How To Tell A Great Story

Articles

This article may be freely reprinted as long as the bio is included.

How to Fight the Fear of Storytelling in Public

I have been preparing for the National Storytelling Conference in Denver, and I received an e-mail from a woman who has been telling all year at her local schools and events, and even giving workshops at other storytelling conferences. And, yet, she expressed anxiety about telling in front of other storytellers at our many swap sessions. Her concerns led me to write this article.

Even though you have been successfully sharing stories with friends and family for years, and even though you have already told stories at your child’s school and the local library, you may still experience a jolt of fear when asked to tell stories to a group of adults or in a completely new situation. In this article, I will suggest ways to cope with the fear and anxiety that often accompany storytelling to a new and possibly intimidating group.

You Are the Storyteller! You have been asked to give a performance because you have stories that others want to hear. Remember, you are the teller of tales — you are using the magic of the power of the story. Everyone loves a story and as long as you deliver a good story, it will work with you. Feel good about yourself. This will start you on your journey to confidence as a storyteller for all seasons.

The Audience Cares! Most of the people in your audience want you to succeed. If you are overly nervous and anxious, they will become nervous and anxious for you. It has been estimated that 50 percent of the audience will like you, no matter what you do; 25 percent will find something to not like about you, no matter how effectively you present; and 25 percent are “up for grabs.” To make even more of the audience members become allies, get to the performance early and greet them as they come into the room. Or, if there is a chance to network before the performance, take this opportunity to make some friends. And, if you happen to be telling to storytellers, they will all like you and work with you to make your stories sing!

Be Prepared! At the risk of being repetitious, I can’t stress enough the value of preparation. The more prepared we are as storytellers, the more confident we become. Pick a story and/or stories you love so much, you can barely wait to tell them. It might help, also, to list the names of the stories and alternate choices and a 3X5 card, just in case you need a reminder. Check out some of my previous articles for other tips on succeeding.

Do Not Memorize! It is helpful to memorize the “bones” of your story (either on a storyboard or in an outline), but do not try to memorize the words. I have agonized along with storytellers who have forgotten the words they memorized, then become so flustered that they couldn’t continue.

Move Around! When we stand glued, we magnify our chances for anxiety. By moving — and I don’t mean pacing back and forth, which is distracting to the audience — we minimize our nervousness and add more interest to our delivery. Having props to use or even moving into the audience can help both the storyteller and the audience members. (note: avoid turning your back on any of the audience members when moving around. You will lose their attention.)

Pick Out Your Cheerleaders! As you look from one audience member to another — I do not advise looking over their heads, or scanning back and forth — you will find people who are nodding, smiling, and listening intently to your story. You will also see those who look bored or grumpy — even though they may not be either. Return your glances to the positive people who will spur your energy and confidence.

Visualize and Affirm! Before any endeavor, by visualizing your success and affirming your worth, you can make the difference between an average performance and a spectacular one. Be sure to take time to see yourself telling your story to an enthusiastic group and know in your heart that your story and has made a difference in at least one person’s life.

Join a Storytelling Group or Guild. Most of the storytelling groups that I know encourage members to share stories at meetings, until they become comfortable in the telling. You will also get a chance to hear stories from tellers at different levels of telling expertise.

Remember, the more often you tell stories, the easier it becomes, and the more confident you will become as a teller. Look for opportunities for sharing your stories. They are all around us. In a future article I will suggest ways to keep on telling.

Full Name:		Chris King
Email:		chris@creativekeys.net
Home Page:		http://www.creativekeys.net/
Interests:		Arts & Humanity, Business, Computer/Internet, Fitness, Health, Movies, Reading/Writing, Shopping, Small Business

Click here to view all our articles

First Name:
Last Name:
E-mail address: