If the term “narrative” feels new, the idea behind it definitely isn’t! Many people who’ve been doing narrative work for years never used the word “narrative” at all. Because the field has so many entry points and practices, the concept can sometimes feel abstract, or even a bit intimidating.
But here’s the good news: narrative work is already happening everywhere. People use different words to describe it, understand it in different ways, and practice it through many approaches and methods.
This section is here to make things clearer, more grounded, and more accessible.
Let’s start with the basics: what do we mean by narratives, and what is (and isn’t) narrative work all about?
Doing narrative work…but how? Still not sure how to actually do narrative work? That’s completely normal. There’s no single recipe, and that’s the beauty of it! Narrative work can look like many things, from digital storytelling to community mobilization. Every narrative practitioner brings their own approach. What matters most is finding what fits your context, trying things out, learning as you go, and adapting along the way. Want to see what this looks like in practice? Visit the Narratives in Practice section to explore hands‑on examples.