3 Storytelling Tips That I Learned From Taylor Swift

Whether you're a fan of Taylor Swift or not, we can't deny that she's a lyrical genius.

Kate Nicole
August 07, 2022

Whether you're a fan of Taylor Swift or not, we can't deny that she's a lyrical genius.

Every lyric she writes tells a story. It paints a picture. It resonates. (These are the few reasons why I became a Swiftie.)

I wonder what makes her stories great...

So last Friday, I spent exactly 44 minutes listening to her songs while analyzing their lyrics.

And I learned these 3 storytelling tips from Taylor Swift.

In terms of showing, not telling — Taylor is the master of this technique.

Just look at these?!

We're singin' in the car, getting lost upstate

Autumn leaves fallin' down like pieces into place

And I can picture it after all these days

There I was again tonight

Forcing laughter, faking smiles

Same old tired, lonely place

Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes, and vacancy

Vanished when I saw your face

Help, I'm still at the restaurant

Still sitting in a corner I haunt

Cross-legged in the dim light

They say, "What a sad sight"

These lyrics don't tell. It shows. It draws the reader's (or listener's) senses to the story.

One of the ways to make the showing more interesting and memorable is by using metaphors.

If you can't interpret how you feel/felt, use metaphors.

Using metaphors not only helps you interpret, it also help your story to make it more interesting and memorable.

Here are some of my favorite lyrics from her that use metaphors:

While you were out building other worlds, where was I?

Where's that man who'd throw blankets over my barbed wire?

You paint me a blue sky

Then go back and turn it to rain

And I lived in your chess game

But you changed the rules everyday

This was the very first page

Not where the storyline ends

My thoughts will echo your name

Until I see you again

Most of Taylor Swift's song are personal. That's why some people resonate with her feelings in most of her songs.

Making your stories personal can make your audience connect with you.

So the next time you tell a story, don't be afraid to share your personal story.

Hope you learned something new for today :)

- Nicole

P. S. If you're a Swiftie too, hit that "reply" button and let me know your top 3 songs from Taylor Swift!