Monoprint by Andy Hayes (@andyinfinity on Instagram).
“Why Words Matter” is a new podcast series from 26, exploring the power of language across different creative disciplines. In this article, Andy Hayes chats with Martin Clarkson about his recent episode on storytelling – the second in the series. Their conversation reveals how stories serve as powerful vehicles for words, helping us make sense of our world and connect with one another in business, entertainment, and beyond.
“Stories help the words make sense of what’s going on in our heads”
Andy: Martin, what drew you to the topic of storytelling for the “Why Words Matter” podcast?
Martin: When John first mentioned the series, he went through a long shopping list of possible subjects. I swiftly added ‘storytelling.’ I think individual words use storytelling as a very clever way of collaborating. I like to imagine a meeting of words, where they might say, ‘gather round all of you, I’ve got a way of making us even more powerful.’
Andy: You told me before that stories help us compartmentalise information.
Martin: We make sense of life through stories. If you’re given short, sharp statements—emails can be quite awful at doing this—it can jar when you read it. But if there’s a story that helps contextualise, you’re able to put it into place.
Andy: So it’s almost like stories are the vehicles for words to reach us more effectively?
Martin: Exactly! Your inner voice with a story opens the door and says, ‘Who goes there? Friend or foe?’ And story goes, ‘Friend, story.’ And you listen to the story, and suddenly the message it’s carrying enters the right compartment and now makes sense. It’s powerful stuff.
Three Storytelling Perspectives
Andy: Tell me about the guests you brought together for your podcast.
Martin: I chose three guests from different areas. The first was Rob Williams, an enormously successful TV screenwriter and 26 member. His approach to storytelling was fascinating because there’s a rational side and an emotional side. He creates a framework, drops the characters into it, and then—believe it or not—listens for the characters to speak to him.
Andy: I love that idea of waiting for characters to speak.
Martin: Hannah Johnson was my second guest. She’s currently one of Cameron Mackintosh’s associate producers working on Hamilton and Phantom of the Opera, in the West End. She looked at storytelling from the perspective of the audience’s “listening voice.” She also talked about maintaining a “cycle of attention” throughout a production.
Andy: That phrase “cycle of attention” is really interesting. There’s a whole other episode right there.
Martin: Finally, Rob Tennant, a storytelling consultant with Accenture, talked about a world that is moving on from “great resignation” during COVID to what he calls the “great disconnect” today. He believes words through storytelling, are helping businesses power a rebirth of re-engagement with their teams.
Looking Ahead
Andy: I’ve recorded my episode focusing on “Why Words Matter in Art.” Sometimes I find words can really help art and sometimes they can hinder so I was interested in what my guests had to say. I really enjoyed talking to Dr. Tilly Scantlebury from the National Gallery, poet and artist Therese Kieran, and printmaker Jason Hicklin. It goes out on Bloomsbury Radio on Monday 28 April at 6pm. Then we’ll upload it to our Substack page.
Martin: That sounds wonderful. I’m looking forward to listening to it.
Listen to Martin Clarkson’s full episode @26writersgroup on Substack, and look out for Andy’s episode coming soon.