Storytelling with a Twist
I never knew that storytelling could be so fun!
During my most recent visit to the headquarters of Ford Motor Company in Michigan, I took part in a fascinating workshop lead by members of The Moth is a non-profit group, founded in 1997 and based in New York City, dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Poet and novelist George Dawes Green wanted to recreate the feeling of his evenings in Georgia, when moths were attracted to the light on the porch where he and his friends would gather to share their life stories.
The goal of the workshop was to provide the tools to be able to tell a story in five minutes or less, following these five principles:
1. Set up the stakes. Talk about a lesson learned in a particular event or situation.
2. Develop the “arc” or the way the information is revealed in a story. Start by memorizing the first sentence or statement, recognize the changing points and, memorize your closing sentence or statement. Employ many details instead of using a “show and tell” approach.
3. Define your theme: In one word, what are you trying to communicate?
4. Make critical choices: Don’t be afraid to edit and abbreviate. Don’t forget that 80 percent of story telling is revisions.
5. Be yourself: Remember that it is your story you are sharing. People will know if you are being genuine or not.
Robert McKee once said that stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact.
Today is a great time to start sharing your wealth.
Tags: George Dawes Green, Storytelling, The Moth