HowToTell a Story. - Judith Snyder

y Judith Snyder
Telling a story, rather than reading it, is an art you can learn. Telling a story
is a lot of fun, but it takes practice, practice, and a little more practice. Did I
mention that you need to practice? You get the picture.
Here are a few tips that will help you become a storyteller:
1. Find a well-loved story or one that
has special meaning.
2. Read that story several times to
get familiar with the order of events.
3. Storytelling does not mean that
each word is memorized. It doesn’t
have to be told with the exact words
seen on a written page. Storytelling
is unique, because of the differences
every time the story is told.
4. It helps to memorize the first and
last sequence though. That way, you
know how to start and how to end.
Write down those two sentences to
memorize.
5. Suppose you want to retell the
story “A Lesson in Silence,” starting
on page 17. Write or draw the
important events of the story as a
story map, like the example on the
next page. Repeat the sequence aloud
until notes are no longer needed.
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Kima says he left his
heart in the tree.
Papo invites
Kima for
a ride.
swim home
Kima lives in a tree.
Kima silent
Kima says no.
Papo offers bananas.
Kima comes down.
Papo leaves.
chatters
eats bananas
swim away
throws peel
Papo says
father needs a monkey
heart.
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6. Now it’s time to make the
story unique. Try giving the main
character a different voice. There
are many ways to do this, such as
a lisp, a teenage way of talking,
a deep and low voice, or a sweet
high voice. Be inventive.
7. Try the different types of
voices aloud, until one fits the
character. Hearing it and feeling
it on the tongue is important.
(Hint: When first learning, use
only one different voice to avoid
any mix-ups).
8. Another way to add spice is to
include a repeating phrase. Some
stories already have them, like,
“I’ll huff and I’ll puff… .” Other
times, a phrase can be added. If the
character does a lot of walking, the
storyteller can repeat, “He walked
up, up, up, down, down, down,
over and around,” or “thump,
thump, tippy toe, tippy toe.” Be
creative.
9. Now it is time to practice, and
it must be done out loud. Use the
story map or notes for a while, but
gradually get rid of them. Tell the
story to the mirror, pets, parents,
brothers or sisters, friends, or
anyone who will listen. Record
yourself on a tape recorder. Then
listen to the recording to identify
areas that need work.
10. When you are ready, find an
audience. Perhaps there is an
opportunity at school or at a club
meeting. Invite grandparents over
for a special evening. Position
the audience in front of you, turn
down the lights, get everyone
quiet, and begin.
Caution: The storytelling bug
is very contagious, and if it
gets a good hold of you, it
may never go away.
Good luck!
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