Aim/Purpose: The paper introduces new concepts including the cognitive map, message atoms, and message resonance.

Background: Existing models of the informing process cannot explain how messages are created nor how people deal with multiple messages.

Methodology: Theory development.

Contribution: The theories presented offer new ways to conceptualize the informing process.

Findings: The often-unrecognized narrative has a far-reaching impact on message resonance.

Recommendations for Practitioners: The paper shows ways to creates messages that resonate.

Recommendations for Researchers: The theory of the narrative should expand the conceptualization of those exploring the informing process.

Future Research: This paper forms a building block in a full model of the informing process.