Applied Narratology in the Storytelling Boom: Norms, Ideals and Practices Among Narrative Professionals

We see applied narratology as the meeting place between narrative theory and practice. While most scholarship on instrumental storytelling has focused on analyzing the stories produced by contemporary narrative practices, our aim was to map insider perspectives on non-literary storytelling and look for possible directions for future applied narratological research that seeks to intervene in these practices. We conducted semi-structured interviews with professionals and trainers (n=30) who instrumentalize narratives in their daily work (for example in communication, coaching, consultancy, or lecturing in vocational study programs in these fields). Interviewees were asked: (1) how they defined storytelling; (2) where the instrumentalization of narrative could be improved; and (3) about the limits to and risks of using storytelling in their field. Many interviewees confirmed one of the main criticisms of contemporary story-critical scholarship, in that they saw storytelling as inherently good, necessarily leading to a better future. However, they also expressed concerns about dangerous storytelling practices (populist politicians, companies seeking profit in bad faith). We will explore this paradox: If they see storytelling as inherently good, why are they concerned that it can be instrumentalized for evil? There seems to be a gap between ideals of storytelling that these professionals hold on the one hand, and actual norms and practices on the other. Attempts by interviewees to negotiate this gap point at an unease among storytelling professionals that may be fruitfully addressed in future applied narratological research.