Content is king, they say. While that may be true, “content” is a technical term – soulless. What’s missing in today’s “digital content” is digital storytelling. Content on its own could mean an image, a text, or even just a combination of words. Words alone can be empty and without a positive aspect, will remain unheard, and won’t create a single ripple among our audience on the online surface. Digital stories, on the other hand, do.
- Start with an Idea: All stories begin with an idea and digital stories are no different. Once you have an idea, make it concrete: write a proposal, craft a paragraph, OR draw a mind map.
- Research/Explore/Learn: During this process, you will learn both about validating information and information bias as you delve deeper.
- Write/Script: If you have a proposal, with a little bit of editing, it can become the introduction. If you researched a topic well, the body of the script should fall into place like a jigsaw puzzle.
- Storyboard/Plan: Storyboarding is the plan or blueprint that will guide decision-making about images, video, and sound.
- Gather & Create Media: Using your storyboard as a guide, you can gather or create images, audio, and video. Everything you choose will impact and set the tone for your digital story.
- Put It All Together: This is where you discover if your storyboard needs tweaking and if you have enough “stuff” to create your masterpiece. You will find yourself revisiting your storyboard.
- Share: Your story is now ready for the world to see it. Sharing online has become deeply embedded in our culture, so we might as well embrace it.
Creating your own digital story can seem tough and overwhelming at first but with the right help, you can get started on the process and create a compelling and engaging story.