It struck home to me how popular the ‘making of’ movies and behind the scenes fly on the wall documentaries are. Sometimes they outsell the original film. Unplugged and live versions of music can also do better than original recordings.
It’s all evidence of how much we want to know about backstory, the story behind the story.
It’s the stuff of conversations round the water cooler, over a coffee, and often these days outside in the carpark with the smokers.
There are so many well produced, engineered and performed stories around today, there is a thirst for the authentic, for the warts and all ‘journey’ story. Not just the gloss or the gloom.
Great communication today is about knowing your backstory, having it watermarking everything you do. It is giving life to the cliche of transparency, nothing to hide. There is real freedom and real connection in weaving your backstory into your personal brand, the whole of you. Leave no stone unturned. However, at the same time, backstory can be used judiciously, it does not have to be a lifestory that dwells on the ups and downs. Focus on your audience and your intention in telling the story. Then a backstory can add value, and not occur as self indulgence.