Psst…hey you…yeah, you…do you know the secret of storytelling…well, do you? Excellence in storytelling starts with you, the Shanachie (Storyteller).
Each story you tell, each story you hear, whether it is at home, at the store, or at work, keep it simple…oh, yeah, and listen to that little voice that lured you in at the beginning and tells you to add the following ingredients:
* 2 Parts Story - 1 part specific to you; 1 part from the your experiences
* 1 Part Time - Find it…don’t kill it, it never comes back
* A Smidgen of Belief - Children have plenty, borrow some along the way
* A Dash of Creativity - We all have it, some more than others
* Dollop of Ingenuity - Technology is big, but necessity still drives invention
* Pinch of Inspiration - Tougher to find these days, but look and keep looking
May today, and everyday, breathe excellence for you…
Are you a poet looking for a place to land your verses…Check out our Poetry Contest…
Check out our recent entries on Our Poetry Contributor Page
WINK WITHIN A RHYME PRELUDE
Pictures are worth more
Than the words used to describe them…
Sometimes, however,
They provide the words themselves…
Where have your paintings been…
Did the artist create everything…
Or, was the canvas
Predetermined…
Predestined…
Prepopulated…
With travellers seeking refuge
From other adjusted moments…
Watch, learn, and grow…
This is the prelude to a new book…Wink Within a Rhyme…Thoughts…ideas…are dismissals are welcome…
“Out of our years of experimenting and experience we learned one basic thing about bringing pleasure and knowledge to people of all ages and conditions which goes to the very roots of public communication. That is this - the power of relating facts, as well as fables, in story form.”
Walt Disney
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Cutting corners or changing your mindset midstream causes variations in your storyline. Variations cause changes in your readers, listeners, and business partners. Changes occur to their emotional associations, their knowledge connections, and their application abilities. OK, OK, that’s the boring interpretation…Where’s the creativity, the ingenuity, the inspiration…where is the story?
Think of three simple words when trying to tell a great story, Evoke, Engage, and Empower.
* Evoke emotions from your audience as quickly as possible. This allows them to associate with what you are sharing.
* Engage your listeners in the activities within your story. This connects their emotions and past knowledge to your key points and encourages a transfer into their memory.
* Empower your partners to use their new knowledge. This will grow your story and allow it to take form outside your own experiences.
Simple, huh? It is…try it in your next story…
Breathe life into the time you have now, you can never resurrect it once the time has been killed.
“Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn’t.”
Mark Twain
WHOEVER has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill mountains. They are a dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river, swelling up to a noble height, and lording it over the surrounding country. Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains, and they are regarded by all the good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers. When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their bold outlines on the clear evening sky; but, sometimes, when the rest of the landscape is cloudless, they will gather a hood of gray vapors about their summits, which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will glow and light up like a crown of glory.
Many people reference the old story of Washington Irving, but few remember the actual story of Rip Van Winkle. The beginning above provides the teaser to an engaging adventure into a time when storytelling was important and imaginative…The attached PDF contains the entire story…enjoy..
Rip Van Winkle.pdf
Richard Bach shares insight into his life and beliefs in Illusions. This book was a great source of hope and belief for me as I ventured through college. Bach crosses adventure with belief and demonstrates that without either life can be incredibly boring. With both, life can be much more than many care to handle.
Life is a fact, living is a choice. We all have a connection to a higher calling. It is up to each of us to transcend our limitations and grow.
What can I say of Jonathan Livingston Seagull that doesn’t make me smile..From my family making references to me with his name to re-reading the book at every life milestone, this book has been a part of my life.
It doesn’t matter if you believe in idealism or realism. JLS enables us all to believe in much more than flying. We can reach new heights only if we try. We can challenge the status quo only if we believe in ourselves.
Even if you have read this book before, try reading it again. You will find something different this time.
