HEART!
That’s what personal storytelling is about.
Stories told from the heart to touch the hearts of everyone listening.
In a live performance event, stories are the living, beating heart of the evening.
That’s what personal storytelling is about.
Stories told from the heart to touch the hearts of everyone listening.
In a live performance event, stories are the living, beating heart of the evening.
Do I need to be a professional performer or writer?
No. You can be a plumber, a childminder or whatever! But you will need a true life story that fits the theme, and you must feel confident enough to stand on a stage in front of a room full of adults and tell your story without notes and within a time limit.
What kind of story should it be?
It has to be a true story, and it should be a story about something that happened to YOU, not a family story or something that happened to someone you know.
No. You can be a plumber, a childminder or whatever! But you will need a true life story that fits the theme, and you must feel confident enough to stand on a stage in front of a room full of adults and tell your story without notes and within a time limit.
What kind of story should it be?
It has to be a true story, and it should be a story about something that happened to YOU, not a family story or something that happened to someone you know.
It doesn’t have to be about a life-changing moment (though some people will have extraordinary tales to tell.) Don't dismiss an idea for seeming too small or unimportant: 'Nobody would be interested in hearing that!' In truth, seven minutes fly by. You won't have time to tell anything complicated. A simple story, well told, will work best.
Your story should have something in it worth sharing. Ask yourself: why would people like to hear this? You will have many stories in you, so don’t seize the first one that comes into your head. Think about the theme (if there is one) keep digging, keep asking the questions. Eventually you will find one that demands to be told. You couldn’t possibly tell another. And that is the one everyone will love to hear!
NO shaggy dog stories, retellings of urban myths, stand up routines or cliffhanger endings!
Your story should have something in it worth sharing. Ask yourself: why would people like to hear this? You will have many stories in you, so don’t seize the first one that comes into your head. Think about the theme (if there is one) keep digging, keep asking the questions. Eventually you will find one that demands to be told. You couldn’t possibly tell another. And that is the one everyone will love to hear!
NO shaggy dog stories, retellings of urban myths, stand up routines or cliffhanger endings!
Shaping the Story
Oral stories (ie told not read aloud) work best when they have a clean, straight story line. If someone loses the thread of a story in a book, they can go back a few pages and re-read. They cannot do that if they are listening to a live story. There is no rewind button! So you need to be clear.
Think beginning - middle - end. It really is that simple.
As a general guideline:
Beginning - 1 minute
This is where you set the scene and give us a sense of who you are. You can also use this time to build EMPATHY with the audience. This is the feeling you get when someone says something you identify with and you start to care.
So maybe something like: 'This story happened to me about ten years ago, when I was just married. And you know what it's like... You have a job, but the bills keep coming. And then one day, in the newspaper, I saw an advert for a gameshow on the tv. Wheel of Fortune! They were looking for contestants. And I said to my husband, 'Hey - I could do that! You can win £20,000!' So the next day...'
Middle - 4/5 minutes
This is where you tell us what happened next.
End - 1 minute
This is a really important part of the story. It's a chance for you to reflect on the story and give us a sense of why it's important to you. Why you have shared it. Did you change in some way because of this incident in your life? Did something happen because of it? Do you now see why someone did what they did, back then? Do you feel differently about things because of it?
A story needs to have a satisfactory ending. If it fizzles out to nothing, or the crisis in the story isn't overcome, the audience will feel confused and wonder why you chose the story in the first place!
This is where you set the scene and give us a sense of who you are. You can also use this time to build EMPATHY with the audience. This is the feeling you get when someone says something you identify with and you start to care.
So maybe something like: 'This story happened to me about ten years ago, when I was just married. And you know what it's like... You have a job, but the bills keep coming. And then one day, in the newspaper, I saw an advert for a gameshow on the tv. Wheel of Fortune! They were looking for contestants. And I said to my husband, 'Hey - I could do that! You can win £20,000!' So the next day...'
Middle - 4/5 minutes
This is where you tell us what happened next.
End - 1 minute
This is a really important part of the story. It's a chance for you to reflect on the story and give us a sense of why it's important to you. Why you have shared it. Did you change in some way because of this incident in your life? Did something happen because of it? Do you now see why someone did what they did, back then? Do you feel differently about things because of it?
A story needs to have a satisfactory ending. If it fizzles out to nothing, or the crisis in the story isn't overcome, the audience will feel confused and wonder why you chose the story in the first place!
Style
Keep it natural. Imagine you are telling the story to your friends over dinner, or to your workmates at lunchtime. The language doesn't have to be fancy or theatrical. Telling a true story isn't like acting in a play or reciting a poem - it's more intimate than that. Even if there's fifty people listening, it's more like a one-to-one sharing. So imagine you are telling it to just one friend, and the language you use will sound far more natural.
We don't recommend writing it down, learning it and trying to recite it on the day. That will add to your pressure and sound false.
Keep it natural. Imagine you are telling the story to your friends over dinner, or to your workmates at lunchtime. The language doesn't have to be fancy or theatrical. Telling a true story isn't like acting in a play or reciting a poem - it's more intimate than that. Even if there's fifty people listening, it's more like a one-to-one sharing. So imagine you are telling it to just one friend, and the language you use will sound far more natural.
We don't recommend writing it down, learning it and trying to recite it on the day. That will add to your pressure and sound false.
Lose the notes!
Storytelling is an intimate art. Even in a packed room, you can make people feel you’re telling directly to them, one to one. It’s all done through eye contact – and this is why you can’t read your story on the night. You will have to tell it.
So lose the notes! Practise until you can tell your story without them. If you absolutely must have something to hold onto, they won't be taken off you. But it is better without them.
How will I remember the story if I can’t have notes?
Professional storytellers don’t learn their stories word for word. They don’t recite. They learn the shape of a story – the bones – and then flesh out those bones in performance. You will need to reduce your story down to the bones eg Me at eighteen. Entering the factory. The legend of Billy C. Meeting Billy C. The fire. The aftermath. The end.
Remember these bones and the order they come in. They will be your memory prods on the day.
Then you need to practise, practise, practise. You will need to know the story inside out. This is how you will put the flesh back on the bones in front of an audience. And because you will be doing it there and then, it will have infinitely more life and spirit to it than a memorised recitation.
How long will I have to tell my story?
Up to 7 minutes. You will be timed on the day, and there will be a quiet reminder at the seven minute mark (sometimes a low bell or music will begin playing) You don't have to stop right then, but everyone will know you're now over-running. This rule has to be adhered to, for everyone’s sake, so please respect it.
Time your story as you practise telling it. A kitchen timer is great for this! Set the timer to seven minutes and start telling. Allow yourself a safety margin too. Some people speed up on stage, but most slow down. And if you say something funny, the audience will laugh and you will have to pause. That will add extra seconds onto your time. And 'seconds' might not sound like a big problem, but if you get six laughs at five seconds each - that's half a minute used up just waiting!
Stage craft
Storytelling audiences are generally warm and supportive – not gladiatorial, like in some comedy clubs! So take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your moment. Pacing up and down the stage will irritate people; shifting your weight from foot to foot will make you look nervous. Plant your feet evenly on the stage, allow your body to settle into balance, breathe, smile and begin. And here’s a tip from the pros: focus on the smiling faces – the ones who are clearly with you - rather than trying to win over the ones who seem distracted. There can be endless reasons why some individuals aren’t ‘with you,’ from indigestion to work worries, so don’t take it personally!
Respect!
True life storytelling is NOT therapy!! Although our events are a place for personal stories, it’s not a support group for people with issues: emotional, political or otherwise. We want our audiences to feel lifted, inspired, moved, humbled – not uncomfortable or depressed. Or offended! Please be mindful of swearing and sexual images. If in doubt – leave it out!
Check this out!
The Mee Club and Tell Me On A Sunday have been inspired by The Moth – a massively successful true-life storytelling club in New York. It has a brilliant website, packed with storytelling tips and audio/video clips of people telling stories. Please take a few minutes and check it out. It will give you a great sense of what we do. www.themoth.org
Storytelling is an intimate art. Even in a packed room, you can make people feel you’re telling directly to them, one to one. It’s all done through eye contact – and this is why you can’t read your story on the night. You will have to tell it.
So lose the notes! Practise until you can tell your story without them. If you absolutely must have something to hold onto, they won't be taken off you. But it is better without them.
How will I remember the story if I can’t have notes?
Professional storytellers don’t learn their stories word for word. They don’t recite. They learn the shape of a story – the bones – and then flesh out those bones in performance. You will need to reduce your story down to the bones eg Me at eighteen. Entering the factory. The legend of Billy C. Meeting Billy C. The fire. The aftermath. The end.
Remember these bones and the order they come in. They will be your memory prods on the day.
Then you need to practise, practise, practise. You will need to know the story inside out. This is how you will put the flesh back on the bones in front of an audience. And because you will be doing it there and then, it will have infinitely more life and spirit to it than a memorised recitation.
How long will I have to tell my story?
Up to 7 minutes. You will be timed on the day, and there will be a quiet reminder at the seven minute mark (sometimes a low bell or music will begin playing) You don't have to stop right then, but everyone will know you're now over-running. This rule has to be adhered to, for everyone’s sake, so please respect it.
Time your story as you practise telling it. A kitchen timer is great for this! Set the timer to seven minutes and start telling. Allow yourself a safety margin too. Some people speed up on stage, but most slow down. And if you say something funny, the audience will laugh and you will have to pause. That will add extra seconds onto your time. And 'seconds' might not sound like a big problem, but if you get six laughs at five seconds each - that's half a minute used up just waiting!
Stage craft
Storytelling audiences are generally warm and supportive – not gladiatorial, like in some comedy clubs! So take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your moment. Pacing up and down the stage will irritate people; shifting your weight from foot to foot will make you look nervous. Plant your feet evenly on the stage, allow your body to settle into balance, breathe, smile and begin. And here’s a tip from the pros: focus on the smiling faces – the ones who are clearly with you - rather than trying to win over the ones who seem distracted. There can be endless reasons why some individuals aren’t ‘with you,’ from indigestion to work worries, so don’t take it personally!
Respect!
True life storytelling is NOT therapy!! Although our events are a place for personal stories, it’s not a support group for people with issues: emotional, political or otherwise. We want our audiences to feel lifted, inspired, moved, humbled – not uncomfortable or depressed. Or offended! Please be mindful of swearing and sexual images. If in doubt – leave it out!
Check this out!
The Mee Club and Tell Me On A Sunday have been inspired by The Moth – a massively successful true-life storytelling club in New York. It has a brilliant website, packed with storytelling tips and audio/video clips of people telling stories. Please take a few minutes and check it out. It will give you a great sense of what we do. www.themoth.org
