[As part of the 2011 NTC, a group of attendees are documenting their experiences at the conference on the NTEN Blog.]

By Michael Sola

Fellow 11NTC Newbies and Old-fogies — that last definition wasn't my idea, but the #11NTCStory group liked it - I am writing to report that the "T" in NTC is alive and well and after the first night at the StoryTelling session #11NTCStory led by Michaela and Roger followed by the "Peter Campbell BeerFest" @peterscampbell it seems the energy of how organizations are using tech to tell their stories continues to be a theme.

Be a part of the 11NTC Storytelling Team!Every year, we do our best to offer more opportunities to learn and connect at the NTC, and this year is no different. We’ve recruited two rock star storytelling, social media experts, Michaela Hackner and Roger Burks, to head up a 2 hour workshop on Wednesday, March 16 (the night before the official kick-off of the NTC) from 6 - 8 pm.

The workshop will cover how to tell stories across various media and social networks and is limited to 25 people, so you’re sure to get one-on-one advice and training.  

During the workshop, you'll learn the basics of documentary storytelling, see examples of how it's being used, and discover how it can power social media. You'll gain practical tips and helpful advice, and have plenty of time for questions and discussion with your fellow storytellers.

After the workshop, participants will form the official 11NTC Storytelling Team, capturing the spirit of the conference through writing, photography, video, blogging and other media. You'll interact with experts and gain valuable experience and exposure throughout the conference.

Storytellers are responsible for their 11NTC registration, and must be registered for the conference to participate in the workshop. 

So, want to be on the 11NTC Storytelling team? Fill out the workshop application.

Rational as I wish I were, I know it's not really facts and figures -- or logic -- that does most of my decision-making. In every decision I make, there is some element of emotion at play. Despite what you think, you're the same. Why, then, do most of us feel compelled to list bullet points of facts on our web sites and in our emails?

If our stakeholders are looking for confirmation, not information, it seems to me we need to refocus on the fine art of storytelling.

Somewhere along the way, we became more obsessed with exactly how high Icarus was flying when he fell than with telling the story of Icarus. That's a concept Roger Burks has been putting into practice at Mercy Corps. During his travels, he worries less about how many people are being served than about telling their stories.

The result? Compelling messages that make the work of Mercy Corps seem more real than any list of figures. Roger shared a little of his philosophy, the basis of his session at the 2009 NTC, "Better Online Storytelling", upon his return from a trip to the Congo.

Flickr Photo: luiginterI used to give a workshop about storytelling in online mediums. Back then, it focused on email and websites -- that's all there really was. In true nerd fashion, my metaphor for the workshop was Star Wars.

But I digress. The main point of the workshop was to get folks to articulate an emotional need they could address with their stories. Stakeholders will act on our behalf only if they feel an emotional investment in the outcome. They have to want us to succeed.

This week in We Are Media, we're focusing on storytelling. The number of outlets for nonprofit stories has exploded: email, websites, blogs, video, photos, twitter and more are all part of our communications universe now.But the fundamentals remain the same: How do you tell a good story, despite the medium?

Ali Levine, NTEN Special Projects Fellow

Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful communications strategies, but many nonprofits become so focused on providing facts, figures, and statistics that our communications and marketing becomes dry and tedious. We forget that what we really need to do to get people excited about our cause is to start with a compelling story. One session (materials here) at the NTC focused on the art of storytelling and how to do it well. Although many of the same rules apply, not all storytelling techniques are in a text-driven, once-upon-a-time format.

For example, there is something about maps that makes sense to the human brain. A good map has the power to get across a huge amount of information in just a few seconds, quickly and effortlessly giving a sense of scope and context. Interactive maps create a visual story and give an easily accessible starting place from which users can explore at their own pace based on their own interests. Many nonprofits have caught on and are telling their stories with online mapping tools like Google Earth.

Your guide to resources that will help you put technology to work for your cause.

Web 2.0 and New Media Tools

• Find out how to reach out to users of that other social networking website in Using Facebook in Your Nonprofit.

• Learn how to successfully use social networking communities for your cause in Christine Herron's article 7 Tips for Successful Social Network Campaigns.
  

• Think blogging is passe, or just not for you? Read Jeff Brooks’ Nine More Good Reasons to Blog before you make up your mind for good.
  

• David Brazeal gives the five most common reasons why nonprofits don’t follow the web 2.0 hype, and then tells you how to lead them back to it.
  

Telling Your Story

• Telling the why behind your organization is one of the best ways to gain support. Tech Soup’s Eight Tips for Telling Your Story Digitally tells you how to do this online.

• Some nonprofits are already telling their stories online, and using maps to do so. The Story Mapping Blog, a creation of the The Center for Digital Storytelling, has great examples of digital story maps.
  

• See what the reps from Free Range Studios said about online storytelling at the NTC and what advise they gave for telling your story using different new media tools.

Know of a great "how-to" resource? Tell us about it in the comments.

What is your organization’s online personality? Susan Finkelpearl, the Director of Online Strategy at Free Range Studios, says your website if often the first impression people get of your organization. And we all know what people say about first impressions.

Get to know Susan a little here and learn how to show off your organization’s personality in her session “The Fundamentals of Storytelling in Online Communications” on Thursday, April 5, at the Nonprofit Technology Conference.

How did you get into helping nonprofits?

"I've always had a passion for helping organizations communicate effectively and started my career working in traditional PR, first for a relief agency and later for the Worldwatch Institute, an environmental think tank.