The way you tell a story either inspires you or keeps you in a state of despondency. It doesn’t have to be a long story either most of the stories that impact our lives profoundly can be told in a couple of sentences. For instance: ‘Suffering has been in my family for many generations – we have always had a tough time.’ Compare this with: ‘I come from a long line of survivors. Here I am: living proof that my people can overcome great difficulties.’
Which of these stories is more empowering? Which enables the teller to feel strong enough to change the family story? Telling a good story also helps us to mobilize ourselves and others. Someone may say: ‘There are very few jobs out there so you must get a degree – even then it will be difficult, because people with a degree don’t automatically find a job. You better work hard.’ Compare this to: ‘Knowledge is power and nothing you learn is ever wasted. Even if you don’t get a degree, and even if you don’t find a job immediately, what you learn becomes part of you; you will always be able to use what you’ve studied as opportunities present themselves. In fact, it allows you to create your own opportunities.’
Do you see that stories can be told from different perspectives that result in very different feelings? Without changing the facts, the way in which a story is told can either demotivate and suck the enthusiasm out of us, or fill us with motivation and enthusiasm. The way you tell a story is a creative choice you make.
When you read biographies of people you admire, you’ll notice that they always find the gold in their worst experiences – they always find something to be grateful for.
Gratitude is a very important and being grateful gives more reasons to be grateful. Think of the people who helped you on the way. Acknowledge and thank them. Speak gratitude for love, caring and even difficult lessons or experiences. Be grateful for beauty – we are surrounded by beauty in nature, in art, music, dance and in people. The more gratitude we express, the more we find to be grateful for. Try it 😉
Using stories to persuade
Great leaders are great storytellers. They have a vision of a possible future and then use impactful stories to get people to ‘see’ their vision, get enthusiastic about how the vision can
benefit them and work together to make that vision become reality. We don’t, however, have to wait for ‘the great leader’ to impact our lives. It is important for everyone to think like a leader in certain circumstances. This can be within a family situation, a few like-minded people who want to start a business, or even a small project. Remember that we’re talking about a leader not in
the sense of a dictator, but of someone who inspires others to join in a cause for the greater good of individuals, communities and society.
Finding a story
Start with the vision – what do you want people to ‘see’, believe, or act on after they have heard your story?
Think of metaphors, myths, legends and traditional stories that fit in with your vision use and develop the wisdom of your ancestors. Listen to and learn from storytellers in your family or community. Work out how you can adapt existing stories to suit your purpose.
Have respect for your audience – though you are using a story, which some people can see as ‘childish’, your story must acknowledge your audience as intelligent, aware humans.
Be truthful and realistic, using the story to get to the issues that affect people on a deep human level.
What makes a good story?
The story must be appealing, memorable and stimulate the imagination. It must have an element of suspense. An elephant of surprise. It will often involve drama, but will also be authentic and make it easy for the listener to identify with. Outstanding, memorable stories teach appropriate lessons and values
without being didactic, prompting reflection and debate among listeners.
An often used and referred-to story formula may be called the “Hero’s Journey” a concept popularised by Joseph Campbell. The Hero’s Journey will have the following elements:
The challenge – the challenge is a situation about to change. Something is not happening the way it ought to. A wrong needs to be put right.
The Hero – the Hero is portrayed as an ordinary man, woman or child – someone who rarely has special abilities. Sometimes it’s even a person who is looked down upon. At first, the Hero might
be unwilling to undertake the challenge, but is forced into action through circumstances. Often, in the first part of the story, the hero decides to run away or resist the challenge in other ways.
The Villain – the villain is often portrayed as the essence of evil, the individual or system that seeks to maintain or create an unworkable status quo and in so doing, would challenge and
overthrow good.
The Gatekeeper – the character in the story that poses the ‘are you really up to all of this?’Challenge to the hero. (If you can answer this question, or complete this task, you may pass
through the gate I’m guarding.)
The Wise ones and the helpers – those who assist the hero and provide advice. These would include elders, those who have experienced the same situations and circumstances or even a
magical animal or spirit that visits the hero in a dream or vision.
The Action – here the Hero starts on the path to make right that which is wrong. The Hero will face many challenges, problems and difficult choices. The skilled storyteller, however, will connect
what the Hero does to clear outcomes and ensure that the vision remains the focus of the story.
The Resolution and Lesson – the Hero overcomes all obstacles and triumphs. The villain is either completely changed for the good, subdued or banished. The evil is gone and a new status quo begins. But there is a reminder that this is always a work in progress. Soon the Hero will be called upon again to do the heroic because nothing ever stays the same. The story is essentially one about communicating the benefits of transformation. At the end of the journey, we see the hero and other players transformed, changed and resurrected into a new kind of life with an expanded awareness. The hero has proved her/himself.
Making the story your own
Everyone loves a good story. A well-presented story cuts across barriers of age, race, culture and gender, holding interest whilst touching its listeners. Such a story is universal, because it speaks to us as human beings. It is fascinating that stories have a way of being remembered long after lectures, meetings and dry facts have been forgotten. In fact, storytelling is one of the most ancient art forms and deeply ingrained in Africa’s oral tradition. It is part of our wonderful heritage. Here are some of the elements
that are key to making a story great:
- A clearly defined central theme
- A good, well thought-out plot
- Vivid word pictures
- Imaginative descriptions
- Interesting sounds
- Rhythm & tempo
- Making the characters come to life
Drama
Preparation: It will take time and practice before a story becomes your own. Here are some suggestions of how you could tell a really great story to support your vision: Write or adapt the story and then read the story for fun. Think about the story’s appeal and the mood you wish to create when you tell it. Think
about the wordscapes (pictures in words) you want listeners to experience. Read up about the background, cultural and deeper meanings of the story.
Map out the storyline. This will consist of the beginning, which sets the stage and introduces the characters and conflict, the body, in which the conflict builds up to the climax and the resolution – how the conflict is resolved and all turns out well for everybody.
Pay attention to: Setting the scene – what is the situation at present? What is ‘wrong’? What event happens to start the action? What happens to make things even worse? How does the glimmer of hope begin? What events cause the turning points? A turning point is when something happens to make
things better or worse, or when someone or something enters the story to help or hinder the hero. They make the story suddenly change and go in a new direction. The stakes are raised.
Visualise the story! Imagine the sounds, tastes, smells and colours. Remember that it is only when you experience the story vividly yourself that you will be able to make your audience experience it!
Experience your story until the characters become as real to you as the people and places you know in real life. Read the story again with concentration.
Telling stories skillfully
Use repetitions & rhythm. Listen to great storytellers and watch how they do it. Whenever possible attend live storytelling events.
Dramatise. Part of the magic of stories is that the storyteller enjoys it as much as those listening to the story. As you tell the story, try to ‘feel’ yourself into the characters. How do you show how they feel – scared, confused, amazed, brutal, angry, sly, etc? Use your face, body, voice to dramatise the emotions they are
going through.
Use Sound effects. Because stories paint word pictures and use sound, rhythm and repetition, you should concentrate on visual and audio aspects. You can either absorb the rhythm and arrangement of the sounds or assemble it into a series of visual pictures like a cartoon. Making funny sounds, like someone crying or a squeaking door makes the story come alive.
Don’t try to memorise the story. Learn the whole story rather then reducing its structure to a sequence of scenes. Absorb the style of the story. This will include recurring characteristic phrases, sentence structure and expressions.
Practice. Tell the story often to anyone who will listen. Focus on using imagination and all your skills to make it come alive. Remember, a story comes to life only when you realise that storytelling is something to be shared by both the storyteller and the listeners. If you are totally convinced and embroiled in the
story, your listeners will be too.
Working your audience. Working your audience involves ‘leading’ their feelings by projecting your feelings and emotions onto them as you tell the story. The minds of the audience are your canvas. Your presence and words are the brushes and colours with which you will paint the pictures for them. Working your audience is
not easy. People live in a world of information overload and mass communication.
You’ll need to keep your audience involved and stimulated each step of the way by making it relevant to them. You will need to do this by exciting their senses with words so they will feel, smell, touch and see vivid pictures. Describe the characters and settings and help them empathise with the characters’ feelings.
Delivery. When you deliver your story, take care that you pay close attention to the following:
- Enthusiasm – be enthusiastic about the story
- Emphasis – use voice, gestures and pause to emphasise key elements
- Repetition – use repetition, especially in the same tone of voice to create and reinforce moods
- Tension – use your voice to create atmosphere and increase tension as the story progresses. Remember that periods of silence are often more powerful than words.
- Immersion – plunge your entire being into telling the story
- Animation – Stories are much more interesting when the teller animates it by adding variety in his/her voice, gestures, facial expressions and movement. Gestures and facial expressions, if properly used and practised, will add much to the visualisation of the story. However, you must ensure they are appropriate and natural. Practise these in front of a mirror and then try them out in front of friends and ask for their feedback when you know you are getting good at it.
- Pacing – the volume and rate at which you speak relating to the progression of the story’s action. Like silence, talking in a hushed voice at times brings your audience closer to you.
- Transition – when a wordscape changes, emphasise the point of transition by changing your voice, intonation and posture.
- Be yourself – relax. Develop a style that is uniquely you and be comfortable with it.
Gathering around the fire
In a traditional setting, the fireside at night is when the best stories are told. You may not always have a fire, but ensure that you prepare a safe, relaxed atmosphere that is free of
distractions and that your audience is comfortable and close to you.
A technique to assert your author-ity and to increase the level of interest is to ask everyone to move closer to you before you start the story. Storytelling traditionally begins with an opening like “Once upon a time…” followed by a brief silence wherein the storyteller gathers her thoughts. These traditional openings are “rituals” signifying the storyteller was suspending “reality, time and space” and transporting the audience to a world of imagination. The openings also identified the teller and established the audience’s acceptance of the imaginary world and its “rules”. Similar “rituals” also signal the end of the story and their return to reality.
Keep their attention. A storyteller knows that many factors affect the attention of the audience. As a result, you may need to regain their attention during storytelling. Some ways of doing this include:
Unusual or unexpected twists in narration
A change in your pace, posture, voice, or mood. Participation, using volunteer(s) from the audience in the story.
The End. Stop as soon as you finish the story – you may wish to end the story with the phrase ‘and here endeth the tale’ or ‘and they lived happily ever after’. Allow your audience to leave thinking about the story and drawing their own meaning from it.
Do not now start to interpret meaning and otherwise discuss the story with your listeners. If asked about the story, hand the question back with ‘so what do YOU think it means?’ Encourage on-going exploration.
Practicing Prosody – The Lobster Quadrille Lewis Carroll
“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail,
“There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle – will you come and join the dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the dance?
“You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!”
But the snail replied “Too far, too far!” and gave a look askance —
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance.
“What matters it how far we go?” his scaly friend replied.
“There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.
The further off from England the nearer is to France —
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the dance?
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