Storytelling Coaching

, ,

Writer's Block: A New Approach!

, ,
Writer's Block: A New Approach!

Many writers have had small or large experiences of "writer's block," which leaves them unable to write (perhaps for a few days or, more terrifyingly, for weeks or months).

I began to read essays about so-called "writer's block" that talked about it, not as some dread ailment that can simply paralyze you out of the blue, but rather as a sign that something in your writing may need to change!

After several conversations with other storytellers, I began to wonder: is "writer's block" actually a generic name for being stuck while facing a storytelling obstacle?

If so, then we know some key things about writer's block and how to overcome it…

,

Why Do Writers Quit—and What Can Storytellers Offer, to Help Them?

,
Why Do Writers Quit—and What Can Storytellers Offer, to Help Them?

Let's face it: most writers quit. They may start with an idea for a novel, a memoir, or a non-fiction book, but (if the polls can be trusted) over 80 percent give up before they finish.

What makes them quit? Lack of discipline? Failure to commit to their project?

I suspect that the answer is simpler and sadder than we think: Most writers just don't get the kind of timely reader feedback they need. As a result, they succumb to excruciating, energy-sapping uncertainty—which can lead, in time, to abandoning their writing project.

Feedback from Oral Storytelling

Oral storytellers have an advantage when dealing with this kind of problem. How? They tell to live audiences and adjust to instantaneous listener feedback: facial expressions, laughter, body language, etc.

Such rapid feedback not only allows the teller to make rapid changes in a story, but it also reduces uncertainty.

, ,

The Power of the Coaching Buddy

, ,
The Power of the Coaching Buddy

We face many cultural misconceptions about innate abilities and the scarcity of “talent.” For most of us, these misconceptions are daunting obstacles to becoming the best storytellers we can become.

Yet there is a simple strategy for overcoming those misconceptions and allowing ourselves to flourish as storytellers: the coaching buddy.

In other words, we can thrive together better than separately. But how do we do that….?

,

A Three-Year Old Storytelling Coach?

,
A Three-Year Old Storytelling Coach?

My newest storytelling coach, now that Pam and I have moved to Atlanta, Georgia, is one of Pam’s grandsons, Ben. He is three years old.

Benjamin's Storytelling Curriculum

How could a three-year-old child coach me, a professional storytelling coach? Let me count the ways—but they mostly come down to achieving one of the highest states of storytelling: having a grand time.

For example…

, , ,

Does the World Need Storytelling Coaches? Why?

, , ,
Does the World Need Storytelling Coaches? Why?

We live in a time when, in many parts of the world, people purposely spread falsehoods about each other.

Every day, people spew untruths about different ethnic or social groups. About folks with different opinions. About those who recommend different courses of action, either as individuals or as a society.

The Skills of Division

Sadly, the skills for fomenting division and misunderstanding have become better and better developed.

A recent example is the forcible occupation of the United States congressional offices—by a group who was convinced (by some of the country's highest-ranking politicians) to believe that the recently reported election results were fraudulent.

Opposing points of view, of course, are necessary in a democracy. But deception and fabrication weaken the social fabric.

Enter the True Story

How can deception be countered?

,

Miss Marple: Storytelling Coach?

,
Miss Marple: Storytelling Coach?

Storytelling to live audiences is complex—and requires both kinds of thinking: the slow, linear thinking we’ve been trained to do, as well as rapid, non-linear thinking: the output of our “adaptive unconscious.”

Agatha Christie’s character, Miss Marple, models for us the strength of indirect, unconscious thinking—which is key to advanced storytelling.

Further, an understanding of the role of unconscious thinking is key for the storytelling coach, too.

,

Projects, Pandemics, and Getting the Support Your Genius Needs

,
Projects, Pandemics, and Getting the Support Your Genius Needs

What projects have you done during the pandemic? Here’s some of what I did—and what I wish I’d done!

I feel more urgency about finishing these projects (and a few others, too) now that the governor of Massachusetts has announced a schedule for “re-opening” our state. Will I get the most important things done, before things “get busy again”?

But what about…

And then there are the really important projects for me:…

,

The One Question to be Sure a Storytelling Coach Can Answer?

,
The One Question to be Sure a Storytelling Coach Can Answer?

What is the job of the storytelling coach? To understand that, you need to understand the job of the storyteller.

Unless a coach is clear that the storyteller’s job is about creating three essential relationships, the coach is not likely to help you well.

But what are those relationships? How does the teller go about creating them?

How does the storytelling coach help the teller do something so complex and unconscious?

The ability to succeed is built into all of us —yet all too often, a simple misunderstanding gets in the way of our flourishing…

,

The Role of Surprises in Teaching Storytelling

,
The Role of Surprises in Teaching Storytelling

The skills of storytelling—much like the skills of walking—involve many unaware adaptations that we have learned only after years of speaking to people. We imagine. We use our unconscious abilities to communicate what we imagine—using complex oral language skills such as delicately shading our tone, posture, facial expression and more, to convey nuances of attitude and meaning. 

With so many of the skills of storytelling based on intricate, unconscious learning, explanations of the skills are usually not useful until you’ve already developed them! 

So there’s no obvious way to get students to experience success simply by giving instructions. What activities, then, do we set up? What behaviors do we encourage?

The Role of Surprise…

, , ,

“Beginning, Middle, End.” Huh?

, , ,
“Beginning, Middle, End.” Huh?

Many of us take for granted the idea of “Beginning,” “Middle” and “End” with regard to story structure. But what do those words actually mean? Is there a more helpful way to look at plot? How does all this relate to eating a sandwich?

, , ,

Don’t Fall for the “Lone Genius” Fallacy!

, , ,
Don’t Fall for the “Lone Genius” Fallacy!

Somehow, we’ve come to expect creative people to work alone. Yet many of the most successful of us seek out, commit to, and cherish relationships with other artists who help us with our work…. the fantasy of self-sufficiency can be a trap. With rare exceptions, creative people of all kinds like to be around others. 

Why, then, would so many people subscribe to the false idea of the “solitary, tormented genius”? 

What Must a Good Storytelling Coach Understand?

What Must a Good Storytelling Coach Understand?

Simon (not his real name) is a masterful storyteller, so it wasn't surprising that others asked him to coach them. Thoughtful presenter that he was, he was aware of much of what he did, such as his thorough research about each group he visited and his careful preparation of his stories.

Simon's Students' Struggle?

His students loved what Simon told them. So they went off eagerly to try things out on their own audiences.

To everyone’s surprise, though, their story presentations didn’t go well.

In response, Simon gave his students more thorough advice on each story: when to speed up or slow down; at what points to toss in a playful aside; exactly when to push harder to build to a climax during each story. He created a long list of do’s and don’ts, of rules and techniques.

Sadly, the more precisely he instructed his students, the worse reviews they seemed to get.

, ,

Speech of a Lifetime?

, ,
Speech of a Lifetime?

At the recent National Storytelling Conference in Kansas City, I had the amazing honor of being given the Lifetime Achievement Award - the highest honor given in the U.S. storytelling community.

I was allowed just a few minutes to address the gathering. Since this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, I tried to give the essence of what I most want to pass on, after over four decades as a storyteller, author, teacher, and coach. So here’s what I said...

No Hopeless Storytellers?

No Hopeless Storytellers?

In 1979, I was a terrified folk musician trying to learn ear-training. The other students were classically trained. Surely I would be the class dunce.

Then our Hungarian music teacher became frustrated while helping another student - and taught me a lesson about learning, creativity, teaching and storytelling coaching.

Our teacher, Lenci Horvath, turned my ideas about education upside down. But I didn't welcome her perspective at first...

,

Do You Have a Storytelling Vision?

,
Do You Have a Storytelling Vision?

Two kinds of listeners every storyteller needs, and how I helped storyteller Karen O'Donnell of Homewood, IL, conceive and realize her vision for

  1. The effect she wanted to have on her community, and
  2. The support she needed to advance her own storytelling.

Do you have such a vision? Is it time for you to create one?