Saturday 13 August 2011

Some Personal Notes About my Journey into Storytelling

In retrospect it seems that I have always been a storyteller, inside, that is, but early events in my life made me very shy, timid to speak up.  I recall times when, sitting with a group of people and the talk going around, and me thinking up points to add to conversation, stories to tell to illustrate a point, and never being able to get into the flow. I recalled being told at school "not to interrupt". After a while I didn't even look for an opening and just sat there dumb, so much so that I got a reputation as not being very good company or, worse, of being snobby and stuck up!!!

I got to the point where I could hardly stand up and give my name in public

I tried joining a local storytellers' group in Toronto, a place where each person who wants to tell a story is welcome to stand up and speak, guaranteed not to be interrupted.  This worked for a while and I eventually got up the courage to 'tell', but afterwards I felt so embarrassed that the old shyness returned.

That shyness changed dramatically years later when I was invited to a
Storytellers' Gathering. 

I had made up my mind that I should confront my fears, being able to tell stories was very important to me. We met at in a century old barn in rural Ontario.  The gathering consisted of storytellers, musicians, and singers; our hostess a well known and well versed Storyteller with countrywide connections and a plethora of stories, old and new, folk and legend.  You name a subject, any subject, and she's got a story to tell.  I was nervous, so much talent around me.   So much so that I feared that, after listening other participants,  I could very well back out again and despise myself as a coward.  So, as soon as the call went out, "Who's got a story to tell?"

I immediately jumped up, holding up my hand, "I should like to start, if that's OK!"

Phew! I actually told a story in front of all these people who were gracious enough to  applaud  my effort.  Among the constructive comments I received that day was a piece of advice that acted like a spark on my consciousness.  I had introduced myself as a 'Wannabee storyteller' (possibly to protect my sensitivity)and
the advice I received from a seasoned storyteller was,

"Don't call yourself a 'Wannabee! YOU ARE a Storyteller!"

Since that day I have grown, and continue to grow, in  confidence.   It is very gratifying, in my middle years, to actually to be able, and brave enough, to follow a path I always knew was mine.

I continue to tell stories at the least provocation and opportunity and I am now launching into Public Speaking and am an active member of my local branch of Toastmasters International, with a group of wonderfully supportive people.   



Upcoming Posts
Talking Stick and other storyteller items

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Introduction to Storytelling

Who doesn’t like a story?  Stories appeal to all ages and ethnic backgrounds.
The oral tradition of storytelling has been with us since our early cave dwelling days.
Oral storytelling is an entertaining art form increasingly prevalent even in our modern, technological age.  There is real human contact between the storyteller and the listener.  The storyteller shares in their every move, every expression, every tone of voice, the very essence of the story.  Audiences are drawn in, in an indivual way – is there an important lesson in this story; is there a warning; or is this story cause for amusement? Some stories are as old as time and are enjoyed over and over again.  Some are spanking new with interesting twists and turns.  Some stories quickly become our favourites.
In these pages we will learn about the various types of stories, eg. folktales, personal stories myths, and more. 
We will learn how to become storytellers ourselves:
  • choosing stories appropriate to the target audience;
  • the key points of the story;
  • inflections of voice and more. 
The goal is to be able to choose, learn, and tell a story in your own words.