Story-Modeling™
Model
Scientific model
Story-Model™
Story-Modeling™
Something that represents something else.
“Model” is a name given to something when it is used as a model, so every model is both what it is made of and a model. For example, a map is a drawing and a model and an economic model is a spreadsheet and a model.
A model produced to help learn or better understand something about the real world (as opposed to a model produced for enjoyment, not learning).
A scientific model represented by a story in natural language (also a Useful Story). More.
The method to create a Story-Model™. More.
Stories About What We Do™
Stories About What We Do™
Memoir
Career Narrative
A genre of story that connect someone’s work — paid or volunteer — to the person. More.
A story about a part of someone’s life — told as they remember it and written by themselves.
The story of someone’s career, usually starting with where they launched their career and following career events — jobs, promotions, qualifications, public speaking, board positions etc.
Communications
Brand narrative (or brand story)
Instrumentalized storytelling
Organizational storytelling
Personal storytelling
The story of a brand. A brand narrative starts with the idea that the brand represents and follows the development of the idea and its expressions: products, events, spokespeople, causes.
Brand narratives are different to company stories, which start when the company is founded and follows events over the company’s “life” — growth milestones, new leadership, expansion and acquisitions.
Ethical storytelling
Stories used as an asset (or instrument) in a strategy for a different activity — such as a PR strategy. Usually refers to personal storytelling in service to an organization.
Storytelling in service to an organization, by its representatives.
Stories about personal experience.
Organizational storytelling practiced with consideration to ethical concerns, usually relating specifically to instrumentalized personal storytelling.
Narrative
Narrative
Simple: How we organize information in our minds.
More detailed: The cognitive process of organizing information to be useful. (Also called narrative cognition.)
Narrative coherence
Narrative fluency
When the relationships between events in a story make sense — or are coherent. When a story lacks narrative coherence it “doesn’t work” — or performs differently than expected.
The ability to produce stories that are coherent.