An inspirational story is a motivational piece that illustrates how someone overcame a difficult situation or challenge. These stories inspire readers to dream bigger and work harder toward their goals. Examples of inspirational writing include stories of how Jack Reacher defeats thugs, how Helen Keller teaches herself to speak, or how Nelson Mandela overcame imprisonment.
To be inspiring, a story should make the reader feel empathy for the hero in the narrative. This may be achieved through scenes that evoke emotion, such as a mother sacrificing for her child or a boy giving away his only toy. Alternatively, the hero in an inspiring story may be made relatable through a specific trait or external characteristic, such as being poor, having a disability, or possessing a strong personality.
A good inspirational story should also show the hero’s resilience. Even if the hero fails to achieve what they want, it is important that the reader feels that the hero will try again. For example, the hero of the story about Dandelion Dan may have lost all 22 seasons as a Pokemon champion, but this did not stop him from continuing to train and believing in himself.
Inspirational stories are often used in marketing campaigns for products, services, or ideas. It is important to remember that the goal of a marketing campaign is to influence and persuade the reader to purchase or believe in your product or idea. To do this, the message of your inspirational story must be clear and simple. It should avoid technical jargon and industry terms that may confuse or repel the reader. Using a free tool, such as our Jargon Buster, can help you remove this kind of language from your writing.