When people ask me what I do for a living, I respond that I help my clients tell their story. There is, in my opinion, a profound difference between disseminating information and painting word pictures that resonate and leave a lasting impression on the reader. Information provides the details needed for understanding. But storytelling speaks to the emotional side of our brains that affect how we feel and care about a product or service.

Consider this example from the late William Safire, wordsmith and former columnist for The New York Times:

“Suppose I’m describing the reaction of baseball fans on that unforgettable evening when Henry Aaron hit the home run that broke Babe Ruth’s lifetime record. I might say, ‘Aaron was given a standing ovation by fifty thousand fans. The tribute continued for at least five minutes.’ That’s accurate. It’s what happened. No doubt about it.

“But compare that description with this: ‘Fifty thousand fans sprang to their feet, clapping, screaming, cheering wildly in a pandemonium that went on for a full five minutes.’ That’s also what happened. Is there a difference?

“You bet there is. The first version tells what happened all right, but it doesn’t involve the listener. There’s no fire, no passion … The second version paints a word picture that puts the listeners right in the stadium, making them part of the clapping, cheering crowd.”

A member of England’s Parliament once asked the Prime Minister how he might have put more fire into his speech. Winston Churchill suggested he might have done better to put his speech in the fire.

Unfortunately, most people just aim for getting out the information. Are you one of them? Or do you strive to tell stories filled with fire and passion?

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