By Limor Shiponi
This exercise was born after observing too many storytellers hooked on their artistic choices for telling a story, ignoring the audience’s most basic desire as human beings. This is not to say they were not aware of the audience but they were missing out something very basic. The exercise is made out of four questions. One, the first, is actually impossible to answer without the other three, but it creates the ground for the rest.
How would you like someone to love you?
- What would you want them to feel about you?
- What would you want them to say to you?
- What would you want them to do for you?
Now, if you are working with a group, write everybody’s answers up on a large board. Right now, don’t scroll down (which I know you will but remember I told you not to) until you write down your answers to those three questions.
Everything you have written down, everything people will say in this exercise is what the audience wants from you, the storyteller.
Those are the actual words “I love you” “You are important for me” “I think you are a really special person” they want to hear.
They want you to feel “I like being in your presence” “I’m happy” “you make me feel secure” in a way they can feel too.
They want you to “give me a hug” “surprise me” “make it easier for me” and they will do the same for you.
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Hi Limor
Nicely done!
Like the exercise and the way you’ve woven it into the fabric of story and storytelling… please feel free to look up my profile on fb and look up the group “What Women really want… What Men really need” – this is a two day experiential journey that a friend and I have developed to find the questions to answers we don’t have!!
I also really like your succinct description of what Storytelling is and your Random Quote!
Joseph Campbell wrote somewhere (can’t find the exact quote at the moment) something like: ” …a society that loses it’s myths has lost it’s way…” or words to that effect. He was of course referring to the stories and – in effect – to the Storyteller as well.
I’m just embarking on a new path as a storyteller/coach/mentor…having told stories all my life without consciously realising that I was a born storyteller! Ah well… better late than never!
Thanks for your insightful creativity!
All power to your imagination, your quill and your vocal chords!
Michael
PS My website is a bit of a mess at the moment as I have to wait for a friend to help this old dog learn some new techno-tricks!
Hi Michael,
Thanks 🙂 I’ll come and visit you on fb, sounds interesting.