Storytelling overview from 19 April 2011

Storytelling is:
• the art of using language, vocalization, and/or physical movement and gesture to reveal the elements and images of a story to a specific, live audience.
• A central, unique aspect of storytelling is its reliance on the audience to develop specific visual imagery and detail to complete and co-create the story.
Story-
• narrative account of a real or imagined event or events
• building block of knowledge
• the foundation of memory and learning. Telling-
• the live, person-to-person oral and physical presentation of a story to an audience
• involves direct contact between teller and listener.



Love Your Story
• To tell a story well, you have to LOVE your story.
• Start with topics that interest you.
• Look for a story filled with vivid images so that the listener can easily recreate it in his own mind.
• Go to the 398.2 section of the library. Find stories that surprise, haunt, amuse & touch.
• The right story is one that fits emotionally, intellectually, and physically.
• Rummage through your family anecdotes and stories to see if any of them are usable.



Know Your Story
• Shape memories or moments by: Immediacy of telling after event experienced/story learned; Frequency of telling; Uniqueness; and Significance to You.
• Share a story with someone else to create its own memory. The more the story is shared, then the more memories connected to the story.
• Pretend you are blind and must describe an experience using the other senses of sound, smell, taste, and touch. How does this change your perspective of the story?
• Story-board like how you see filmmakers do, only stick-figure could be drawn. Of a six-box story, each box could represent a different aspect: Setting and Main Character; Problem or Conflict; Plot Thickens; What to Do?; Solution; Extended Ending.
• Play with the order to which the story is told. Most are shared chronological; though see how it may be to tell it backwards, flashback, or other ways.


Elements of your story

Making a story your own takes time and work, but the work is creative and fun.
• Tell it over and over again
• Different voices & postures for different characters
• Gestures, get your whole body into it
• Energy, have fun
• Tempo, play with telling phrases, sentences at different tempos
• Volume, change the volume of your voice for different effects
• Facial expression, it is all in the eyes



Know Your Audience

The teller's role: to prepare and present the necessary language, vocalization, and physicality to effectively and efficiently communicate the images of a story.

The listener's role: to actively create the vivid, multi-sensory images, actions, characters, and events---the reality---of the story in their mind based on the performance by the teller



Love Your Audience
• Your audience is half of the telling, give them respect and love
• Even if it is your first time meeting a group, illuminate a feeling that you care about them and desire to involve them in the experience.