“Every traditional storyteller … has shown above everything else that intense urge to share with others what has already moved him [or her] deeply.” ~ Ruth Sawyer, The Way of the Storyteller
As I began to explore my memories of moving from Jamaica to the United States at 6 years old, I also began to explore the emotional content of these memories. At 6 years old, we don’t make choices but rather respond to the choices of others. It was my parents that moved, and they took me with them. In one day, my world changed.
At the heart of every story is change.
For personal stories, the outer changes of life cause internal change and transformation. At the heart of every storyteller is that urge to share something that has moved us, a life lesson, the wisdom of an internal transformation. As I explore story ideas, when I feel that “urge” as a “tug inside,” I know that I have hit upon a story that wants to be birthed from the story idea. This is where the work of story crafting begins. This is the struggle to uncover that “urge” and find the words to express this “urge” as art.
What is a story?
Story is a structure that transmits experience, not just information. As the storyteller paints images on the canvas of the listener’s imagination, the sensory details and the emotional content are experienced by the listener. Story transports us into the world created by the storyteller. This is the magic of story. As listeners, we trust the teller to take us there, keep us safe, and bring us back.
Identify the Moment
There is more than one way to examine and craft a story. For many personal stories, after exploring the story, I will identify the key moment that I am trying to get the listener to experience. This is often the climax of the story (but not always).
This brings me to the simplest way to understand the structure of story.
Beginning, Middle, End
Beginning: What does the listener need to know in order to fully experience that moment?
Middle: How do I take the listener into the moment?
End: What does the listener need to know to fully appreciate the moment?
Recipe for Life
“1 of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 of strong, 4 of weak.”
The poetic recipe above is a recipe for Jamaican Rum punch. As I struggled with the story of moving from Jamaica to Florida, I explored my memories to uncover the wisdom of how a 6 year old can survive such momentous change. How can I bring that wisdom into my current life? How can I bring that wisdom to others?
Rum Punch became the metaphor to express the wisdom of this story.
1 part sour (the pain in life), needs 2 parts sweet (to help ease the pain), 3 parts strong (the healing power of love), and 4 parts of weak (the time to process these emotions).
From this strange juxtaposition, I discovered the story of Rum Punch, Recipe for Life.
Come to one of my performances to hear this story live. Stay tuned for a recording. Storytelling is a living art. Stories change with the audience. Stories change as life changes. This story is still changing. It’s alive.
Learn to tell your own stories that are alive.
ONLINE WORKSHOP –
Tell Your Story, Transform Your Life:
The Art and Craft of the Personal Story
Wednesdays 7pm – 8:30pm, starting May 20th for 6 weeks.
Limited to 20 participants for an interactive storytelling experience. We will explore finding storytelling ideas, transforming story ideas into stories, anatomy of stories, story structure, tips of telling difficult stories, healing stories, and ending with a showcase/coaching of your stories. It’s going to be a fun journey. Join me. Tell your story, transform your life.
If you can’t make the ONLINE WORKSHOP,
you can still get on the list for future storytelling content and courses.