{"id":40364,"date":"2026-09-18T11:56:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T15:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/?page_id=40364"},"modified":"2026-09-24T11:29:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T15:29:08","slug":"storytelling","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/storytelling\/","title":{"rendered":"Storytelling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<nav class=\"wp-block-ncst-table-of-contents\" aria-label=\"In This Training\">\n      <h2 class=\"eyebrow\">In This Training<\/h2>\n    <ul role=\"list\">\n                  <li role=\"listitem\">\n          <a href=\"#pages-vs-posts\">1. The Difference Between Posts and Pages<\/a>\n        <\/li>\n                        <li role=\"listitem\">\n          <a href=\"#storytelling\">2. Storytelling on the Web<\/a>\n        <\/li>\n                        <li role=\"listitem\">\n          <a href=\"#post-header\">3. Choosing a Post Header<\/a>\n        <\/li>\n                        <li role=\"listitem\">\n          <a href=\"#blocks\">4. Blocks That Serve a Story<\/a>\n        <\/li>\n                        <li role=\"listitem\">\n          <a href=\"#metadata\">5. Tags, Categories, and Metadata<\/a>\n        <\/li>\n                        <li role=\"listitem\">\n          <a href=\"#newswire\">6. The Newswire and Digital Magazines<\/a>\n        <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Posts are how NC State tells its story \u2014 not just on your site, but across the university. A well-crafted post can be picked up by other campus sites through the Newswire, reach audiences far beyond your own, and contribute to the broader narrative NC State shares with the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This training covers how to create news content that works well on your site and within that larger ecosystem \u2014 from choosing the right post structure to the metadata habits that make a story travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch the videos below in order and complete the practice tasks as you go. When you&#8217;re ready, the quiz at the bottom of this page will unlock your Storytelling feature pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Estimated time to complete:<\/strong>&nbsp;~13 minutes of video, plus practice time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Before you start:<\/strong>&nbsp;This training assumes you&#8217;re comfortable with the basics of WordPress and the block editor. If you haven&#8217;t completed the Base training, we recommend starting there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pages-vs-posts\">The Difference Between Posts and Pages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Completion Time:<\/strong>&nbsp;(2 min)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You already know the mechanical difference between pages and posts. This video covers what that distinction actually means in practice \u2014 and why it shapes nearly every decision you&#8217;ll make when creating news content.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 71.90412782956058%; height: 0;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/embed\/82218e6afa2a4ec3af40aa9734dfa2c5\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a deeper look at when to use each content type, see&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/pages-vs-posts-understanding-content-types-in-the-nc-state-theme\/\">Pages vs. Posts: Understanding Content Types in the NC State Theme<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"storytelling\">Storytelling on the Web<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Completion Time:<\/strong>&nbsp;(2 min)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Good web writing and good print writing share the same goal \u2014 but they get there differently. This video covers how to structure a story for the way people actually read online, and when the Immersive post template earns its place over a standard post.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 71.90412782956058%; height: 0;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/embed\/f88d97ad9d5c41e2b8b32723aef4fcc2\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want to see the Immersive template in action? Browse recent stories on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/\">NC State News<\/a>&nbsp;for examples of both the standard and Immersive post templates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Note: The Immersive post template requires the Enhanced News Add-on, available on Premium tier sites. If you&#8217;re on the Free or Pro tier, the standard post template is the right tool for every story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"post-header\">Choosing a Post Header<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Completion Time:<\/strong>&nbsp;(2.5 min)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The header is the first thing a reader sees \u2014 and it sets the tone for everything that follows. This video walks through the four post header options and how to match the right one to your story.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 71.90412782956058%; height: 0;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/embed\/d84e5660118443d0a8d1f606214c2e20\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Try it yourself:<\/strong>&nbsp;You&#8217;ve been assigned to cover three stories. For each one, choose a post header and write one or two sentences explaining your choice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A breaking news item about a university research finding that just received national media coverage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A long-form feature profile of a faculty member and her lab&#8217;s work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A photo essay covering this year&#8217;s new student move-in weekend<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Write your answers before moving on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a full reference on post header options, see&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/products-and-tools\/nc-state-stories\/getting-started\/header-options\/\">Post Header Options<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"blocks\">Blocks That Serve a Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Completion Time:<\/strong>&nbsp;(2.5 min)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Storytelling feature pack includes blocks specifically designed for long-form narrative content \u2014 tools for creating emphasis, pacing, and visual interest within a post. This video covers the most important ones and, just as importantly, when not to use them.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 71.90412782956058%; height: 0;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/embed\/2744e6aa2d744934a70b2cb2e8fc6646\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For reference on the blocks covered in this video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/pull-quote-block\/\">Pull Quote Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/highlight-block\/\">Highlight Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/sandwich-narrative-block\/\">Sandwich Narrative Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/aside-widget-block\/\">Aside Widget Block<\/a>\u00a0<em>(Premium Tier required)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/separator\/\">Separator Block<\/a>\u00a0<em>(Premium Tier required)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additional blocks in this feature pack covered by documentation only:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/audio-player\/\">Audio Player Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/featured-people-block\/\">Featured People Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/post-summary-block\/\">Post Summary Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/related-stories-block\/\">Related Stories Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/magazine-preview-block\/\">Magazine Preview Block<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/category-callout-block\/\">Category Callout Block<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"metadata\">Tags, Categories, and Metadata<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Completion Time:<\/strong>&nbsp;(2 min)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A great story with poor metadata is a story that doesn&#8217;t travel far. Before you publish any post, four fields deserve your attention \u2014 not just for your site, but for everywhere that post might appear.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 71.90412782956058%; height: 0;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/embed\/a4dacaa835934fa0841537aa9171b60e\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Try it yourself:<\/strong>&nbsp;Review the draft post below. It&#8217;s missing or has incorrect information in four metadata fields that would prevent it from being Newswire-ready. Identify each problem and note what should be corrected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>[LINK TO EXAMPLE DRAFT POST]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For guidance on image sizing and format requirements, see&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/reference-article\/image-format-and-size\/\">Image Format and Size<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"newswire\">The Newswire and Digital Magazines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Completion Time:<\/strong>&nbsp;(2 min)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Newswire is one of the most powerful tools available to NC State communicators \u2014 and one of the most underused. This video covers how syndication works, what it takes to become a contributing site, and when a digital magazine is the right format for your content.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 71.90412782956058%; height: 0;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/embed\/370e777029eb45d6bf41322ad7d0f0e0\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ready to contribute your site&#8217;s stories to the Newswire? Start with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/products-and-tools\/newswire\/\">Newswire documentation<\/a>&nbsp;for an overview, then submit a request through&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/go.ncsu.edu\/ucomm-dev-request\">go.ncsu.edu\/ucomm-dev-request<\/a>&nbsp;to get set up as a contributing site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interested in the digital magazine format? See&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/products-and-tools\/nc-state-stories\/enhanced-news-add-on\/magazine\/\">Magazine Platform documentation<\/a>&nbsp;for an overview of how issues work.&nbsp;<em>(Enhanced News Add-on required.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"has-custombg-two-background-color wp-block-ncst-button-spotlight\">\n    <div class=\"button-spotlight__container\">\n          <div class=\"button-spotlight__icon-container ncst-icon\">\n                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M3.34541 10.8478H1.0415V11.7117H3.34541V10.8478Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M22.9585 10.8478H20.7024V11.7117H22.9585V10.8478Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M14.0061 19.3922H13.5599V18.0338H12.1344V19.7231H11.6877V18.0338H10.2669V19.3922H9.82066V18.0338H8.48145V19.9922L9.86379 20.6592V21.24H14.0497V20.6592L15.4321 19.9922V18.0338H14.0061V19.3922Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M9.86401 23.333H10.6656L11.064 24H12.85L13.2479 23.333H14.05V22.7522H9.86401V23.333Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M14.0495 21.6862H9.86401V22.3102H14.0495V21.6862Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M12.0239 4.22859C10.6225 4.22552 9.25662 4.66994 8.12531 5.49713C6.99399 6.32432 6.1563 7.49108 5.73424 8.82748C5.31217 10.1639 5.32777 11.6001 5.77876 12.927C6.22975 14.254 7.09258 15.4023 8.24159 16.2047H8.21768L8.48159 17.5781H15.4322L15.8306 16.2052C16.6962 15.5984 17.4032 14.7924 17.8918 13.8551C18.3805 12.9178 18.6366 11.8767 18.6385 10.8197C18.6172 9.07418 17.9127 7.40651 16.6762 6.17435C15.4397 4.94219 13.7695 4.24367 12.0239 4.22859Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M19.6524 2.61715L18.0139 4.23685L18.6213 4.85123L20.2597 3.23153L19.6524 2.61715Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M12.5277 0H11.6638V2.30391H12.5277V0Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><path d=\"M4.35442 2.61456L3.74707 3.22894L5.38553 4.84864L5.99288 4.23426L4.35442 2.61456Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg>\n\n      <\/div>\n        <div class='button-spotlight__content-container'>\n      <h2 class=\"button-spotlight__heading\">Training Feedback<\/h2>\n              <p class=\"button-spotlight__support\">As we launch our on demand trainings, we are looking for all feedback &#8212; positive, negative and everything in between. Please let us know what you like and how we can improve.<\/p>\n            \n<div class=\"is-style-secondary wp-block-ncst-button\">\n      <a\n        class=\"ncst-block__button-link btn\"\n        href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSf8nMCC4ov8MC7GlxdUEloEanhuACP61t4GxGi4XVJjJB-2eQ\/viewform?usp=publish-editor\"\n        data-ncst-lightbox=\"false\"\n         target=\"_blank\"          rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"       >\n                  <span class=\"text\">Submit Feedback<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n              <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  \n\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ready to Unlock This Feature Pack?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ve covered the full storytelling workflow \u2014 from understanding how posts participate in the NC State ecosystem, to choosing the right header, to making sure your stories are structured and tagged to travel beyond your own site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you&#8217;re confident in the material, take the quiz below. A passing score of 80% or higher will automatically unlock the Storytelling feature pack on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"is-text wp-block-ncst-buttons\">\n    \n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-button\">\n      <a\n        class=\"ncst-block__button-link btn\"\n        href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/get-support\/on-demand-workshops\/storytelling\/storytelling-training-quiz\/\"\n        data-ncst-lightbox=\"false\"\n                      >\n                  <span class=\"text\">Complete the Storytelling Training Quiz<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n              <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What&#8217;s next?<\/strong>&nbsp;If you&#8217;re also interested in collecting leads, managing events, or using automated content feeds on your site, explore our other required trainings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Professional\/Advanced \u2014 Building Pages That Work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Engagement and Events \u2014 Lead Generation, Events, and RSVP Management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dynamic Content \u2014 Set Up Your Site to Update Content Automatically<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Posts are how NC State tells its story \u2014 not just on your site, but across the university. A well-crafted post can be picked up by other campus sites through the Newswire, reach audiences far beyond your own, and contribute to the broader narrative NC State shares with the world. This training covers how to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":39847,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"pageIntro\":\"Creating News Content and Telling NC State's Story\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-40364","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40364"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40435,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40364\/revisions\/40435"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}