Storyteller Uprising: Trust and Persuasion in the Digital Age

With the decline of traditional journalism, there’s an increased need for trusted information. This presents a huge opportunity to individuals, communities, companies and organizations. They can fill that void by telling their own multimedia stories and creating their own channels of distribution — thereby serving as trusted sources in their own right. That’s the “uprising” — people seizing control of communication by building ongoing credible connection through story and digital technology. Storyteller Uprising explains why this is now possible, and why you should harness the power of story in your own communication endeavors.

This 2012 edition of Storyteller Uprising has been updated with a large final section, "The Storyteller's Seven Hard Truths to Manipulation in a Networked World," which takes an clear-eyed approach to challenges and opportunities in storytelling, social media and leadership (including examples from Kony 2012, the civil war in Syria, the United States Army, Caine's Arcade).

Storyteller Uprising is an ideal guide for professional communicators and leaders who seek to understand the systemic transformation that has taken place in the digital age. Readers of Clay Shirky, Charlene Li and Yochai Benkler will find themselves on familiar ground as the author builds upon those strategic thinkers and extends them into the realm of storytelling and strategic communication.

Hanson Hosein is President of HRH Media Group, and the Director of the Master of Communication in Digital Media program at the University of Washington in Seattle. He’s also the host of "Four Peaks" -- the monthly Telly Award-winning UWTV series that features interviews with an influential network of visionaries and leaders. He specializes in storytelling, social media strategies and business models of communication, serving as official advisor to Weber Shandwick, Tableau Software and the Pacific Science Center. Hanson's new book "Storyteller Uprising: Trust and Persuasion in the Digital Age," is an ongoing study of effective 21st century communication through multiple platforms. His pioneering work earned him Seattle Magazine's "Most Influential" in fall 2010, particularly due to his role in hosting TEDx Seattle. Hanson directed the award-winning documentary films "Rising from Ruins" and "Independent America: The Two-Lane Search for Mom & Pop," which have been broadcast around the world and prominently featured online, including on Hulu and Yahoo!'s homepages. As a former NBC News war correspondent, backpack journalist and investigative producer, he's the recipient of Overseas Press Club and Emmy Awards.