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Here is eTips from the Storytelling Coach #9: What Are
Stories Made Of?
eTips is a monthly newsletter of storytelling tips, ideas,
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Contents
1) WHAT ARE STORIES MADE OF?
2) WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT: LEARNING TO BE A BETTER COACH
3) SPECIAL OFFER: A FEW MORE "CONFERENCE SPECIALS" LEFT.
For
new deluxe subscribers to Storytelling Workshop in a Box[trademark].
Save $15.25 and get all four back issues! This offer is only
for eTips subscribers, and only while supplies last. See
below for details.
***NEWS TIDBIT: Pam McGrath's and my workshop, "Living Your
Artistic Vision," was so successful that it's been scheduled
two more times in the coming months - once in Georgia
(January 17-20) and once in Pasadena, CA (March 14-17). More
details next month!
1) WHAT ARE STORIES MADE OF?
Jerry (not his real name) came to one of my coaching
sessions. He had prepared carefully. But when he told his
story, the listeners found it hard to stay involved. The
words made sense, but the story felt flat.
So (after appreciating the genuinely good things about his
story and its structure), I got his permission to give him a
suggestion. Then I asked him, "What are you thinking of,
when you're telling?"
He said, "I'm thinking of the story!"
I said, "What does that mean you are actually thinking of?"
He said, "You know, I'm trying to remember the words."
I said, "I see. Don't tell me the story you learned. Just
tell me what happened."
He told the same story, but not in its memorized form. He
told it a little more hesitantly at first, but now we were
involved in it! We sat a little more forward in our seats;
we forgot about time passing. And Jerry became more animated
in response - which made us even more captivated.
Jerry had made what is perhaps the most common storytelling
mistake: to assume the story is made of words. The result:
to memorize the words without thoroughly imagining what
happens in the story.
In fact, stories are made of images (visual, auditory,
kinesthetic, tactile - any kind of images). Words (and
postures, gestures, facial expressions, etc.) are just ways
of communicating the images in your mind.
Just knowing this simple secret about storytelling improved
Jerry's persuasiveness immediately. Once he began imagining
the scenes in his stories as he told, his storytelling came
alive.
SOLVING THE THREE MOST COMMON STORYTELLING PROBLEMS
When we tell stories well - easily and naturally - we are
actually imagining what happens in the story ... and only
then using words to describe what we are imagining. (Some
tellers use the same words every time; others use different
words every time. Either method can produce great results,
as long as the words we speak are connected to our senses
and our hearts.) This helps solve three potential problems.
1. Learning a story.
Once you know to rely on images, learning a story will
become much easier. Instead of worrying about words, you
will put your attention first on imagining. You will find it
much easier to remember a sequence of several images
(pictures, sounds, feelings, etc.) than to remember a
sequence of several hundred words. The words matter, of
course. But not nearly as much as what you see, feel or hear
in your mind.
2. Telling your story.
It will also be easier to tell. As you speak, you'll be
imagining what really happens in the story. This will put
your attention on what you want to communicate, not on the
mechanics of communication. Your natural expressiveness will
have a better chance of emerging.
3. Remembering your story.
And you won't have to worry about forgetting. The image will
be there. You might forget the exact descriptive word you
want. Fine. Use another word. The images will be there when
you need them, permanently etched in your mind. They are
your guides, your solid ground.
More information about the process of "growing a story" -
from first imaginings to polished performance - is in two of
my publications:
2) WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT: LEARNING TO BE A BETTER COACH
Want to be a better coach? It looks like I will offer only
one workshop this year that focuses on training coaches. It
will be in Schenectady, NY, November 29-December 2, 2001.
You'll have a chance to be coached by another participant -
and I'll coach you on your coaching. Plus demonstrations and
lots of questions and answers.
"Makes me a better listener, better communicator and better
storyteller." - Fran Yardley, NY.
3) SPECIAL OFFER: A FEW MORE "CONFERENCE SPECIALS" LEFT
Save $15.25 and get all the back issues of Storytelling
Workshop in a Box!
I made a special package for the National Storytelling
Conference in July. The idea was to offer the first four
issues of Storytelling Workshop in a Box to new Deluxe
members at a hefty discount. I came back from the conference
with 18 copies left to sell.
Rather than dismantle the special compilations, I offered
them to readers of this newsletter. Most are gone, but I
have a few copies left!
Here's the deal: sign up as a new deluxe member of
Storytelling Workshop in a Box
http://storydynamics.com/Publications/Memberships/swb.html,
and you can have the first four issues for a discounted
price of $39.95 plus $4 shipping and handling. Your monthly
subscription will start with issue number 5, so you won't
have missed a single issue.
The free shipping offer has expired. But you can still save
$15.25 over buying and shipping them separately. Once these
last copies are gone, this special will be gone forever. As
always, you can cancel your membership at any time.
(Note: This private offer is not listed on my web site. To
get this special price, sign up for a Deluxe Membership.
Then, in the "comments" column, write something like
"Conference Special." Elaine will email you a confirmation
before she ships anything.)
All the best,
Doug
P. S., Email me for one or all of these, or view them on the
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