As an award-winning host of NPR's All Things Considered, Ari Shapiro knows the power of storytelling better than most. And the longer he's worked in the field, the more convinced he's become of storytelling's primal importance.

In 12 fascinating lessons, this master of the craft reveals the storytelling secrets he's learned over the course of his career as a reporter and performer, from finding a good story and choosing the right characters to conducting interviews and even delivering a story effectively out loud. Each lesson takes you behind the scenes of some of Ari's most powerful news stories, and gives you the confidence to use his tips, strategies, tricks, and tools toward whatever story it is you're trying to tell: a news report, a novel, even a public performance.

But this series is more than just a powerful toolkit for all kinds of storytellers at all levels of experience. It's also a one-of-a-kind chance to get behind the microphone with a world-class journalist; to peer over his shoulder as he discovers and shapes some of his most memorable stories; and to learn how a great story, well-told, has the power to touch the hearts and minds of complete strangers.

Whether you want to tell great stories yourself, or simply want an insider's look at how great stories come into being, these lessons are an engaging, insightful, and unforgettable learning experience.