We know that stories that we feel passionate about are the ones that are most likely to also connect to others. But let’s break that down a little more.

What makes a great story? What allows it to absorb us or take us over?

A good story is engaging and satisfying. It tells us things we’re glad to know or even learn. It stimulates our curiosity. But more than that it makes us care enough to want to stay tuned in until the end.

While people have different tastes – we don’t all like horror films or we’re not all interested in foreign affairs items, for example – good stories share common ingredients.

They all have a narrative that takes us on a journey we’re happy to travel on. They all have a structure that allows the journey to unfold clearly but hook us from the start with characters that are interesting and believable.