Lyrical Muse

A good story can do something that facts and figures sometimes cannot: make someone care. It can turn an idea into something tangible, give context to an experience, and stay with an audience long after a presentation has ended.

For Nitin Thilagan, that is not simply a theory. It is something he has seen play out in his own work, including a moment when a story about one student helped set a much larger conversation around education reform in motion.

A consultant, storyteller and the founder of Story Express, Nitin works with professionals and organisations to help them communicate with greater clarity, confidence and impact. His work has included storytelling workshops for MNCs, NGOs and professional teams, as well as one-on-one coaching for clients across education, consulting and startups.

He currently works as a consultant with KPMG, supporting the School Education Department of Andhra Pradesh on foundational literacy initiatives, education system reforms and data-driven governance.

For Nitin, storytelling is not reserved for writers, performers or naturally confident speakers. It is a skill that can be learned, and one that begins with recognising the stories already present in our everyday experiences.

That idea forms the basis of ‘Storytelling to Move Hearts,’ Lyrical Muse’s upcoming online workshop that Nitin is facilitating on September 13. The session will look at what makes stories powerful, how experiences can be shaped into compelling narratives, and how storytelling can help us communicate ideas in ways that people understand and connect with.

Ahead of the workshop, we spoke to Nitin about his journey with storytelling, his professional experience, and why he believes everyone has a story worth telling. He also shares what participants can expect from ‘Storytelling to Move Hearts’ and how they can begin looking differently at the stories unfolding in their own lives.

How did you first get into storytelling, and what has your journey with this art form looked like since then?

I grew up in a family of storytellers. Everybody in my family loves to tell a story. But the moment that I decided to teach the craft was when I was working with an IAS officer, and I told him a story about a student whose life I was able to change because of something I did. He was so touched by that story that he immediately sanctioned a few crores to solve a problem at the government level because of the story that I told him.

That’s when I realised that a story is not just something you do to entertain children, or even something that you do on social media. It’s something that you do every day in your life, and you can change the world.

I truly believe that it is a means by which you can convey an idea in a powerful way. It really changes people’s hearts, and if it changes people’s hearts, it can change the world.

What makes a story actually connect with people? Is there something beyond simply having a “good story”?

I think that what makes a story really connect with people is that stories are different from arguments, where people use logic to persuade. You can disagree with an argument, but you can’t disagree with the story. It’s undeniably true, it’s real, and it’s something that you can visualise. It’s something that goes straight to people’s hearts.

And yes, there is something simply beyond just having a good story because it’s not just about the story itself. It’s also about how much you believe in the story and how you tell the story that makes people feel connected to the story as well.

You’ve conducted storytelling workshops for various big organisations so what have you learned from working with such different audiences and professionals?

By doing the storytelling sessions with seasoned professionals, the first thing I’ve learned is that everybody has a beautiful story, and they just need the right methods and systems to be able to convey them. The second thing that I’ve learned is that everybody can be a great storyteller.

I work with introverts, with children and teenagers, and I have also worked with senior officials. I have noticed that regardless of their age, profession, or degree, they can all become great storytellers. That’s something that I’ve seen over and over again when I do these workshops.

What can participants expect from your “Storytelling to Move Hearts” workshop with Lyrical Muse? What will they actually learn or work on during the session?

During the span of ‘Storytelling to Move Hearts’ workshop, people will learn about what storytelling is, as well as develop an understanding of how and why stories can be powerful. They’ll be introduced to frameworks which they can use to convert experiences into compelling stories, and finally, they’ll also have some space to practice their stories.

What’s one common mistake you see people make when they’re trying to communicate an idea, whether in a professional or personal setting?

One big mistake that I see people commit is that when conveying their ideas, they think they have to explain as much as possible to be able to make another person understand. But the more you explain, the more desperate you seem and the less compelling you are. Great stories can often be shorter and more concise than larger stories.

Do you think everyone has stories worth telling, even if they don’t consider themselves “storytellers” or creative people?

Everybody does have a great story in them. In fact, everybody is a storyteller. We, as human beings, are storytelling beings. We all have that urgent desire to tell stories and be heard. So, yes, everybody can be a great storyteller.

Finally, what made you want to collaborate with Lyrical Muse, and what are you hoping participants take away from the session?

The reason I collaborated with Lyrical Muse is that I like your vision. I like that you want to bring people together, I like that you want to facilitate workshops for people across the country. I like the way that you’re trying to bring both art and skill-building together under one platform.

I’m not sure if there is one thing that I would like everybody to take away from the workshop, but if there were one thing, it is that I would like for everyone to notice and realise that there are beautiful stories happening to them every single day in their lives. I want them to be able to be inspired to see those stories that are unfolding in their lives.

If you have ever struggled to make an idea land, found yourself over-explaining something you wanted people to understand, or simply wondered whether you have a story worth telling, this workshop is an opportunity to look at storytelling differently.

Join Nitin Thilagan and Lyrical Muse for ‘Storytelling to Move Hearts’ on September 13, 2026, at 2 PM IST, online via Google Meet. Register for the workshop!

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