On Learning How to Be a Storyteller

I’ve been expanding my media outreach lately by working on improving my video presence as a storyteller, puppeteer and performer. I also plan to use the video skills I’m developing to help market “The Storyteller’s Place,” our Bed and Breakfast business scheduled to open later this year.  

I recently produced two short video segments about how to be a storyteller. My goal for the series called “Story Basics,” is to provide short teaching segments (each 3 to 5 minutes in length) for people who want to know more about the art of storytelling.

Storyteller Ron Lancaster prefers to be close to the audience.

The first in this series is 2 minutes 55 seconds long, and it covers the importance of knowing your audience. To view the segment, just follow this link:  
\http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBLGTEKU440&feature=plcp

  

Finding stories to tell is the subject for the second video. This one is a bit over three minutes long. Please click on the following link to watch it.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=4CbEw4Jxg2g&NR=1

If you watch either one (or both) of these videos, I’d appreciate it if you take a moment to click on the “like” button and/or add a comment or question. This will help me determine if what I’m doing is helpful. Your comments and questions will also help me determine what subjects to cover in the future. 

So far, I’m considering producing videos on the following topics:  

• “How to Learn and Remember a Story"
• “Different Ways to Tell a Story”
• “How to Evaluate Your Own Storytelling Work” 
• “How to Tell Your Own Original Stories”

There are many different storytelling topics I will be happy to explore in this blog, so if you have a specific subject you’d like to know more about, just let me know in the comment section below. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!

Looking Back (Some Steps I Took to Become a Storyteller)

When I first started to seriously consider storytelling, I spent a lot of time doing research at the library  My research included reading folktales, reviewing audio/video recordings, buying books and searching the Internet for storytelling information.  I started to follow the work of storytellers I admired, and I visited with program coordinators at my local library and school district to find out what they looked for when they worked with storytellers.    

I joined a local storytelling group, and became a member of the NSN - the National Storytelling Network (www.storynet.org).

National Storytelling Network

I also made an effort to go to as many storytelling workshops, events, concerts and storytelling festivals as possible. At each show, I evaluated different presentation styles, story selections and I watched how the audience reacted to specific stories.  I was not doing this to duplicate what other storytellers did, but to consider what qualities made a story worth sharing and of interest to an audience.   

My local storytelling guild provided me with a peer group to serve as a test audience for the new stories I was learning. There is nothing so fine as a support group of like-minded people to listen and provide feedback about what really works in a story, or to make suggestions on how to make a story better.  

I also expanded my knowledge about the art of storytelling by joining other storytelling groups like www.storyteller.net and www.professionalstoryteller.ning.com . (Most recently, I find I am using the Internet more often since it continues to provide even more ways to learn and connect to other storytellers through blogs, newsletters, social networks and YouTube.) 

I am amazed at how things have changed since I decided to become a full-time storyteller in 1996! What a fun and exciting journey it has been. As I look to the future, I smile – what new experience or learning opportunity waits? Only time will tell.  

If you are thinking about telling stories, or if you are considering becoming a storyteller, I hope the information in this blog will help you find your way. 

I love to hear from folks interested in telling stories, so please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about the art of story.