This in-person course gives participants the techniques, skills and knowledge to become a more powerful and effective storyteller.
Anyone who wants to write memorable and persuasive content for colleagues, clients, pitches and new business prospects, including:
The course teaches participants the principles, practice and trade secrets of effective commercial storytelling.
Over a day, the course explains a range of professional writing techniques developed by TV and movie screenwriters, bestselling novelists and behavioural scientists. It will show how to use these techniques to create compelling reports and presentations that make audiences want to sit up and take note.
The Beginning. An introduction to the theory and practice of storytelling. How the brain processes stories. The five things every story needs. The power of the elevator pitch. How and where to start.
The Middle. Bringing your audience up to speed. Framing the challenge. Building tension and momentum.
The Ending. Putting it all together. Ending with impact. Leaving the audience wanting more.
The Craft Skills. Professional writing tips. Outlining. Editing. Structure. How to create tension. How to dial up the emotion.
The Practice. Practical exercises and roleplay for each section.
The Challenge. Final competitive breakout-team pitch presentation with a prize for the winning team.
This course will run in person at the IPA on Thursday 3 July 2025, 9.30am-5.30pm.
Warwick Cairns is Strategy Partner at The Effectiveness Partnership. He grew up in a single-parent family in social housing in East London. He has a postgraduate degree in English Literature from Yale University, and has been a board director at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising and Abbott Mead Vickers. BBDO Ltd.
A specialist in writing and storytelling, he is the author of three books, published internationally by PanMacMillan, HarperCollins and St. Martin’s Griffin. He also won the Historical Novel Society’s New Novel Award. In 12+ years with The Effectiveness Partnership, he has helped clients craft numerous Gold- and Grand Prix-winning marketing award submissions.
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