COM 120 — The Art of Effective Storytelling: Techniques and Secrets
Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): Marianne Neuwirth
Date(s): Jul 9—Aug 27
Class Recording Available: No
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—9:15 pm (PT)
Tuition: $630
Refund Deadline: Jul 11
Unit(s): 1
Enrollment Limit: 30
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Summer
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 8 weeks
Time: 7:00—9:15 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jul 9—Aug 27
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $630
Refund Deadline: Jul 11
Instructor(s): Marianne Neuwirth
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Enrollment Limit: 30
Recording Available: No
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
Once upon a time… Few words captivate us so completely. Storytelling is central to every culture, connecting audiences through shared images, characters, and ideas. This course highlights the art of oral (rather than written) storytelling, with an emphasis on story listening, construction, and effective delivery.
Drawing on fairy tales, myths, films, books, and recordings by professional storytellers, we will analyze how compelling stories are crafted for different contexts. Students will prepare, practice, and deliver a variety of presentations using techniques introduced in class. By the end of the course, you will understand what makes stories engaging and memorable, learn how to hold an audience’s attention, and gain practical tools for incorporating storytelling into presentations, interviews, and informal settings. You will learn to shape concise yet complete stories, develop relatable characters, structure clear narrative arcs, choose evocative details, and use voice and body language to bring stories vividly to life.
Drawing on fairy tales, myths, films, books, and recordings by professional storytellers, we will analyze how compelling stories are crafted for different contexts. Students will prepare, practice, and deliver a variety of presentations using techniques introduced in class. By the end of the course, you will understand what makes stories engaging and memorable, learn how to hold an audience’s attention, and gain practical tools for incorporating storytelling into presentations, interviews, and informal settings. You will learn to shape concise yet complete stories, develop relatable characters, structure clear narrative arcs, choose evocative details, and use voice and body language to bring stories vividly to life.
Advanced-level proficiency in spoken English is required.
MARIANNE NEUWIRTH
Communication Consultant and Coach
Marianne Neuwirth coaches and consults with students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and various other departments at Stanford, local professionals, and international executives. She teaches courses and workshops on effective leadership, persuasion, storytelling, public speaking, and advanced conflict resolution. She also trains researchers on how to communicate their work publicly and conversationally in succinct and compelling ways. She received a PhD in communication from the University of Utah. Textbooks for this course:
(Required) Elizabeth Ellis, From Plot to Narrative: A Step-By-Step Process of Story Creation and Enhancement (ISBN 978-1935166818)
(Optional) Bowles, et al., How to Tell a Story (ISBN 978-0593139004)
(Optional) Bowles, et al., How to Tell a Story (ISBN 978-0593139004)