Why Picking the Wrong Medium Could Ruin Your Storytelling Potential
Cluedo (or Clue if you’re American) is a story.
Escape rooms (the good ones) tell a story.
There are short stories written for magazines.
There are long stories that unfurl through the specific ordering of a musician’s album.
To prepare for this article, I wrote down all the mediums I could think of. So far, I’ve got 43. That’s 43 completely unique ways to tell stories. And I haven’t even asked ChatGPT to make me a comprehensive list, it’s just off the top of my head.
But what is a medium?
Essentially, a storytelling medium is the method you use to communicate your story.
Back at the dawn of humanity, the primary medium would have been voice. We’ve all heard of campfire tales. Later, paintings were smeared on cave walls to warn people of dangers should they pass through the same cave. And so on and so forth until we get to Cineworld’s 4DX screenings of the latest MCU outing.
Every medium is a choice. Campfire tales were urgent, present experiences for stories that needed to be told right now or else the whole village will die! Cave paintings were chosen for their longevity, so future travellers would understand and spread the word when necessary.
Now, as you look at that shiny story idea in your head, you’ve got to make an important choice:
HOW are you going to tell your story?
Every medium has its strengths and weaknesses. Blockbuster films were once a no-brainer for profit and reach, but depleting ticket sales and streaming releases are raising questions about the form’s longevity. High-End TV (HETV) is undergoing a similar peak and collapse, and TV soaps are fighting for survival every day.
In other words, don’t rely on what’s hot right now just to sell your story.
If your story is a novel, write a novel. If it’s a side-scroller video game, pursue that avenue! Getting it right might not make you a millionaire overnight, but it’ll hold up to the test of time. Shoehorning your story into the hottest medium of the moment will be like eating a bag of Haribo Starmix in one go. Satisfying in the moment, but the crash will make you feel sick.
The best way to pick a medium is to know the rules of play. Every medium has its tropes, industry standards, and limitations that should at least be observed. If you decide your story is a side-scroller video game but demand Rockstar levels of detail and exploration, you’re probably not going to get anywhere (until you make a name for yourself).
So, if a particular medium pulls you in, do your research. Do what all professionals do. Absorb, learn, adapt, and create. If you do that, and do it well, you could create a masterpiece that revolutionises storytelling for a generation. Remember, there was no billion-dollar blockbuster before the rise of the MCU.
The only way to set trends is to step away from what’s trending and do what feels right.
Yes, yes, that’s all well and good, but what are these 43 mediums I mentioned earlier?
Well, to be frank with you listing them here would very much be me doing your job for you…
…
…Oh, alright I’ll do it!
But to warn you before I do, this list is not comprehensive, and it is certainly not instructive. Instead, allow this list to be a jumping off point for your imagination. Because, in all honesty, there’s hundreds of mediums out there, and the next big one isn’t on this blog, it’s in your head.
(I’ll also be writing about the strengths and pitfalls of each medium as time goes on, so if there’s a medium you can think of that isn’t here, let me know!)
Key: Red = Added after initial 43 mediums
VISUAL MEDIUMS
Limited Series (HETV)
Network TV Serial
Episodic Network TV Series
TV Soap
Children’s TV Drama
Documentary Series
Micro Film (Under 15 mins)
Short Film (15-30 mins)
Feature Film
Animated Feature
Short Film Series
Vlog Series
TV Game Show
Webcomic
Motion Comic
VR Film
AUDIO MEDIUMS
Podcast (Panel)
Podcast (Documentary)
Music Album
Standalone Audio Drama
Audio Drama Series
Audio Soap
Radio Play
DJ Mix
PRINT & TEXT MEDIUMS
Short Story
Novella
Short Novel (approx. 300 pages)
Novel (400+ pages)
Anthology Book
Poetry
Diary
Letters / Correspondence
Blog
Newsletter
Zine
Comic Book
Graphic Novel
INTERACTIVE MEDIUMS
Video Game (AAA Open World)
Video Game (Side-Scroller)
Video Game (Strategy)
Video Game (Shooter)
Board Game
Tabletop Roleplaying Game
Video Game (VR Interactive)
Video Game (AR Interactive)
LIVE MEDIUMS
Community Theatre
Fringe Theatre
Commercial Theatre
Touring Theatre
Solo Show
One-Act Play
Immersive Theatre
Cabaret
Spoken Word Performance
Circus
Stand Up Comedy
Concert
Live Event
LARPing
Escape Room
Treasure Hunt
Toys
