5 reasons why a story is better than a list

Andy Crestodina makes his case at Copyblogger:

Our minds are wired for stories. They are fundamental to human experience and understanding. When’s the last time you read a list that made you laugh or cry?

1. Stories create a feeling of discovery. They can surprise and delight readers. Andrew Stanton of Pixar tells us in his TED Talk to “Make the audience put things together. Don’t give them four. Give them 2+2.
2. Stories have conflict and resolution. This structure creates suspense and holds readers’ attention.
3. Stories have characters. This humanizes the topic through voice and personality.
4. Stories make people care. By answering the all-important why questions, stories have the power to inspire readers. Why do you do what you do? Why do you love it?
5. Stories allow the reader to empathize. This creates a connection between the audience and the content that is otherwise impossible.

My take: Surprising and delighting audiences is all well and good. You can make them laugh. You can make them cry. But if your stories fail to contribute to selling them something, then you are going to have a very short life as a copywriter for paying clients. Lists sell better than stories. The exception is the case study, which can (when properly designed) convert prospects into customers.