Telling the Story By Kevin Cordi

These tips will improve your storytelling.

Keep these guidelines in mind as you prepare to give the gift of your story:

• Be extraordinary!

  No one wants to hear a story unless you have made it your own. Storytelling implies proprietorship; there’s nothing wrong with “owning” your version of a tale.

• Use “color” words.

  Paint word pictures in the listener’s mind: “On the grassy, windblown savanna lived a mangy lion with a single tooth to his name.”

• Practice.

  Until you feel comfortable telling your story, practice telling it again and again.

• Don’t memorize.

  Let the story pour out of you. Most storytellers concentrate on the moment, not the words. Even forgetting a sequence of events is forgivable as long as you create an indelible image.

• Read and listen.

  Read and listen to as many stories as you can. Consider yourself a detective or an explorer; your mission is to investigate as many stories as you can and find the one that’s right for you to tell.

• Follow a path.

  As you tell a story, listen to what you are creating. Make sure you are heading in a direction that leads to the purpose of the story.

• Write stories.

  Storytelling and writing are both narrative expression. The more you write, the more creative you will become at telling stories. The more stories you tell, the more ideas you will get for writing new ones of your own.

Keeping these steps in mind will enhance both your storytelling and your listener’s enjoyment!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Cordi, a professional storyteller, is also a storytelling and writing teacher in Ohio and California. He is the Executive Director of the National Youth Storytelling Olympics. Visit Kevin Cordi’s site, YouthStorytelling.com.