Storytelling

Techniques to Keep in Mind

  1. Your Voice Is Your Most Important Tool.
    1. Put expression into your voice. Make your voice sound angry, or frightened, or sad, or frustrated, & so on. Nothing will make listeners lose interest more quickly than someone speaking in a monotone (using no expression at all).
    2. Although you should always speak loudly enough so that all your listeners can hear you, you must be sure to vary the volume of your voice. Sometimes you may speak louder for effect, at other times softer.
    3. Vary your rhythm or tempo.
      1. Try not to rush or go too slowly when telling the story.
      2. When there's a lot of exciting action, you'll want to speak more quickly. When events are urgent, speak of them with urgency (with importance). But there are times when you will want to speak slowly to create a feeling of suspense & anticipation.
      3. Be brave enough to use silence when it's call for. This can be the most effective moment in a story. It creates intensity & allows the listener a chance to breathe.
  2. Eye-to-Eye Contact.
    It is very important that you look at your listeners as you tell the story. This makes them feel involved in the story, & you will be able to see enjoyment of the story in their eyes.
  3. Gestures May Be Used to Enhance Your Story.
    Keep gestures simple. Remember, you are not acting in a play where you act out everything that happens. In storytelling you only try to suggest what's happening in the story with simple gestures that come naturally to you, such as:

    She pointed to the moon in the sky. (Point over the heads of the audience & pretend to actually see the moon.)

    Some stories will call for gestures more than others. Remember that any gestures you use should help listeners create better pictures in their minds, not cause them to focus more on you.
  4. Beginnings.
    Don't just dash to the front of the room & rush into your story. Walk up with confidence, & find your place. Feel your feet on the ground. Look around at your audience, & then say: "My name is ____________________, & I'm going to tell you the story of ________________________," or any appropriate introduction. You may like to tell your audience, "This story comes from Africa," or "My mother always told me this story when I was growing up," or "My story is "The Silver Skates" written by Hans Christian Anderson."
  5. Endings.
    A strong ending will leave your audience feeling that the story had power. Finish the story with assurance (confidence). Wait for the audience to acknowledge your performance before returning to your seat. Take a short bow if you'd like, & say, "Thank you." If you feel your story does not have a conclusive ending, you may need to pause a second & say something like: "And that's the story of ____________________."
  6. If you forget a part of your story, don't panic or apologize. It's better not to say anything, & continue telling your story. Just pause, picture where you are in the story, & then go on. You may feel more confident if you give a copy of your story to your teacher before you go up to tell it, so that the teacher can prompt you if you forget.