You Have Reached Storytelling Power!

Through a plethora of free articles, we provide a useful guide for anyone who wants to use the power of storytelling at home, at work and in the community.

To receive 10 free and useful tips to enhance your Personal and Professional STYLE, sign up for our FREE newletter, Portfolio Potpourri, HERE. We never sell names and/or e-mail addresses, and if you ever wish to "opt-out" that's never a problem. Have a question and/or challenge you would like addressed? Click HERE.

Thanks for visiting and come again! To contact Chris King, Editor, e-mail her at: chris@creativekeys.net

Articles:

see all available articles...

\

Making Use of the Power of Story During Crisis by Chris King

Note: This article was originally written right after September 11th. We are all grappling with how to deal with the horrendous crisis of September 11th. May I suggest using the power of storytelling to help our children, our families, our friends, and even strangers. I am sure that you, as I, have heard and shared more stories since that fateful day than ever before. We tell others where we were when it happened, the stories of someone we know who was affected directly, or escaped from being on one the planes or in the buildings, and on and on. We need to tell and listen to these stories to help us start the healing process. In this article, I will share some wonderful resources you may access to help with this.

Storytelling With the Magic of Threes by Chris King

If we start to remember the familiar stories of our childhood, or look back on the fairytales collected by the brothers Grimm, or even recall or discover plots and characters in folktales from all over the world, we will notice a universal element — the use of threes. Remember “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” and the “Three Little Pigs.” Usually, if someone is given wishes, they are given three wishes. Many tales include three brothers. In this article, I am going to suggest why I think the use of threes in storytelling is so prevalent. But I would also love to hear ideas from you about the whys and hows of using three. Where do we find the use of “threes?” The number three appears so often, it is almost eerie.

How to Use a Microphone Effectively by Chris King

Up until 1907 when Dr. Lee DeForest invented the microphone, speakers had to “project” or actually shout to be heard. The microphone, along with amplifiers, speakers, and other attached equipment, changed the whole tenor of performance. But, not all microphones are created equal, and not all storytellers know how to use a microphone effectively. This article will share tips on how to use a microphone to your advantage when telling stories. Use the microphone when it is available. It is surprising to me when a storyteller opts to ignore the microphone. I’ve experienced tellers who say, “I have a loud voice” and because they don’t know how to use a microphone, choose to tell without it. It is to our and our listeners’ advantage to request the presence of a mike and then make use of it.

What Makes a Good Story? by Chris King

Successful storytellers have a variety of opinions about what makes a good story. Keep in mind that not everyone will love, or even like, our story. Not everyone will love, or even like, us as storytellers. I will attempt, however, to discuss what I feel creates a good story that is strong and that most listeners do enjoy and remember — the true test. A good story is one that touches people in some way. As storytellers, our mission is to involve the audience, make them interact with us and the story, even if it is just in their thoughts or core. A really good story has a sense of truth and resonates with some basic universal aspects of being human. It doesn’t have to be profound, but a good story should move the listener, make him/her laugh, think, and ponder it afterward.

Special Pages

Storytelling Power . . . Editor's Bio

Read about Storytelling Power's Editor and how to contact her

Related Resources:

The Storytell Discussion List

This sharing list of storytellers discusses the ins and outs of storytelling. Questions about story are asked and answered. Ideas are shared. And stories and story resources are offered.

National Storytelling Network

This is the national membership organization for storytellers, story lovers, and story listeners. They publish an excellent Storytelling Magazine bi-monthly, and hold a yearly Storytelling Conference.

International Storytelling Center

The International Storytelling Center is the organization that has been instrumental in the rebirth and resurgence of storytelling. The newly opened Center in Jonesborough, TN outlines and shows the history. They produce the annual Storytelling Festival.

Storyteller.net: storytelling resources and audio stories

This varied site offers such features as Story of the Week articles in the Village Post, books and tapes, the ability to search for storytellers and events, plus games and a free web page for storytellers.

StoryCorps

A national oral-history project that celebrates the lives of the uncelebrated through their stories. The first story booth opened in Grand Central Station on October 23, 2003 to record the stories of regular people. You can also order story kits.

How to Tell a Great Story

Their aim is to give a voice to storytellers of the world. They give access to storytelling resources, stories from Africa and Asia, tips for storytellers, interviews with people who have amazing stories to tell, information about paying markets and much more!

Sacred Voices

This fascinating web site is dedicated to Multicultural Storytelling produced by the Center for Sacred Storytelling. There is a streaming storytelling link to give visitors a chance to hear some stories and also a link to the Vedic Storytelling Institute.

O.O.P.S! The Ohio Order for the Preservation of Storytelling

The networking agent and support organization for storytelling and storytellers in the State of Ohio. Holds annual Storytelling Conference, regional seminars and publishes a quarterly newsletter.

Myths and Legends

A terrific resource site, with general information about myths and legends, along with regional information including many different languages.

Story-Lovers

Celebrating the world's best-loved stories and rhymes! Classic storytelling greeting cards and much more, featuring beautiful images from Fairy Tales, Nursery Rhymes, Fables, Classics, Myths, Legends, the Bible, Multicultural Tales, Classic Artists.

Karen Chace's Resources - Links and Stories

This all-inclusive, easy to navigate site not only includes resource links resulting from Chace's five years of research but also stories and lots of other information.

Change That's Right Now

Change That's Right Now can quickly and easily cure your fear of performing in front of a crowd along with overcoming any other fears and phobias.

SICK of Ideas That Don't Work? Invest Only 20 Minutes a Week for SUCCESS! Imagine you live every week inspired, motivated and generating more ideas than you can handle! This hands-on e-book that is a compilation and distillation of the themes, tips and text found in Chris' bi-weekly e-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, will help set the tone for each of your next 101 weeks. Just imagine the plethora of IDEAS that will be flying in and taking your life to a new level. Click HERE for additional information.

And don't hesitate to
send us your questions, comments, tips and suggestions. We
welcome your
FEEDBACK.

Improving Your Storytelling: Beyond the Basics for All Who Tell Aspiring storytellers will be pleased to know that Lipman's down-to-earth approach allows for flexibility rather than emphasis on memorization. The Way of the Storyteller Very few books on the art of storytelling have matched the scope and charm of this book by Ruth Sawyer. Your Mythic Journey: Finding Meaning in Your Life Through Writing and Storytelling This book offers readers the tools to detect the story line in their own lives and write and tell it in a step-by-step way, opening up a hidden world of self-discovery and meaning. The Storyteller’s Guide Each chapter includes a dozen or so expert storytellers sharing their opinions on a plethora of topics. The Power of Personal Storytelling: Spinning Tales to Connect Your mind wanders, until you hear the words, "I remember once when I was..." You become engrossed. A story unfolds. The Story Performance Handbook For teachers, librarians, parents, or clergy who wish to grow in competence and confidence. The Story Factor: Secrets of Influence from the Art of Storytelling Nearly everyone responds to a good yarn, and this precisely the point being made by Annette Simmons. Pete Seeger's Storytelling Book You can almost hear the banjo plucking away in the background as veteran singer-songwriter Pete Seeger tells his folksy tales and shares his useful tips on storytelling. The Triumph of Narrative: Storytelling in the Age of Mass Culture A lively, strikingly original look at the prevalence and endurance of stories in our lives and our culture.

Contact Chris King at:
chris@creativekeys.net
or at: P.O. Box 221255
Beachwood, Ohio 44122
Phone: (216) 991-8428