The 21 Steps – Telling stories in Google Maps

Saw an amazing little write-up on Cool Hunting about a story that is told online using Google Maps as part of the medium:

“The 21 Steps” is a fast-paced, finely-tuned thriller that uses Google Maps to take the reader through the story’s events. Written by British purveyor of spy thrillers, Charles Cumming, the story is told through Google’s information bubbles with brief statements and images that take the reader from the streets of London to Edinburgh, Scotland with plenty of action and mini-cliffhangers along the way.

I’ve tried my hand at stage work, screenplays/movie, and straight prose. Each has their own advantages and limitations, but it still comes down to telling a story. If you are not making something engaging for your target (viewer, reader, or listener), then you’re going to fail. The tools you use to relate the story are very important, but secondary.

I try different styles to help me improve as a storyteller. My novel writing has helped my screenplays, and vice versa. I have no idea yet how this will fare as a medium, but I’m excited to see someone trying something new and look forward to playing with it and see what I can learn.