Tag: what is storytelling?

  • Heart-Lifting for Disheartening Times – Storytelling Brings JOY

    Heart-Lifting for Disheartening Times – Storytelling Brings JOY

    It’s all so overwhelming and it seems everyone is tired, discouraged, maybe angry or cynical or depressed, maybe confused or disheartened…just weary. Each day during this April A-Z Blogging Challenge I’ll offer a short musing on an aspect or two of the many ways the ancient-yet-very-contemporary experience of storytelling – both listening…

  • Descriptions / Definitions

    Descriptions / Definitions

    “Story slam.” “Traditional storytelling.” What do these even mean?! [Theme for this month: “Story Slams & Traditional Storytelling – Bridging the Distance”]

  • Story Slams Making Waves – What’s the Story, Anyway?! (Part 1)

    Story Slams Making Waves – What’s the Story, Anyway?! (Part 1)

    “Like moths to a flame: People flock to hear personal sagas” – Denver Post, October 17, 2014. It was exciting to see a nice, big feature article in the Denver newspaper about storytelling! I read it eagerly… But…but…but…I confess to you: Eagerness gave way to puzzlement, puzzlement gave way to…

  • “All the Words I Cannot Write”…Oral Stories / Written Stories

    “All the Words I Cannot Write”…Oral Stories / Written Stories

    All the Light We Cannot See  Have you ever heard, or read, a story that filled you so very, very, very full…of thoughts, emotions, responses, images…? A story you hear told aloud…a written novel you hold in your hands…both are so similar to, and so different from, each other. Both…

  • Zebra Crossings

    Zebra Crossings

    Zebra crossings are great! Designated paths for safe passage, getting from one side to the other, crossing over and journeying onward… [You know – like the Abbey Road one with George, Paul, Ringo and John…!]

  • YouTube “Storytelling”…?

    YouTube “Storytelling”…?

    It can be wonderful to see recorded examples of storytelling… But storytelling on YouTube is only a “report” of a storytelling experience – very different from the live experience itself. Just like… A lovely photograph of a location may be beautiful all on its own. It might motivate you to…

  • Respond in Real-Time (Reprising a favorite blog post from March)

    Respond in Real-Time (Reprising a favorite blog post from March)

    Responding to your audience, to the real-time circumstances around you – – this is one of storytelling’s most distinguishing characteristics. (This is what especially differentiates storytelling from theater, such as a monologue or “one-person play.”)

  • Equilateral Triangle

    Equilateral Triangle

    THAT’S what storytelling is:  the equilateral triangle of Audience + Teller + Story Without any one of those, you just don’t have storytelling!  (Another nifty metaphor: a 3-legged stool – “If you don’t have all 3, it doesn’t stand.”) Storytelling just doesn’t happen without an audience.

  • How My Dog Reminded Me: “Storytelling” is Not Just a Compliment

    How My Dog Reminded Me: “Storytelling” is Not Just a Compliment

    Yesterday – it was 70 degrees, blue-sunshiny, the ducks were paddling in the stream and the owls were hooting back and forth…the old doggie was enjoying stretching out on the still-dormant grass and soaking in the welcome early spring-ish warmth. Today – it’s been snowy-blowy out there, big flakes swirling…