Storytelling in the oral tradition begins with a story idea that we craft into a story. Today, with the focus on the written word, we call this crafting process “writing.” Whether it begins on paper or not, the story crafting process begins with the “creative writing” process. This “writing” process might begin simply with imagination, conversation, or even research, and alternate with actual writing—pen and paper, fingers and keyboard, or voice and machine. However, the process continues beyond the “writing.” Oral stories do not live on the page (whether physical or electronic). Oral stories live in the space between people. The in-person experience of spoken stories creates a deeper interpersonal connection. (There is a reason that recorded music has not replaced live performance.)
In lifting words off the page, the art of oral storytelling enters the realm somewhere between public speaking and theater performance. With public speaking, voice and body language are the medium of connection. However, while public speaking focuses on transmitting a message, the storytelling artist focuses on creating a work of performance art that is entertaining, captivating, and emotionally rich. The story transports you into an experience; sometimes the journey takes you into another world. While public speakers often use the art of story to support their message, storytellers use the message to support the art.
By holding the space of story for the audience to step into, oral storytelling enters the realm of theater and acting, but also transcends it by breaking the “fourth wall”—that imaginary boundary between the speaker and the audience. Imagine if the speaker on the television suddenly started noticing that you were laughing, confused, or bored. Oral storytellers listen to non-verbal cues to interact with and adapt to the audience. As a live performance art, the stories are “alive.” The story changes with the audience. The television knows many stories, but the storyteller knows you. (There is a reason that recorded stories have not replaced live performance.)
Oral storytelling performance is the intersection of creative writing, public speaking, and theater. Whether the stories are personal, traditional, historical, fictional, or any other genre expressed in any medium, they begin with the creative “writing” process. However, we do not write the same way that we speak. Literature is usually formal and grammatically correct. Our spoken words are often informal and conversational. Spoken stories intersect with the art of public speaking and the skills of theater to lift the words off the page with voice modulation, facial expression, and body language. The words, “I love you,” can range from touching to dismissive to sarcastic with simple changes of vocal tone. Much of the interpersonal language that we use is non-verbal.
Would you like to explore this art? You already do. In conversation, we often share our stories or listen to the stories of others. “A funny thing happened to me today…” “Did you hear about…” “You would not believe…” Spoken stories are an essential communication skill. To raise your stories to performance art, it simply takes creativity, crafting, and practice. Stories are how we connect. Stories are how we invite others into our experience. Stories are how we enter the place of empathy and understanding of another. Stories are how we fall in love. Stories are how we excel at job interviews. Stories are how we find meaning and discover that we are not alone. Stories make us human.