24. How Long Should a Story Be

While there is no one right answer to this question, there are guidelines that will help you decide how long your story should be. Consider the situation, the time allotted for your presentation and adjust accordingly. You'll find that there are times when a five-minute story is too long, and other times when a five-minute story is too short. The more emotional a story is, the more time it will take to develop. A more factual story will often be much shorter.

Doug Stevenson is a keynote and story coach basedin Tucson, Arizona.

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