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From: [email protected] (Tim Sheppard)
Date: Thu, 04 Nov 1999 21:19:32 GMT
Subject: The Storytelling FAQ
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===============================================================

The Storytelling FAQ

===============================================================

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated to 15th June 1999

===============================================================

This FAQ is maintained by Tim Sheppard: Email
[email protected] or write to 10 Manor Road, Bishopston,
Bristol BS7 8PY, England. The frame story was written by
Mitchell J. Gross: [email protected]. Posted irregularly to Storytell
email list, and alt.arts.storytelling. This FAQ is on the world
wide web at www.lilliput.co.uk Please see the document end for
full credits and usage policy for copying this information.

===============================================================

What's new in this update since 10th May 98: Revamped structure,
numerous new FAQ answers and others expanded; more details from
Scotland; new magazines; new internet storytelling newsgroup;
updated SfS details; new web addresses for Jewish Storytelling
Coalition and others; the storytelling scene in Italy; various
updated addresses, Cape Clear Festival in Ireland now added,
updated Canadian organisations, new email lists.

===============================================================

Once upon a time, in the land of storytelling, came a young
seeker new to the place. He searched confusedly through the
myriad threads of words, until he came upon the dark, shadowy
cave of Mr. Faq. He knew this from the small plaque at the
entrance to the cave that read, "Mr. Faq, Frequently Asked
Questions answered. Please ring the bell."

"Mr. Faq," he cried, forgoing the bell, "What IS this place?"

Stepping from the shadows, Mr Faq took a slow breath then began
to speak in his deep, slow voice, "This is a place where those
who spend their days and nights telling stories to others may
gather. Here they exchange techniques and tips, let each other
know of conventions, classes and concerts, and discuss
storytelling - what it was, what it is, and what it is becoming.

"And, of course, there are stories. There are always stories."

Mr. Faq took a long, deep puff from his pipe, and waited for the
next inevitable question. The seeker fidgeted and then burst
out, "But Mr. Faq... why?"

Mr. Faq sighed. "Storytelling is an age-old tradition that has
existed since the dawn of time in every culture there ever was.
Here we may discuss its roots and how they relate to the
storytelling of today. It exists in many forms: the traditional
tale around a camp fire, the scriptural stories told from the
pulpit, in hypertext form on the Internet, with the roll of a
die in a role-playing game, in the classroom, on the radio,
television, movies, and in the pages of books... All these
things and more are part of the grand tradition of storytelling.

The seeker scrunched up his face and asked, "Well... what IS
storytelling, Mr. Faq?"

"Storytelling is many things to many people," Mr. Faq replied,
"It is entertainment, a way of passing on a culture's history,
or a way of teaching to both the young and the old. It is
something that must be experienced and tried before you can
fully understand it. More than anything else, storytelling is an
art. An art that anyone can participate in. We all are
storytellers, whether we realize it or not."

The seeker was silent for a moment. Then, with a new and growing
gleam of excitement in his eye he asked, "Mr. Faq, I like to
tell stories! How can I learn more about storytelling?"

Mr. Faq drew a long, tattered scroll from his cloak and handed
it to the seeker. "Read this," he commanded.

===============================================================

CONTENTS

===============================================================

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW DO I USE THIS FAQ?

What is a FAQ? (new!)

It's huge! How do I find what I want? (new!)

All the phone numbers look strange. How do I use them? (new!)

Can I print out copies to distribute? (new!)

INTRODUCTION TO STORYTELLING

But isn't storytelling just for kids?

How do you define storytelling? (new!)

Where do I find stories to tell?

LEARNING STORYTELLING

What are the basics of how to tell a story?

How can I begin or end a story, without the usual tired old
phrases?

How do I deal with stage fright?

COMMUNITY STORYTELLING

Why should I attend a local storytelling group/guild?

How can I find fellow tellers or groups in my area?

GETTING PROFESSIONAL

How do I start telling professionally; should I do
volunteer/free shows?

How much should I charge?

How do I find storytelling jobs?

Should I accept gigs at birthday parties?

What about contracts for jobs? (new!)

BEING A STORYTELLER

How can I get repeat business? (new!)

How do I keep track of all the stories I learn?

How do I plan a performance?

What about copyright laws?

What kind of portable microphone or P.A. system is a good
purchase? (new!)

How can I keep my voice healthy?

What makes a good storyteller great?

Where can I find a college course in or about storytelling?



RESOURCES

INTERNET RESOURCES

Mailing Lists (updated lots)

Newsgroups (updated)

The Web

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Finding storytellers

Finding stories

LOCAL AND NATIONAL STORYTELLING ORGANIZATIONS

FESTIVALS, CONVENTIONS, EVENTS AND COURSES (updated)

STORYTELLING MAGAZINES

NOTABLE STORYTELLERS

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

THE STORYTELLING SCENE AROUND THE WORLD

CREDITS

===============================================================

You will notice most of the below needs adding to - send me your
information! I hope this will get you plugged into the
grapevine. The storytelling world is very friendly. If you go to
see a storyteller perform, then approach, ask, chat! - we talk
for a living and are keen to spread the word.

===============================================================

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

(and even a few answers - more needed, please contribute!)

HOW DO I USE THIS FAQ?

What is a FAQ?

Usually pronounced 'Fack', a FAQ is a compilation of information
and answers to those questions that are most frequently asked in
a group or discussion forum. Not only can newcomers benefit from
the collective wisdom from many people and discussions, but old
hands are saved from having to repeat themselves constantly.
Therefore it is expected that newcomers to any discussion group
will first read the FAQ before asking questions.

It's huge! How do I find what I want?

The detailed contents list should help you find your way around.
But there are further aids to pinpointing information. If you
are reading this on a printed page - sorry, you can't use any of
them! If you are reading this on computer with an email reader
or newsgroup reader, or even a wordprocessor, then use the Find
facility which should be in the Edit menu, or possibly a special
Search menu. With this you can type in a keyword and the
programme will find each place in the FAQ where it occurs. If
you are reading this on computer with a web browser, then in
addition to a Find facility, you will be able to use the
hyperlinks to jump straight from the contents listing to the
answers, as well as other internal references and links to other
web sites. I'm also considering adding a dedicated search engine
- what do you think?

All the phone numbers look strange. How do I use them?

This FAQ is used by storytellers all over the world, so many of
the phone numbers are in international format, e.g. +44 (0)117
924-8751. The + means dial your international access code, and
the following number is the code for the country; don't dial the
(0). If the number is based in your own country, don't dial the
+44 part but do include the 0 which is part of the area code.

Can I print out copies to distribute?

Yes. You are welcome to spread this FAQ, but not for profit,
providing it retains all personal credits. Please see the more
specific conditions in the Credits section right at the end. The
easiest way to use the Storytelling FAQ is on the worldwide web,
and it's always up to date, so you may want to inform people of
that.

===============================================================

INTRODUCTION TO STORYTELLING

===============================================================

But isn't storytelling just for kids?

In western cultures, where storytelling declined drastically
before the recent revival, the word 'storytelling' immediately
makes 95% of adults dismissively think of children. But if they
can be persuaded along to a show for adults they are astounded
at the quality and magic of what they have been missing - those
Grimms' fairytales weren't originally meant for kids at all. In
such an environment, many professionals perform mainly to
children but those that prefer adult audiences can find them if
they work at it. Storytelling festivals and local groups are
full of appreciative adults. In many cultures with more of their
traditions and extended family life intact, storytelling is for
all, and even by all.

How Do You Define Storytelling?

You don't! There is no consensus, and it is extraordinarily hard
to come up with any good definition, long or short. A few people
want a definition so that arts organisations will take
storytelling seriously as an art-form, but most storytellers are
very resistant to settling on a definition in case they get
limited or excluded by it.

Good storytelling can be powerful, transporting, and magical,
and most tellers agree that this can only fully happen in live
performance (whether that may be on a stage or 3 friends round a
table). Storytellers don't read from a book, either. Although
storytelling is a hot buzzword in many media today, people in
those media tend to be unaware of current traditional live
storytelling, and yet they wish to transpose its magic into
media such as film, CD-Roms, TV etc. These media can learn a lot
from traditional narrative structure, but many storytellers do
not recognise these forms as storytelling - not because of the
innovations, but because of the loss of direct human-to-human
interaction. Stories and narrative can enliven many experences,
and be used and communicated in many ways, including very
innovative forms using the internet, but storytellers tend to
restrict the word storytelling to the direct live art that has a
power and magic quite beyond anything else.

Where do I find stories to tell?

Read, and listen. Check your local library's folktale
collections in both the children's and adult departments, plus
the single folktales in children's picture-books. Also check
children's magazines for stories that are tellable. There are
large numbers available on the internet - check the resources
below. And don't forget the obvious - listen to storytellers!
There is now a trend in the USA, but not in the rest of the
world, to tell personal stories. Creating stories and telling
stories are two different skills, though, so a familiarity with
what makes a good story is wise, before telling anecdotes from
your life. For help with "Making Fairy Tales from Personal
Stories," look at Doug Lipman's article at
http://world.std.com/~loistalk/articles/work_stories/fairy_tales.
html . Storytellers traditionally feel a responsibility to pass
on the traditional tales of their culture, and the old folktales
are not only finely honed, over centuries, to be guaranteed
entertaining, but their structure has much to teach us about
what people like.

===============================================================

LEARNING STORYTELLING

===============================================================

What are the basics of how to tell a story?

Pretend you're confident! - Don't apologise as you start, either
with words or a cowed body.

Relax, breathe, play - it's a fun game that everyone wants to
play with you, not an ordeal.

Tell in your own words. If you try to memorise the words of the
story, you set yourself up for failure and confusion. Just
remember the few lines of plot, and feel free to let them come
out differently - no matter how hard you try the story you
learned won't be the story you tell. Let your imagination work -
that's what will create the magic, not your feats of memory.

If you get stuck, keep going. Don't frown, curse, stop, or
apologise. Simply describe details of sounds, colours, smells,
clothes, atmosphere etc. to play for time - this is also a
psychological trick because it stimulates your imagination and
mental images, and keeps your energy up, which are the best way
to trigger your memory. Or stay silent and still engaged with
people's eyes and they'll think it's a dramatic pause, as you
let inspiration return (don't look at the floor to remember).
Nobody but you knows what you were going to say, so they will
never spot your departures from it - there are no 'mistakes'.
New improvised details or observations can be gems to keep in
for next time.

Keep your stories to ten minutes long or less, to begin with.
Time yourself beforehand - just three pages in a book might end
up taking 15 minutes to tell. It takes more skill both to keep
people's level of attention and to control the pacing through
longer stories.

Take time to finish. Look at people, smile, and listen to their
applause - do not run away or gesture to dismiss it, the
applause is their chance to give you something back, and the
instinctive hiding gestures that most people fall into appear as
a little insulting. Accept that they liked it!

There are various web pages with helpful advice (tell me your
URLs please!) Here is an excellent one to start you off:
www.seanet.com/~eldrbarry/roos/eest.htm

How can I begin or end a story, without the usual tired old
phrases?

There's a plethora of traditional phrases, many of which have a
satisfying otherworldly or ritualistic effect. Hundreds are
collected at
http://homepages.together.net/~folktale/openers.html (and its
companion closings page). Also try "Once Upon a Time, They Lived
Happily Ever After", a thesis summary including a 44 page
classification of beginnings and endings of traditional folk
stories. About a thousand are listed, most with reference to the
culture of the story. It's by Herrick Jeffers, 353 Dayton Blvd,
Melbourne Village, FL 32904, USA , and costs US$11. E-mail
[email protected].

How do I deal with stage fright?

Breathe! It's easy to forget, when you're anxious, and that
makes things worse. Gentle physical exercises beforehand are
extremely effective, and also help free you to be more
expressive: try yoga, T'ai Chi, Feldenkrais or Pilates. Some
people swear by taking herbal valerian tablets, available at
health stores, and others by a natural beta-blocker such as
eating a banana or two, up to half an hour before performing.
Having something in your stomach may make you feel better, or
worse. All performers feel stage fright, but the experienced
ones channel it into performing energy. Keep at it, and the
rewards will soon outweigh the anxiety; after perhaps three or
four times you'll begin to relax enough to find the pleasure in
it. Remember to relax, play, enjoy yourself - people aren't
constantly judging you when they are enjoying a story, and if
you have fun so will they, so stop assuming you have to pass
some kind of self-imposed, unreachable skill standard.

===============================================================

COMMUNITY STORYTELLING

===============================================================

Why should I attend a local storytelling group/guild?

A local group gives a teller a chance to meet with fellow
tellers, amateur and professional, who can be very supportive
and encouraging. Even professionals appreciate such nurturing
company - it can be hard to stay motivated without support. It's
the ideal place to find the courage to tell your first story in
public. You can get feedback on that piece that isn't quite
coming together. It provides a friendly audience to try it
before a performance. Most groups meet monthly, welcome
newcomers and beginners, and won't expect you to tell if you
don't want to. Some groups organise occasional special events
for telling. Sometimes the group provides workshops to expand
your knowledge and skill. And of course you can see and hear
many different styles of storytelling, which can be really
inspiring. You'll make friends, keep up with the latest news,
and swap some great stories.

How can I find fellow tellers or groups in my area?

See the Reference Material section below. There are directories
for certain countries, although these tend to list only those
who pay to be in them. The USA one is available on-line. Those
countries with a thriving storytelling revival have local groups
or guilds that meet regularly for story swaps - contact these
and you'll find other individuals and join the grapevine. Some
of these groups are listed in the directories and diaries in the
Reference Material section below. Alternatively, contact the
area and national organisations listed below. The best
up-to-date source, at least for English-speaking tellers, is the
Storytell email list - join and ask who is in your area. See
Internet Resources section above for details. If there is no
group local to you, start one! Find all tellers and others
interested within your area, from the above sources, advertise
in libraries and arts centres etc., then set a time and place to
meet.

===============================================================

GETTING PROFESSIONAL

===============================================================

How do I start telling professionally; should I do
volunteer/free shows?

Many folks start either as volunteers or as part of their
job--for example, teachers, librarians, read-aloud volunteers.
Then the storytelling just evolves if the person wants it to.
Volunteering is a good idea. The main thing is getting enough
practice, and finding audiences to practice in front of! To be
good, tell more! That can be difficult if you are trying to work
full time, and have a family and maybe a life too. So consider
how much time you can devote to it - and it can become
all-consuming. There is so much to learn, so many stories, so
many techniques, not to mention philosophy, tale variants, etc.

David Holt and Bill Mooney wrote a book called The Storytellers
Guide. It covers many of the issues and has a very good section
on copyright. In addition Harlynne Geisler's book on
Storytelling Professionally and David Helfick's book on How to
Make Money Performing in Schools have been well recommended.
David Heflick's book is self-published by Silcox Productions,
P.O. Box 1407, Orient, WA 99160 for $18.95 (ISBN 0-9638705-8-0)
plus shipping & handling. Mooney & Holt's book is published by
August House for $23.95 (ISBN 0-87483-482-1). Check Harlynne's
website: www.swiftsite.com/storyteller or email her:
[email protected]

As for when you should start charging and how you'll know when
you're good enough, listen to some professional tellers, or
experienced tellers in your area. When you have been voluntarily
paid a few times it does feel good & eventually you will be
confident enough in your abilities, and have a large enough
repertoire to set fees. But this varies from teller to teller.
It's common for beginning tellers to feel they are not worth
paying for at all, but listen to what people say about your
performance, not what your self-doubts tell you. If you don't
start charging when you are at least keeping your audiences'
interest, not only will people tend to take advantage, and not
treat you with enough consideration, but you may devalue
storytelling in general, making it harder for professionals to
earn sensible fees.

How much should I charge?

Many tellers always charge something, even if it's only travel
expenses for a free show. An audience, and more importantly the
organiser, will have more respect, even if it is a nominal
amount. Find out what other tellers in your area are charging.
Don't feel you have to start too small - if you don't value
yourself, neither will others, and then it can be difficult to
increase your fee. There will always be plenty of people who
think you will love to tell for peanuts, 'for the exposure'. As
one teller puts it: you can die from exposure. People who hire
you don't just have to pay for your telling time, but your
rehearsal time, and training. That already adds up, even if your
expertise is not yet great. In Britain, I wouldn't recommend
doing a 30 - 40 minute show for less than GBP40 plus expenses,
even early on; in the USA that would equate to around $60. Add
50% to that once you are more confident, and then increase from
there according to what you need (very well-known tellers may
charge up to ten times that first amount). Series of gigs, work
in schools, whole days and other special circumstances may
demand a lower per-hour fee, but lots of badly paid work will
burn you out and kill your desire to develop - be realistic.
Many experienced professionals do elect to also accept a limited
number of volunteer or low-paid gigs, usually for good causes
that they wish to support. Some tellers present an invoice even
for volunteer gigs, with the full fee stated, but marked as
waived - this not only makes it clear what your usual value is,
but can help the organiser to claim for work-in-kind on their
budget.

How do I find storytelling jobs?

A good place to start is your local library. Most public
libraries provide programs for their patrons at various times
throughout the year, and especially during the summer months for
school-age children. Public librarians are always looking for
new people who can provide programs for children or adults. Most
keep a file of resource persons' names, addresses, phone
numbers, etc. and share this information with other librarians
and local citizens who call the library looking for someone to
do a program for their group.

Contact local teacher groups, parent groups, PTA, civic
organizations, chamber of commerce, public and private schools,
nursing homes, women's clubs, men's clubs, YMCA, YWCA,
campgrounds, scouting groups, or any group of people who
regularly provide programs for their members.

Prepare a flyer or brochure that provides your name, address,
phone number, type of stories you specialize in; type of
audience you prefer, such as children, adults, older adults;
list of references, places you have done jobs, phone numbers of
contact persons; a photo of yourself. Make your flyer
eye-catching and professional-looking to distinguish it from the
stacks of junk mail your prospective employer probably receives
daily, and make sure STORYTELLER is printed in a prominent place
so the reader doesn't have to decipher what it is you are trying
to convey. Fees do not have to be listed; that's best discussed
over the phone anyway.

Should I accept gigs at birthday parties?

A lot of storytellers won't touch birthday parties because they
don't pay that well and they can be tricky. But a few like doing
them now and then. The kids can be a blast and the audience is
usually more intimate because it's small. Suggestions for
planning a party program: 1. Insist on being the first thing
that happens. Get the children before they get the cake etc. It
is awkward coming in to a group of kids who are happily playing
in a play room, and have to come and sit down to listen to
someone they don't know tell stories - especially the
toddlers...they just don't care! 2. Nobody else is performing
while you are. No clowns blowing up balloons etc. 3. For the wee
little guys insist an adult sits on a blanket with them. 4.
Avoid outdoors if possible - too many distractions. 5. Do active
stories that keep the little ones engaged. And sit down low
where you can keep their eye contact. 6. For bigger kids, try
longer magical stories for birthday parties. 7. Never expect to
do more than 30 minute programs in party settings. 20 minutes
for wee ones. 8. Other ideas: Encourage the parent to have a
theme party, and then fit stories into the theme - perhaps help
them plan the schedule and organize some games or whatever. You
might try making up a story with the birthday child in the
leading role - and her guests as the support characters - with a
lot of acting and a few props.

What about contracts for jobs?

Use one for all gigs, no matter how informal. The wording can be
simple and just set out the practical details, as a minimum, but
for much discussion and samples see the Storytell archives (see
below) at http://www.twu.edu/lists/ . A contract also shows your
professionalism to your clients, and helps to pre-empt potential
pitfalls to a smooth-running gig. The more informal your gig,
the more important it is to set out your requirements and what
you are promising - this can avoid nightmare situations!

===============================================================

BEING A STORYTELLER

===============================================================

How can I get repeat business?

Listen to your hosts carefully. Identify what they need and let
them know you can fill that need. Then do it.

Keep good records of what you've told so you can offer different
stories next time. Be sure your hosts understand you have more
than one set of stories.

Offer a variety of thematic programs (Christmas, solstice,
women's history, etc.).

Contact venues where you've been before if you'll be in the same
area.

Call people you've worked for to let them know of your new
programs.

Be forthright--call to let repeat hosts know their usual date is
still available but may fill.

Send a newsletter to keep your hosts and potential hosts aware
of what you're doing.

Schmooze. But don't waste your host's time.

Provide high quality programs wherever you go. This includes
being specific about what you do when you are booking the gig,
arriving at least 25 minutes early (earlier for libraries),
introducing yourself to the host, being totally prepared,
setting up and packing up efficiently and quickly, writing a
thank you note when you get home and most of all, establishing
connection with your audience through your stories and your
presentation style. Oh, and cheerfulness and flexibility let
your audience and host know you're glad to be there.

Many schools may want you back but not right away, maybe not
even next year. They want variety. It can be hard to explain
that you have different shows and it is the kids that want you
back.

How do I keep track of all the stories I learn?

A file of photocopies or notebook of stories is a good idea.
Keep a note of each story's source, cultural origin, age
suitability, length etc.; you'll want to know this as your
repertoire grows.

You can even develop a simple computer database for easier,
keyword access which will enable you to find suitable stories
from your repertoire for a particular theme, age group etc.

A common strategy is to write out a brief skeleton of the story,
just enough to remind you of all the key points as a refresher.
This can go into your file or database. It can also help you not
to follow the original text slavishly, and can be an aid to
learning the story in the first place.

Keep records of what you have told to which groups, when and
where, to make future planning easier.

It can be a good idea to make "after-performance" notes on what
went right, what didn't, etc.

Taping yourself telling the stories can be useful for
reacquainting yourself with stories learned but not told for a
while (like since yesterday ;-) and for improving your telling.

How do I plan a performance?

There may be many more suggestions to add:

Take with you a list of stories you plan to tell.

Have a few "backup" stories and be flexible about what to tell
when.

Many storytellers try to stick roughly to a programme pattern of
Haha!, Aha, Aahh, Amen... (summarised this way by Elizabeth
Ellis, USA teller) - This means to start with short, funny
stories, then something clever, witty or with a twist, continue
with longer interesting ones with some emotional depth, and end
with a powerful or meaningful one.

Consider telling stories around a specific theme if you haven't
already been given one by your client - it can provide a way of
linking from one story to the next. Many tellers gradually
develop set programmes for a number of popular themes.

Find out as much as possible in advance about the performance
space, seating arrangements, nature and age of audience, ambient
noise levels (amplification may be necessary), purpose or theme
of the event. But be prepared for all this information to be
wrong when you get there! A contract can help a lot with this,
as you become serious (not necessarily professional) about
storytelling.

You should know roughly how long each story takes to tell, even
if you may choose to shorten or lengthen it.

Take a clock that you can easily and unobtrusively see to track
your time, if you have a set length for the show. Or wear your
watch on the inside of your wrist. Remember - adrenalin can do
strange things to your sense of time.

Never steal another performer's scheduled time, if there are
others on after you -- it's not a pretty sight.

Allow yourself to adjust or even abandon your plans to suit the
audience/conditions of the performance.

Enjoy yourself! The more you do so, the more your listeners
will.

What about copyright laws?

Below is one opinion. If you wish to delve into the
complexities, controversies and diverse opinions, look in the
archives of Storytell at www.twu.edu/lists/. There you will find
a searchable list of large chunks of discussion archives. Search
on the keywords of 'copyright' and 'censorship' and you'll find
a great deal of intelligent food for thought.

Copyright is a complex issue and is almost completely at odds
with the oral tradition. Copyright is designed to protect
"intellectual property", whereas the oral tradition relies
mainly on the concept of intellectual property not even
existing. Hence the clash of these two cultures in the modern
world leaves a very unsatisfactory situation. Some storytellers
ignore copyright, some get paranoid about it. Most try and apply
common sense, realising that the laws weren't made to protect
artists from the humble storyteller, but from exploitative
profit-making businesses. But the more professional a
storyteller you become, the more professionally you must behave.

The law varies between countries, but essentially copyright
protects a specific form of words, design, music etc. It doesn't
give any protection to ideas. Therefore a story printed in a
book can be copyrighted, but the ideas in it can't, so someone
could adapt them into their own story or version. But a
storyteller almost never recites verbatim from a book, so the
exact form of those printed words won't be used, and every
telling will be a new version. Just how different do they have
to be? There are guidelines, but open to much interpretation.

For storytellers there are two kinds of tales: traditional and
original. A traditional tale cannot be copyrighted, but one
exact form of words telling it can. This means that you cannot
republish those exact words, but a storyteller doesn't memorise
verbatim, so there's no problem. Traditional tales are yours to
tell, wherever you find them. Many have existed for millenia,
owned by nobody, and nobody can claim them now and restrict the
rights of others, although some have tried. Storytellers do
however feel that it's important to "make the story your own" by
telling it in your own style, rather than slavishly following
someone else's. Many also like to acknowledge their sources, as
a mark of respect. Original tales however are usually under
copyright, unless the author died long ago - usually 70 years,
but this can vary between countries. Note, this is the time
after the author died, not after the story was written. But a
copyrighted tale can still be told - you should just try and get
permission from the author first.

The complications start to arise when you hear a story and
retell it. You may think it's a public domain story, but how do
you know it wasn't an original copyrighted one? It only takes
one person, perhaps not even a storyteller but just a friend
chatting to friends, to tell an original tale from a book, and
the story can quickly be passed around, from teller to teller.
Stories are like this, if they inspire people they travel, and
no amount of legislation can stop it. Professional tellers do
try and research their sources, partly for this reason.

In virtually the whole world it is rare for tellers to tell
copyrighted tales, because we have a vast body of traditional
tales all in need of telling. Storytellers share freely, often
feeling a duty to retell tales from other tellers, and the
attitude to laws is somewhat relaxed and pragmatic anyway. In
the USA, telling original tales is much more common, and the
attitude to law and asserting rights is different, so one
solution has been to tell personal tales from one's own life,
thus guaranteeing no rights are broken. But skill at telling a
story doesn't equate to skill at creating a story, and a tale
with only one teller doesn't get the polish and universal appeal
of a folktale.

What kind of portable microphone or P.A. system is a good
purchase?

Pending a more specific reply, much discussion can be found on
this in the Storytell archives at www.venus.twu.edu/lists/ .
There's much sound advice (ha!) on Doug Lipman's pages at
www.storypower.com/lipman/articles/performing/mics.html and
www.storypower.com/lipman/articles/performing/sound.html.
Microphones and amplification also require practice and
technique to use well in performance. Some tellers try and avoid
them, feeling they get in the way of intimacy (and bad sound
quality or level can ruin it).

How can I keep my voice and body healthy?

Doing gigs can be emotionally and physically gruelling,
especially if you have to travel. Be kind to yourself, know your
limits, give yourself sufficient rest-breaks, eat healthily, and
don't do shows that leave you totally drained. If your body or
energy levels suffer, so will your voice. But your voice will
also suffer from misuse. Some professions demand bank loans to
afford the tools - yours comes free, so invest a little in a few
voice lessons and learning preventative medicine. Difficult gigs
and bad habits can strain your voice, lessons will help avoid
that and develop its power.

Cancelled gigs are embarrassing at best, and can cause serious
problems for all concerned. Fight for your health in every way
possible. Get allergy shots if you need them. The herb Echinacea
definitely helps, but loses its potency with prolonged use.
Switch on & off with Astragalus, a slightly less potent Chinese
herb. Save Echinacea for times you are most likely to get sick &
otherwise use the Astragalus. One brand found in some healthfood
stores is Nature's Way & the same brand of Echinacea has been
reliable & economical (some folks caution about the need for
reliable potency on Echinacea). In addition get serious about
handwashing! Especially keep unwashed hands from your food,
mouth, nose or eyes, particularly when surrounded by kids.
Antiseptic wipes substitute when soap & water are unavailable &
some like disinfectant gels. One brand recommended is Purell, an
economical moisturizing hand sanitizer available in drugstores.

Brew a strong Echinacea tea when you feel about to catch
something (another reason to not overuse it regularly.) Flavored
zinc lozenges are good when you already are sick, but also can
be used at the first possibility of anything. When something
threatens, take 3 fresh cloves of raw garlic until the danger
passes. You can swallow them if you chop them to the size of
pills you can manage, or mince them into something. Garlic
capsules are nothing like as effective, and odourless garlic
capsules are hopeless - don't worry, the garlic smell mostly
gets used up fighting illness. 1 clove every other day is a good
preventative when you're already in good shape. Vitamin C works
as another preventative. Take 1,000 milligrams of time-released
vitamin C (with bioflavinoids) in the morning & again at night.

Another option is a gargle with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
It also helps your gums, but may change their color to gray if
you do it too much. (No harm, however, & it kills any germs or
viruses lurking around your mouth, as well as taking care of
canker sores.) This comes dentist recommended. Another
listmember swears by a gargle with iodine-based Betadine when a
throat problem threatens. If your throat feels dry chew a little
bit of ginger root.

You know you should get lots of rest. . . good luck! Also it's
easy to get too little water (note that's _water_, not liquid,
esp. anything with caffeine, as that dehydrates), as water can
make a major difference between getting sick or not. Try to stay
away from sick individuals, too, but that can be impossible when
you work with the public & have a family. Healthy food and
healthy eating patterns work wonders - loads of fresh fruit and
veg, no stimulants, no sugar, junk or comfort food.

When you do get sick try an echinacea tincture as a throat
spray. Some recommend using a standard homeopathic remedy mix
called Cold & Flu. You also should use zinc lozenges & increase
your vitamin C until the gas starts & then know you've hit your
limit needed. "Flood" yourself with non-caffeinated fluids,
especially water. If your body says no, don't push yourself into
burnout by using medicated throat sprays or other
symptom-concealers - your voice may die completely afterwards.
Don't pass your germs onto your mate, take it as easy as you
possibly can (especially avoiding overdoing vocal effects &
straining) & start trying harder to prevent the next time.

Speech therapists say if you want to nurture your chords you
should avoid (guess!) alcohol, tobacco, nicotine & caffeine. And
cold drinks are better than hot; tepid ones best.

What makes good storytellers great?

Some suggestions:

They tell stories of the type or in the style that suits their
personalities the best.

They develop an almost instant rapport with the audience.

They have a highly developed sense of flexibility and timing.

They really like what they are doing, are comfortable in front
of their audience and engage with them.

They have stage presence. Perhaps this can be defined as
confidence, assurance, audience rapport, a sense of knowing they
are good and could take the audience with them wherever they
went. Another part of stage presence is the able use of pacing,
facial expressions, and pauses. Often a pause and a lifted
eyebrow and a look all around the audience can accomplish more
than any number of words. These tellers know it, and use these
techniques well. Stage presence is just a term, borrowed from
theatre - many storytellers don't think of themselves as
performing on a stage, but that doesn't preclude using this
term.

They tell from the heart, to the heart - honestly, openly, and
without trying too hard.

Where can I find a course in or about storytelling?

See sections below on practical courses in various countries -
there are lots. Storytelling is easy to do moderately well
(indeed everyone does it everyday), but takes half a lifetime to
master (much of which is mastering yourself, with honesty and
openness). Forget the fear and start telling informally now
without tutoring, you'll be surprised at how satisfied others
will immediately be, but be willing to keep learning lots.

You can take all sorts of courses and qualifications, from
academic study to practical instruction, up to degree or even
Master's degree level. Not that most storytellers have any need
of or interest in certificates, but study can certainly add a
depth of knowledge. A comprehensive list of college courses
worldwide is kept at two mirrored sites:
world.std.com/~loistalk/articles/education/studies.html or
homepages.together.net/~folktale/study.htm

===============================================================

The following questions and many others are awaiting answers.
Please help!

How do I find a story with a specific theme or motif?

How do I learn a story?

How do I relax enough to face an audience?

What types of stories are good to tell to young children? to
elementary-aged children? to high school students? to adults? to
older adults?

How do I promote storytelling in my community?

How do I start a local storytelling group?

How do I teach students to tell?

How do I handle a disruptive person in the audience?

When can I call myself a professional storyteller?

===============================================================
===============================================================

RESOURCES

===============================================================
===============================================================

INTERNET RESOURCES

===============================================================

Mailing Lists

Storytell

This is where all the action is - several hundred subscribers,
comprising professional tellers, amateurs, librarians and many
others, all from over a dozen countries. Such collective
experience and expertise makes Storytell the number one resource
for tellers; it welcomes both professionals and beginners and
their questions, and is a supportive lifeline for many.
Subscribers receive upwards of forty emails a day, or a large
digest, but a brief skim with the delete button can narrow them
down to as few as you feel like reading.

If you have trouble subscribing, unsubscribing, or with setting
subscription options, check out
www.tiac.net/users/papajoe/storytell02.htm for help. The
official homepage for the Storytell list is
http://twu.edu/slis/ls/storytell.htm In case these don't answer
your questions, the list owner is [email protected]

The vast amount of intelligent debate and valuable information,
from January 1995 onwards, is automatically archived. The
archives are accessible via the web at www.twu.edu/lists/ ,
searchable by keyword (don't forget the slash at the end of the
address), or via www2.twu.edu/archives/storytell.html , arranged
by date-month/year. The archives available via the web lag
behind the current date by at least a month, perhaps several,
but you can also retrieve the archives by email, and these are
right up to date. Get a list of the available archive files by
sending the words INDEX STORYTELL in the body of a message to
[email protected], then you can then order these files by
email with a GET STORYTELL LOGxxxx message. The archives come in
large chunks of between 300kb - 2.5 Mb, so use EDIT then FIND on
your browser or word processor to locate key words within the
document. For further explanation on using these archives, go to
Papa Joe's excellent site:
www.tiac.net/users/papajoe/storytell.htm .

If you need to leave the list you can either set it to
temporarily stop mailing you (nomail), or you can leave
permanently (signoff). Send an email to:

[email protected] with either the words:

SIGNOFF STORYTELL

or

SET STORYTELL NOMAIL

in the body. No subject header is needed.

Folklore

Not about storytelling directly of course, but useful for
tracking down more academic information about tales, subjects,
origins of things etc. To subscribe free to Folklore send a
message to

[email protected]

with the word SUBSCRIBE in the body.

NerdNosh

This list is exclusively for people to tell personal stories,
not discussion. It is presented as a virtual campfire, all
welcome. There are over a thousand subscribers. Many stories are
presented in more of a literary style rather than an oral
storytelling style. More info at www.nerdnosh.org . To subscribe
free, send an email message to: [email protected]

The message body must read:

subscribe NerdNosh

end

ISTORY-L

This list isn't necessarily of interest to most storytellers.
Theoretical discussion on new (interactive) ways of storytelling
(cultural/literature/film/media studies perspective). Keywords:
interactivity, narrative, simulation, author, reader, reading,
hypermedia, interactive -fiction, -storytelling,
-scenariowriting. Aim: developing a 'software theory' (starting
from the perspectives described above. Email owner at
[email protected] for details.

Storytellers

Mainly postings of stories, with occasional discussion. Myths
and legends, folktales, fairytales, including Greenlandic myths
and legends, as collected by Knud Rasmussen and others.
Storytelling, mythic screenwriting and even the search for
ancient folktales still related as 'jokes'. Averages 1 - 5 posts
a day. To subscribe, send a blank email to
[email protected] , or visit
http://www.onelist.com/viewarchive.cgi?listname=storytellers

H-Nilas

A moderated forum, mainly for scholars, sponsored by the Nature
in Legend and Story Society (NILAS). NILAS is a group of people
dedicated to understanding relationships between human beings
and the natural world, through the mediation of stories, poems,
legends, pictures, and other cultural products. NILAS also
sponsors a yearly conference (traditionally in New York state.)
Archives and more information at http://h-net.msu.edu Moderator
is Boria Sax, [email protected] To subscribe, send an e-mail
message to [email protected] with the following contents:

SUBSCRIBE H-NILAS firstname lastname, institution

Amisduconte

French language (but English enquiries will be understood)
discussion of stories and storytelling, with plenty of events
info. The storytelling revival is strong in France, and predates
those in other countries.

Other email lists

It is now very easy to set up free email lists, and a number of
others related to storytelling have been created - some of them
quite specialised. However, they don't always attract many
participants and some fall into disuse. Most are more related to
role-playing games than traditional storytelling. The places to
look for these lists are: Onelist at http://www.onelist.com -
enter a keyword search for storyteller or storytelling; and
Egroups -
http://www.egroups.com/eGroups/Arts_and_Entertainment/Narrator_an
d_Storyteller

Newsgroups

alt.arts.storytelling

is supposed to be devoted to discussion of storytelling, which
to storytellers means the oral art of performing stories. It
doesn't include the art of writing stories, nor are postings of
such stories welcome. Stories that are specifically for oral
telling can be posted, and these are usually very different in
style to literary writing. The newsgroup is unfortunately
inundated with: people who don't understand this and post
creative writing; adverts for Web sites of literary e-zines etc;
spam and more spam. The intelligent conversation, between
professional and amateur storytellers, happens in huge volume on
the Storytell mailing list instead (see above). Averages 2
irrelevant posts a day, relevant posts are rare.

uk.culture.arts.storytelling

is a new group for discussing the art of storytelling in the UK.
Tellers aren't allowed to share stories on this group. Averages
1 post in two days.

The Web

When using search engines to find storytelling websites you will
probably find that quite a few sites which claim to be about
storytelling are actually about role-playing games,
screen-writing, or creative writing. Although these do involve
narration, storytellers tend to feel that other disciplines are
keen to hijack the term without delivering the same experience
as oral storytelling. However, role-playing games are a special
case - they are usually run by one person who orally describes
detailed imaginary scenarios in which the players find
themselves. These descriptions can be very creative,
interactive, and may involve many live storytelling skills (when
the play is between a group all present together, rather than
online). The context and purpose may be different to fireside or
performance storytelling, but perhaps the activity may verge on
a new form of storytelling.

Here are a few pages to get you started, leading to a great many
other links. There are stories from every culture, and there are
pages giving advice and information on the art of storytelling.
This FAQ is on the web at www.lilliput.co.uk

The Storytelling Web Ring:
http://www.tiac.net/users/papajoe/ring.htm Here you will find a
circular tour of some of the best storytelling sites.

The Storytelling Home Page was a major page of links, kept by
Jim Maroon, and there are still quite a few web links to it
hanging around, but it's dead and gone.

Sherri Johnson's Web Page: www.cyberenet.net/~sjohnson/stories/.
A Magellan 3-star site, this huge page is full of good resources
for both tellers of tales, and those who just love to listen. A
major source of links to stories, and other info.

www.storyteller.net offers various resources, including free
personal web pages for storytellers, discussion forum, online
shop, and audio files of stories being told.

The Tellabration home page: http://members.aol.com/tellabrate
explains how and why local groups all over the USA and beyond
organise this yearly event. Email the Tellabration Internet
Liaison at [email protected]

The Storytelling Diary
http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/csx1jw/talltales/stdiary.htm
: Details of current storytelling events all over the UK. Also
includes International events:
http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/csx1jw/talltales/afar.htm

This diary is updated regularly. There is also a printed version - you can
subscribe to this, or get it free with membership of the Society for
Storytelling (see below), or with Fact and Fiction magazine (see below).

===============================================================

REFERENCE MATERIAL

===============================================================

FINDING STORYTELLERS

The National Storytelling Directory (USA) is at
http://www.storynet.org. The huge web directory page has been
redesigned and is now usable and searchable. It includes: More
than 600 storytellers from the USA and several other countries,
200 organizations, 200 events, 100 educational opportunities,
many offering college credit or continuing-education units,
scores of periodicals, dozens of production companies and
broadcast programmers. Printed version costs $7.95 in the USA.
Contact the NSA: Tel. 800-525-4514 & 423-753-2171 Snail-mail
P.O.Box 309, Jonesborough, Tenn. 37659, USA.

The Directory of Storytellers lists over 150 tellers in the UK
with descriptions of services, cross-referenced by county etc.
Also, some local groups, clubs, plus magazines and
organisations. Published by the Society for Storytelling (SfS),
PO Box 2344, Reading, RG7 7FG, England. Price UKP 10.00.

Storytelling in Scotland - the Scottish Storytelling Centre
Directory, lists over thirty professional tellers. Each has a
photo, biography, specialities and contact details. Available
from The Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Netherbow Arts
Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, Scotland. Tel. +44
(0)131 557-5724. Price UKP 3.00.

The Canadian Storytelling Directory lists over 150 tellers and
Storytelling Organisations across Canada organised by province.
It is the official National Directory supported by the
Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada. Now in its third
edition, priced Can$10.00, it is published by The Vancouver
Society of Storytelling, #13 - 2414 Main Street, Vancouver, BC,
CANADA, V5T 3E3. Email: [email protected]

FINDING STORIES

To find folktales or variants, 2 sources are invaluable:
Margaret Read MacDonald's "Storyteller's Sourcebook" which lists
stories by thematic type, by subject, by title, & by ethnic
grouping. Its bibliography could serve as a recommended reading
list of folklore. A multi-volume set called "Index to Fairy
Tales" stretches from early in this century to the present. The
earliest volumes did little or no subject indexing, but this has
improved greatly. They are a guide to folklore of all countries
published in English.

There are a number of books called Tale Type Indices, and Motif
Indices. These are used to track down variants and sources of
tales, and are invaluable for the serious storyteller.
Unfortunately they tend to be very expensive, so find them at
your local reference library. Doug Lipman has an excellent guide
to the title and uses of each index, on his web pages at
www.storypower.com.

Also recommended is to join the Storytell email list and ask. If
you are looking for the title or source of a story you vaguely
know, or want to find any story with a particular theme, motif
etc. to suit your needs, with several hundred experts Storytell
has a breadth and depth of collective knowledge up to the task.

There are a great many traditional tales and myths on the Web,
from many cultures. See the Web section above for some sites of
links to guide you to them.

===============================================================

LOCAL AND NATIONAL STORYTELLING ORGANIZATIONS

===============================================================

(See the directories above for more complete info.)

USA

National Storytelling Association (NSA), PO Box 309,
Jonesborough, Tennessee 37659, USA Tel. 423-753-2171,
800-525-4514, 423-753-9331. Fax: 615-753-9331 Jimmy Neil Smith,
Exec. Dir. 615-753-2171. Membership $40 p.a. within USA.

Founded 1975, when it was called NAPPS - National Association
for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling. 7,000
dues-paying members, representing all 50 states and two dozen
foreign countries. This membership includes professional and
non-professional storytellers, librarians, educators,
therapists, parents and others interested in the art of
storytelling, as both an entertainment & educational tool, and
who use stories in their daily lives and work. Seeks to provide
opportunities to learn about the art. Sponsors educational
programs for teachers librarians, & others interested in
applying storytelling in their work. Ongoing project to
establish a storytelling centre, and Website. Library holds:
audio recordings, video recordings. Publishes a substantial
bimonthly magazine, "Storytelling Magazine" (ISSN: 0743-1104),
with quality articles, also containing listings of new books,
cassettes and video tapes, adverts and listings for courses and
workshops to improve your skills. Also publishes "National
Catalog of Storytelling", semi-annual. "National Directory of
Storytelling", annual, 1200 copies of which are distributed free
to schools across the USA (see http://www.storynet.org for the
online version). Conventions/Meetings: annual National
Storytelling Conference - always July; annual National
Storytelling Festival - always first full weekend of October,
Jonesborough, TN. (1997 Oct. 3-5.)

NSA also sponsors Tellabrations
http://members.aol.com/tellabrate around the U.S. and world wide
on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. For a modest fee, they send
Tellabration producers a packet of P.R. material, ticket slicks,
and the proclamation, which they ask that you read to your
audience.

The National Story League, the oldest national storytelling
organization in the USA, founded 1903, 15,000 members. Contact
Jane Hill, National Treasurer, 1219 W. Sanford St., Arlington TX
76012, USA. Tel.(817) 275-2520. Or President: Virginia Dare
Shope 1342 4th Ave., Juniata Altoona, PA 16601, USA.
Tel.814-942-3449

National convention (workshops and storytelling) is held every
other year (even-numbered). District conventions (also workshops
and storytelling) are held in odd-numbered years. NSL is a
service organization, with most members donating their time for
storytelling, or with proceeds of storytelling going to the
group to be used to promote storytelling. Magazine called Story
Art, included with membership. Cost varies slightly from league
to league: around $20 p.a. Divided into regional, state, and
local groups. Teachers, social workers, librarians, Sunday
school teachers, & others interested in children's work. "To
encourage the creation & appreciation of the good & beautiful in
life & literature through the art of storytelling." Seeks to
discover the "best" stories in the world's literature & to tell
them to young people with love & sympathy. Members volunteer to
tell & record stories in schools, churches, children's & old
persons' homes, hospitals, & playgrounds. Operates National
Story Junior League. Conducts seminars & writing workshops;
sponsors writing contest. Maintains speakers' bureau.
Publications: "Story Art", quarterly magazine. Publishes
award-winning oral stories; also provides news of the league &
its chapters included in membership dues; $5.00/year for
nonmembers. "Story Art Yearbook."

Jewish Storytelling Coalition 63 Gould Rd, Waban, MA 02168, USA.
Steve Rosenthal, Chair 617-244-2884
http://www.ultranet.com/~jewish/story.html

Founded 1989, 50 members. Membership: $10 (annual). Jewish
storytellers & listeners. Promotes Jewish storytelling & the
sharing of Jewish values & traditions. Sponsors story sharings &
events; offers story-swaps; maintains speakers' bureau.
Reference library holds books, periodicals, clippings. Computer
services: Mailing lists. Publications: "Directory of Jewish
Storytelling Coalition Performers", annual. Price: free.
Conventions/Meetings: Chanukah Storytelling Concert.
Tellabration (exhibits). Winter Storytelling Celebration -
workshop, includes concert.

National Association of Black Storytellers P.O.Box 67722
Baltimore, MD 21215, USA. Caroliese Frink Reed, Pres.
410-947-1117 (Fax) same number.

Founded 1984, 400 members. Annual dues: senior, $10; student,
$10; individual, $20; contributing, $50; organizational, $100;
life, $500; youth, $5. Multinational. Storytellers, scholars, &
enthusiasts. Seeks to establish a forum to promote the African
oral tradition & to attract an audience. Works for the reissue
of out-of-print story collections. Conducts educational services
& educational programs. Publishes annual Handbook. Newsletter;
NABS Brochure; National Association of Black Storytellers
Newsletter, semiannual. Circulation: 1,000.
Conventions/Meetings: annual National Festival of Black
Storytelling.

UK

Society for Storytelling (SfS)

PO Box 2344, Reading, RG6 7FG, England. Tel. +44 (0)118 935-1381
(24 hours, enquiries only). Membership Secretary: Robert Turner,
44 York Place, Stoke Village, Plymouth PL2 1BP. Tel +44 (0)1752
569244. http://www.sfs.org.uk This is the only national
organisation in Britain. It publishes a lively and useful
quarterly newsletter, factsheets and does all sorts of things
for storytelling and storytellers. They have published a
Directory of Storytellers (see Reference material above), and
various stimulating essay-booklets by famous authorities. The
annual two-day gathering in Spring is great and attracts
hundreds of storytellers. Membership is GBP18.00 a year (or
16.00 concessions, 20.00 abroad in EU, 35.00 abroad elsewhere),
including the newsletter, the Storytelling Diary, and discounts
to occasional conferences. They also stock a wide selection of
storytelling tapes from UK tellers.

The Scottish Storytelling Forum, The Netherbow Art Centre, 43-45
High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, Scotland. Tel. +44 (0)131 556
2647. Preserves, nourishes and promotes the traditional oral art
within Scotland, in English and Gaelic, and fosters connections
with tellers worldwide. Runs the Scottish International
Storytelling Festival, the Scottish Storytelling Centre and its
directory of storytellers, and The Isle of Skye festival.

The Folklore Society, in England: Tel. +44 (0)171 387 5894

Canada

Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada is the national
organisation for maintaining and practicing oral traditions in
Canada. They hold conferences every year in a different part of
the country. The National Co-ordinator is Jan Andrews, R.R.
#22230, Lanark ON, CANADA, K0G 1K0, Tel. (613) 256-0353, Fax
728-3872, and there are a series of Regional Co-ordinators which
change regularly, plus local representatives and storytelling
groups.

Vancouver Society of Storytelling, 13-2414 Main Street,
Vancouver, B.C., Canada V5T 3E3. Tel. (604) 876-2272, fax (604)
228-1274. Email: [email protected]

Norway

Norwegian Storytelling Association. Website:
http://home.newmedia.no/~nff

Australia

Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) Inc. New Web Page:
http://www.home.aone.net.au/stories Email:
[email protected] P.O. Box 76, Pendle Hill, Sydney NSW
2145 AUSTRALIA. Tel.(02) 9636 2727

Indonesia

Rumah Dongeng Indonesia (Indonesia Storytelling House) was
established in 1991. Its primary activities include
storytelling, teacher training, and publications. WeES Ibnu Say,
the founder and storyteller at Rumah Dongeng Indonesia (RDI) has
a network of storytellers all over Indonesia. For more
information please contact: Mr. WeES Ibnu Say, Rumah Dongeng
Indonesia, Jalan Tebet Barat XIII/17., Jakarta 12810, Indonesia.
Tel: 62-21-8314057, 62-21-8314058, 62-21-8351386. Fax:
62-21-8297340

===============================================================

FESTIVALS, CONVENTIONS, EVENTS AND COURSES

===============================================================

This FAQ cannot hope to list all relevant details, and will not
attempt to provide a diary - only regular events, schools or
venues will be listed so that you can contact them for current
information. Many countries have no specific story festivals, or
are just experimenting with their first. The USA however has a
great many - far too many to list every one. I'd like to list
all the major ones, whether biggest, best, or most significant
for some reason, so that newcomers to storytelling can find
inspiration in their area. Let me know if any festivals deserve
inclusion or additions to the comments. Likewise, many
storytellers offer tuition on demand or occasional courses -
consult the directories to find them in your area. This FAQ will
only attempt to list regular courses and venues to contact.

A number of storytelling studies courses with academic status
now exist, including to degree and master's degree level. A
worldwide list of these is being maintained by Eric Miller, and
is on three web sites, including
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~luna/NARR/story-studies.html

See the Storytelling Diary
http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/csx1jw/talltales/stdiary.htm
on the Web for up to date information about British events and
local groups. There are probably various groups that don't
appear in the diary though, and you may find some of them
through the storytelling magazines, or the newsletter of the
Society for Storytelling.

UK and Ireland

Festivals in Britain and Ireland

Beyond the Border is the Welsh International Festival of
Storytelling, and is superb. Happens for 3 days at the beginning
of July. Tellers from all over the world, and very friendly
atmosphere. There have been week long classes in storytelling
prior to the main festival, in idyllic surroundings - an old
Welsh castle. Again these are excellent, if on, both for
beginners and professionals. Contact Beyond the Border, St
Donat's Castle, Vale of Glamorgan CF61 1WF, Wales. Tel. +44
(0)1446 794848. Fax +44 (0)1446 794711. Email:
[email protected]

Festival At The Edge, Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Around third
weekend in July for 3 days. Web: www.stargate-uk.co.uk/edge.
Contact: Jackie Douglas, 3 High Point, Little Wenlock, Telford,
Shropshire TF6 5BT, England. Tel. +44 (0)1952 504929, or contact
Genevieve Tudor, The Old Salt House, Bower Yard, Ironbridge,
Telford, Shropshire, England. Tel.+44 (0)1952 883936. This is
the other main festival in Britain, taking place mainly on a
small hill-top farm, and also around various venues in a small
town. It has a good atmosphere and quality line-up including
tellers from overseas. A distinct northerly flavour, which
includes a bit more integration with folk music than in the
south. Free camping.

Campus - very trendy, very expensive, nice place. In Devon in
August. Quite a bit of storytelling, but also workshops in
healing, crafts etc. Email: [email protected] Tel:
+44 (0)1548 821388. Anybody got the address?

A Word in Edgeways, Milton Keynes storytelling festival. A
weekend - has been July, but the next may be in Autumn. No
festival in 1999. Festival hotline +44 (0)1908 319148. Email:
[email protected] . Contact: 56E Bossiney Place, Fishermead,
Milton Keynes, Bucks MK6 2EG, England. Philippa Tipper +44
(0)1908 665853, or James Easton +44 (0)1908 223419. Takes place
at Milton Keynes Museum, in a Victorian farmhouse. Has tended to
happen only every other year, so check that it's on.

Scottish International Storytelling Festival, run by The
Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Netherbow Arts Centre, 43-45
High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, Scotland. Tel. +44 (0)131
557-5724.

The Isle of Skye Storytelling Festival (Sabhal Mor Ostaig), Isle
of Skye, a weekend in September, organised by the Scottish
Storytelling Forum. Contact Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Teangue, Sleat,
Isle of Skye IV44 8RQ, UK. Tel. +44 (0)1471 844373. This
festival is all Gaelic language.

Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival. First
weekend in September. Contact Chuck Kruger, Glen West, Cape
Clear Island, County Cork, Ireland. Tel/Fax +353 (0)28 39157.
Email: [email protected] . Web: http://indigo.ie/~ckstory/ .
Cape Clear also run storytelling retreats and workshops, see
below.

British and Irish Courses

For excellent teaching at any level, in idyllic surroundings,
with wonderful cameraderie, go to the Beyond the Border
summer-school (see festival above). It didn't run for a couple
of years, due to building alterations, but hopefully may be
reinstated.

The Bleddfa Centre, The Old School Gallery, Bleddfa, Knighton,
Powys LD7 1PA, Wales. Tel. +44 (0)1547 550377. Fax 44 (0)1547
550370. Email: [email protected] Web:
www.bleddfacentre.com A superb week long course during August
for all levels, developing skills and confidence in a small
group. Daytime workshops and evening ceilidhs. Top teachers from
Britain. Self-contained arts centre, barns and orchard in
peaceful rolling hills of the Welsh Marches. Cost GBP250 in
1999, plus camping or accommodation.

Cape Clear Island, County Cork, Ireland. Contact: Chuck Kruger,
Glen West, Cape Clear Island, County Cork, Ireland. Tel/Fax +353
(0)28 39157. Email: [email protected] . Web:
http://indigo.ie/~ckstory/ . A weekend workshop for all in late
October, around a theme such as finding your personal style.
Also, a week long storyteller's retreat in March/April for those
who perform in public, and festival organisers.

At Emerson College you can do a three month full time course,
the School of Storytelling, September to December, focusing on
Rudolph Steiner principles, with such strands as performing
artist, education, healing, and the path of inner development.
Also runs the International Storytelling Symposium: two courses,
one week each in July and August. Contact Ashley Ramsden,
Emerson College, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JK, England. +44
(0)1342 822238, fax +44 (0)1342 826055. Email:
[email protected] Web: www.emerson.org.uk

The Unicorn School of Storytelling, 2 Fernleigh Villas, Old
Bristol Road, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, GL6 0LQ. Tel. +44
(0)1453 836554 runs three very comprehensive part-time courses
over 30 weeks each, for anyone wishing to find out about
storytelling or develop their skills.

The Centre for the Research and Development of Traditional
Storytelling, The Mantler's Yard, Marley Bank, Whitbourne,
Worcs. WR6 5RU, England. Tel. +44 (0)1886 821576. Weekend
courses, open to all, regularly through the year. Some are
experimental, others offer practical skill development. Also a
structured, selective course over 12 months for those with some
experience. This new centre is run by Ben Haggarty.

The Northern School of Writing, Bretton Hall, West Bretton,
Wakefield, W. Yorkshire, WF4 4LG, England. Tel. +44 (0)1924
836261. Courses over several weeks to develop storytelling
skills.

Tim Sheppard runs regular ten-week Wednesday evening courses in
Bristol, England, on Storytelling and Improvisation. Designed to
enable everyone to discover or stretch their creativity,
communication, playing and storytelling skills. Equally suitable
for total beginner or professional. Practical, theoretical, and
hilarious. Email me at [email protected] for more
details. 10 Manor Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8PY, England.
Tel +44 (0)117 924-8751.

The Connaught Centre, Connaught Road, Hove, E. Sussex, BN3 3WP,
England. Tel. +44(0)1273 736491. Regularly hosts a variety of
storytelling workshops to develop confidence and creativity.

Leicester University School of Education, N.A.T.E. Storytellers,
School of Education, University Road, Leicester. Tel. +44
(0)1162 785826 or 523708. A variety of storytelling workshops
throught the year, open to all.

The Rising Sun Centre, Whitley Road, Newcastle upn Tyne NE12
9SS, England. Tel +44(0)191 266-7733. Fax +44(0)191 266-8455.
Occasional weekend workshops, with a focus on the environment.

St Mary's Community Centre, 180 Eltham High Street, London SE9,
England. Tel +44 (0)181 467-9183. Occasional courses called
'Storytelling in Hope' for beginners or developing skills.

Ty Newydd Centre, Llanystumdwy, Cricieth, Gwynedd LL52 0LW.
Wales. Tel 01766 522811. Fax 01766 523095. Occasional weekend
and week long storytelling courses/retreats open to all. This
16th century house is a residential writer's centre in its own
landscaped grounds with spectacular views of sea and mountains.
Bursaries may be available.

The Verbal Arts Centre, Cathedral School Building, London
Street, Derry BT48 6RQ, Northern Ireland. Tel. 01504 266946. Fax
01504 263368. A variety of day long and weekend courses
throughout the year, organised to meet the needs of specific
groups.

Cae Mabon, Muriau Gwynion, Fachwen, Llanberis, Gwynedd, LL55
3HB, North Wales. Tel/Fax +44 (0)1286 871512. Occasional summer
courses up to several days. Simple accommodation in barn or
tents. Courses run in an amazing stone and thatch roundhouse
with central fire, modelled on pre-Roman dwellings, and set in
forest by mountain and lake.

Elan Valley, mid-Wales/Cardiff, south Wales. Contact Richard
Berry, 5 Ovington Terrace, Canton, Cardiff, CF5 1GF, Wales. Tel.
+44 (0)1222 229009. Autumn weekend storytelling workshops.

The Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Netherbow Art Centre,
43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, Scotland. Tel. +44 (0)131
557 5724 or +44 (0)131 556 2647. A variety of day schools.

Some of the above is taken from the list of courses compiled by
Jean Edmiston for The Society for Storytelling, available in
printed form from the SfS (see above for contact).

USA

USA courses

Business of Storytelling workshop, all day version of a short
workshop also run at storytelling festivals. Call (508) 655-2442
or e-mail Steve Rosenthal at [email protected].

Festivals in the USA

(see the National Storytelling Directory for many more)

The National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee,
which predates the NSA and created it, has been around since
1973. Every year, on the first full weekend in October, there is
a national storytelling conference co-sponsored and the local
storyguilds, at which Storytellers learn new skills, hone up
their old ones, and network. More information about this and
other festivals around the country can be obtained by contacting
NSA at: PO Box 309, Jonesborough, TN 37659, USA or by calling
(800)525-4514. E-mail: [email protected].

Tellabration, An Evening of Storytelling for Adults, is
organised locally all over the US, Japan, Canada, and several
other countries. NSA serves as a facilitator to producers and a
clearinghouse for information. NSA also publicizes Tellabration
events worldwide. Happens on the Saturday before American
Thanksgiving Day, November. Originally a fundraiser for NSA in
1988, now money raised from tellabrations goes to NSA and
non-profit storytelling organizations world wide. Any local
story groups, schools, libraries, colleges, museums,
performing-arts centres etc. can get the information pack and
organise their own event. See http://members.aol.com/tellabrate
for more info.

BankoH TALK STORY Festival: 2nd weekend in October. Local
tellers of South Pacific culture, and variety from mainland US.
Contact Director Jeff Gere, 67-313 Kiapoko Pl., Waialua, HI
96791. Tel: 808-592-7029 Fax: 808-596-7046

Texas Storytelling Festival, four days, around March equinox, at
Civic Center Park, Denton. Tejas Storytelling Assn, PO Box 2806
Denton TX 76202 (817)387-8336 Fax: 817-380-0352 New e-mail:
[email protected] Web: www.tejasstorytelling.com

Annual Florida Storytellers Camp at Camp Lake Yale, Eustis, FL
(north of Orlando). Early April, 4 days. Telling, Olios,
Concerts, Workshops, Resource Center. Wonderful camp experience.
Tuition around $120, full board $115 -155. Contact Myra A Davis,
FSG or Herrick Jeffers, 1630 Oleander Place, Bartow, FL 33830,
USA. Tel.(941) 533 7469 E-mail: [email protected]

There are several annual festivals in California. The Flying
Leap Storytelling Festival is in the Santa Ynez Valley (Solvang,
Los Olivos area, north of Santa Barbara) in February. The San
Juan Capistrano Festival ("Once Upon a Story") is in
mid-October. There's a festival in the Bay Area (El Sobrante,
north of Berkeley) in early May. Mariposa Storytelling Festival,
near Yosemite and Sierra Storytelling Festival in Nevada City -
one of these is in mid-July, inevitably the weekend after the
NSA conference. The Southern California Story Swapping Festival
is designed to encourage everyone to tell: small group swaps, a
one minute story swap, reports from all groups in the region,
workshops (some years) and a concert. Around mid-May and the
location moves each year. See
http://www.cinenet.net/users/mhnadel/story/socalgroups.html for
south California story swap meetings.

The Bristol Hills Storytelling Club festival, Bristol, Indiana.
1st week-end after Labor Day in Congdon Park, since ~1990.
Friday night through Saturday night, with 3 nationally known
tellers. "One of the best festivals I have been to recently."

First Night, Family Entertainment in hundreds of Cities in USA
on December 31. Most include storytellers. Contact your state
Arts Council for local info.

Yankee "Yarns" Festival in Keene, NH. April weekend. Sponsored
by the Monadnock Travel Council. Contact Ellen Avery (603)
563-8801

SunFest Storytelling Festival, Sooner Park, Bartlesville
Oklahoma. 1st weekend after Memorial Day (end May, or early
June). Four regional tellers plus open mike time. Telling begins
Friday evening and is continuous from 11am - 9pm Saturday,
12-4pm Sunday. Free admission, free parking. Bring blanket or
lawnchairs. SunFest is part of a larger music and arts festival,
all held outdoors in a beautiful wooded park with many
children's activities. It is a community/family festival. A free
shuttle connects SunFest to the simultaneous BiPlane Fly-In
across town. Contact: Fran Stallings 918.333-7390
<[email protected]>; 1406 Macklyn Lane, Bartlesville OK
74006-5419

Winter Storytelling Festival, Atlanta, Georgia - last weekend in
January. Sponsored by the Southern Order of Storytellers.

Tennessee Winter Storytelling, Pidgen Forge - Valentine's Day
Weekend, in February.

Stephen Foster State Park Storytelling Festival - White Springs,
Florida Last weekend in April.

Celtic Festival - Oglethorp College includes Storytelling -
third weekend in May - Atlanta, Georgia.

Florida Folk Festival - Nine Stages includes two Storytelling
stages Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, Florida.
Memorial Day Weekend - Last weekend in May or the Weekend before
the 30th of May.

Folk Life Center of the Smokes - Harp and Dulcimer Festival with
Storytelling - Cosby, Tennessee Flag Day - Fathers Day
weekend,mid June.

Cherokee Rose Storytelling Festival - West Georgia College -
Carrolton, Georgia. Last weekend in September.

Cracker Storytelling Festival - Homeland {Deland}, Florida. Last
weekend in October.

Gifts Without Wrappings - Storytelling The Carter Center -
Atlanta, Georgia - December

Stories by the Sea festival, Newport, Oregon. One day, end
September, in Performing Arts Center. Sponsored by Oregon
Library Association's Children Services Division. Workshop, two
concerts: matinee for children, evening concert for older
audiences. All of the events take place in Newport's beautiful,
seaside

O.O.P.S! (the Ohio Order for the Preservation of Storytelling)
holds an annual spring conference -- usually the first weekend
in May (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) -- in Chesterville, Ohio
(between Mansfield and Columbus, off I-71). We have social
events (lots of great food), entertainment, swaps, an olio,
workshops, a concert, telling in local churches and schools, and
lots of camaraderie. The next conference will take place on May
2, 3 and 4, 1997 and the featured teller will be Syd Lieberman.
For additional information, call Co-Chairs, Kay and Denny
Flowers at (330) 887-5482 or Chris King, President, P.O. Box
221255 Beachwood, Ohio 44122, or Tel. (216) 991-8428. Email
[email protected]

CANADA

Canadian Festivals

Yukon International Storytelling Festival, first weekend in
June, long established. The largest Storytelling Festival in
Canada and the only one that is truly international. Also
features a lot of First Nations (indigenous) performers. The
organisation publishes a newsletter, maintains an audio
archives, and a directory of northern tellers. Email:
[email protected] Web:
www.yukonweb.com/special/storytelling/

Ottawa Storytelling Festival, 2 days, second weekend in
November, first if Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) is on the weekend.
Information: E-mail  [email protected]  or Tara Hartley
[email protected], Tel.(613) 567-1774. Storytellers from
Ottawa, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Kingston. Pass for all
events costs around $15.00. Workshops for adults, concert,
children's story-swap. Concessions for low-income people. Known
for its friendliness; unpaid tellers come anyway because are
made to feel so welcome.

"Storytelling Through the Ages", first 3 months of the year.
Sunday evening 7:00 - 9:00, Rasputin's 696 Bronson Ave., Ottawa.
Co-sponsored with Rasputin's and Multicultural Arts for Schools
and Communities (MASC) Contact MASC (613)725-9119 or Tara
Hartley. January usually offers parts of the Odyssey, and Feb. &
March are other epics or myths with historical connections, such
as Beowulf, Monkey King, Norse Mythology, First Nations stories.

In Quebec, the Musee de la Civilisation is quite active in
French-language storytelling with a lot of activities, such as
the annual storytelling festival in the autumn. For more
information you could contact: Dominique Renaud, Musee de la
Civilisation, Ville de Quebec, Quebec, Canada. E-mail:
[email protected] The Museum has a web site: http://www.mcq.org/

Vancouver Storytelling Festival, June, the weekend before the
closest to summer solstice. Contact Vancouver Society of
Storytelling, 13-2414 Main Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V5T
3E3. Tel (604) 876-2272, fax (604) 228-1274. Email:
[email protected]

Fort Edmonton Storytelling Festival, Edmonton, Alberta, early
September

Storyfest, Fredericton, New Brunswick, mid-February

North Bay Storytelling Festival, presented by The Storytellers
of the Near-North, North Bay, Ontario, late July

London Storytelling Festival, London, Ontario, mid-late October

Toronto Jewish Storytelling Festival, North York, Ontario

Canadian Courses

Storytellers School of Toronto, 791 St. Claire Ave. W., 2nd
Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M6C 1B7 Canada. Tel. 416-656-8510.
Offers a full calendar of courses for all levels of
storytellers, sponsors the annual festival in Toronto, publishes
a journal titled Appleseed Quarterly, a newsletter titled Pippin
and supports storytelling projects. Tellers have come from all
over the world to participate. Courses are updated regularly.
Write for the current course brochure.

SWEDEN

Ber�ttar Festival, five days long in mid June. Held since 1990,
features 50 tellers, artists, teachers, writers, researchers.
Performers from all over the world. Contact Ber�ttar Festival,
Norra J�rnv�gsgatan, 13, 341 37 Ljungby, Sweden. (If any of the
above letters get garbled by computer translation, they will be
"a" topped by two dots.)

AUSTRALIA

Australian National Festival of Story - southwest Australia -
Sydney or Canberra, late September to mid-October. Australian
Storytelling Guild (NSW) Inc. New Web Page:
http://www.home.aone.net.au/stories Email:
[email protected] P.O. Box 76, Pendle Hill, Sydney NSW
2145 AUSTRALIA

INDONESIA

Nusantara Storytelling Week - co-ordinated by Rumah Dongeng
Indonesia, mid-October for 8 days, in Jakarta. Incorporates the
Indonesia Storytelling Festival, with Mask storytelling,
Children's Theater, Stories from Indonesia, and guests from
Australia and Japan; the Creativity Garden - Camping with
storytelling activities, Art Appreciation (competition in
drawing pictures for storytelling, story synopsis, theater &
music appreciation), Traditional games; Storytelling Workshops
and Seminars

===============================================================

STORYTELLING MAGAZINES

===============================================================

Apart from membership magazines from organisations (see above),
there are also:

UK

The Crack: a storytelling magazine with stories, news &
articles, edited by Ben Haggarty. GBP7.50 (may have increased,
and publication is very intermittent) inc.p&p/year for 3 issues,
payable to Paper Shoe Publications. Send to The Crack c/o The
Crick-Crack Office, Dalby St, London NW5 3NQ, England. Ben runs
a storytelling venue, the Crick-Crack Club in London.

Facts & Fiction: another good storytelling mag. GBP8.00 (may
have increased) inc. p&p/year for 4 issues, payable to Facts and
Fiction, 16 Severn Way, Cressage, Shrewsbury SY5 6DS, England.

The Mouth: Newsletter for storytellers in the South-West of
England. Local news, courses and events. Wendy is very active in
the Society for Storytellers and is keen to make contact,
canvassing views, initiatives and involvement from everyone
interested, not just professionals. 4 issues for GBP 7.50.
Cheque to Wendy Dacre, 27 Essington, North Tawton, Devon EX20
2DS, England. Tel.+44 (0)837 82719

USA

Storytelling World is produced by the Storytelling Program at
East Tennessee State University. This highly recommended journal
publishes tellable stories, articles about the techniques of
telling, and interviews with tellers. The editor is Dr. Flora
Joy. Subscriptions within USA are $8.95/1 yr.; $16.95/2 yrs.; &
provide 2 issues per year. Back issues are available, and the
entire past tables of contents are online at
www.etsu.edu/stories. Contact Dr. Joy at [email protected] or ETSU,
Box 70647, Johnson City, TN 37614-0647, USA.

The Texas Teller edited by Peggy Helmich-Richardson, Tel.
972-271-8356, USA

Works In Progress. Subscriptions are $6 a year (two issues).
Send to StorySwap, PO Box 90161, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
Interviews, articles with practical professional advice, reviews
of tapes and books, etc. Welcomes article submissions - send to
the same address, or e-mail to [email protected]

Parabola - a journal of myth and tradition. Very well known.
Anyone care to provide a description relevant to storytellers?
Web: http://www.parabola.org/

Stories, edited by Katy Rydell, 12600 Woodbine St., Los Angeles,
CA 90066, USA. $15/year.

Story Bag edited by Harlynne Geisler, 5361 Javier St. San Diego,
CA 92117 USA. $20/year.

Tale Trader. One of the best, read by a lot of people. Published
by International Order of E.A.R.S., Inc., edited by Lee
Pennington. EARS is another national storytellers organization,
HQ in Kentucky. Address is 12019 Donohue Ave., Louisville, KY
40243, USA. TT is a quarterly tabloid, around 24 pages, with
color. News of the Storytelling world, plus reviews of tellers,
tapes, books, and festivals; letters, calendar of events
nationwide (and even a few extraterritorial ones), interviews
with tellers, ads for tellers and for resources, a crossword
puzzle, "Jack Tales" comic strip, and at least one tellable
story per issue, sometimes several. They have State and
International correspondents, including in England and Ireland.
EARS membership (including discounts on their long list of
resources & events) is $20 individual, $30 family, or $15 for
just a sub, $5 extra for foreign.

Canada

Appleseed Quarterly: The Canadian Journal of Storytelling:
Published quarterly since 1991, each issue focuses on a
different area of Canada and features an interview with a
Canadian storyteller, a story to tell, and articles written by
tellers from the area, a book review, and news from the national
organisation (Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada) and, of
course, letters to the Editor. Subscription rates are Can$25.00
per year. Send to Appleseed Quarterly c/o Editor Lorne Brown, 44
Wentworth Avenue, North York, Ontario CANADA, M2N 1T7.

Germany

Maerchenspiegel: a quarterly German-language journal for
international research and the encouragement of fairytales. The
emphasis is academic rather than practical, therefore little
related to performance, but of considerable interest. Articles
often mirror threads we have had on Storytell. E.g. dwarfs in
European tales, another on H.C. Andersen, separating the myth of
the man from social context of his time, and the Maerchen-yurt
in Mongolia - a union of scouts and storytelling. It has very
short English summaries of the articles. Cost: annual
subscription is DM 30 (currently around �10); postage abroad is
DM 6; Individual issues cost DM 9. Editor is Dr. Sabine
Wienker-Piepho. Address: Silberbachstr. 17, D-79100 Freiburg,
Germany. Tel. + 49 761 701 643. Fax: + 49 761 707 7379

===============================================================

NOTABLE STORYTELLERS

===============================================================

All of these, in no particular order, have featured in various
people's top ten. This isn't an authoritative list, and is only
meant to point you to some tellers who may inspire, or
demonstrate excellence. If your favourite teller doesn't appear,
let me know, and let's have some names from other countries too.

USA: Jackie Torrence, The Folktellers, Donald Davis, Jay
O'Callahan, Jeannine Laverity, Joseph Bruchac, Gayle Ross, Doug
Lipman, Laura Simms, Mary Carter Smith, Jim Weiss, Ray Hicks,
Elizabeth Ellis Dan Keding, Charlotte Blake Alston, Jim May, Ed
Stivender & Heather Forest, Carol Birch, Peter Cook, Roslyn
Bresnick-Perry, Len Cabral, Syd Lieberman, Barbara
McBride-Smith, David Novak, John Spelman, Bobby Norfolk

UK: Robin Williamson, Taffy Thomas, Hugh Lupton, Ben Haggarty,
Duncan Williamson, Daniel Morden, Pomme Clayton, TUUP, Jan
Blake, Stanley Robertson

Canada: Michel Faubert, Alice Kane (now retired), Joan Bodger,
Lorne Brown, Bob Barton, Rita Cox, Alec Gelcer, Celia Lottridge,
Lynda Howes, Marylyn Perringer, Leslie Robbins, Carol McGirr,
Roz Cohen, Gail de Vos, Dan Yashinsky

France: Abbi Patrix, Muriel Bloch

Sweden: Ulf Arnstrom

Ireland: Eamonn Kelly, Eddie Lenihan, Pat Speight, Liz Weir,
Jack Lynch, Batt Burns, Nuala Hayes

===============================================================

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

===============================================================

There are many books available, covering various needs: learning
to tell, teaching others - kids or adults, using storytelling in
education or therapy, sound practices for the professional, and
of course the stories themselves. Below you'll find just a few,
and not necessarily all of the best ones. I hope to include some
more comprehensive booklists soon. Meanwhile, to ask for books
on specific topics join the Storytell mailing list (see above).

Don't underestimate your level of ability, though. You can be
totally inexperienced and still be good at telling stories.
Shyness and other rough edges will rub off fairly quickly, once
you've faced just a handful of even small, informal audiences.
And you'll be surprised just how captivating storytelling is -
you're unlikely to disappoint even an adult audience at your
first show, since many have forgotten the power and delight of
stories and will praise you highly rather than look to
criticise. Books can help, but not as much as feedback from a
real audience.

Two books worth their weight in gold for a prospective
professional storyteller are:

"The Storyteller's Start-up Book," by Margaret Read MacDonald

"The Storyteller's Guide," by Bill Mooney and David Holt both
published by August House.

The latter has the contributions of 50 professional
storytellers, etc on all sorts of questions including getting
started, developing venues, and the business side of telling.
Very impressive. Includes as good a discussion about the ethics
of storytelling, borrowing threads, themes, and whole tales,
copyright, etc. as you'll find in one place.

"Storytelling Activities," by Norma Livo.

Teachers may like the informative appendix which breaks down
stories and their activities into Piaget developmental steps.

"Storytelling Process and Practice," by Norma Livo

The new "bible" for anyone going into telling. Everything from
storymapping, learning stories, syllabi for a course, how to set
up an event, etc. a wonderful book.

"The Way of the Storyteller," Ruth Sawyer

The old "bible"!

"Storytelling Professionally; The Nuts and Bolts of a Working
Performer," Harlynne Geisler. Libraries Unlimited Press.

Recommended by many professionals. Harlynne is editor of The
Story Bag; A National Storytelling Newsletter. E-mail:
[email protected] . Web: www.swiftsite.com/storyteller . The
book can be ordered from the website, but if you are outside the
USA, you can only order from the publisher: www.lu.com .

"How to Make Money Performing in Schools," David Heflick.

Recommended by many professionals. Don't be put off by the
title, there is lots of practical advice appropriate to
storytellers, and the business side is useful even to those not
working in schools. Covers all areas of managing one's business.
The schools advice is specific to the USA, but the principles
are applicable elsewhere. Available from Silcox Productions, Box
1407 - Orient WA - 99160, USA. Tel. (509)-684-8287 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.storyteller.net/tellers/dave_cindy/

"Storytellers' Research Guide," by Judy Sierra. Folkprint 1996,
but now out of print. Was $15. PO Box 450, Eugene, Oregon 97440,
USA.

A must for serious storytellers, a helpful guide to oral
traditional tales; more than 300 reference books, tale
collections, periodicals, electronic and online resources
listed. Includes research basics, what makes a tellable tale,
tracking down tales, fieldwork, and copyright for storytellers
etc. Luckily Judy has made three of its chapters available on
her home page: 1, Research Basics; 3, Tracking Down Trails; 4,
Around and About the Tale. Find it at:
http://www.judysierra.com/storytellersguide.html

===============================================================

THE STORYTELLING SCENE AROUND THE WORLD

===============================================================

This section is for gathering a general impression of
storytelling in each country. E.g. Is there a revival happening?
Was there ever a decline? Are there many professionals working?
What status does storytelling have in the culture? What kind of
stories are told? If you are from or have visited a country not
mentioned here, and have any information or impressions on the
state of storytelling there, contact me at
[email protected] or see the contact info at the
beginning, and help storytellers gain a worldwide perspective on
our art. See the other sections for more specific info on
organisations etc. This section will be expanded soon, sooner if
you send something in.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, a country with 17,500 islands and 200 million
people, storytelling is very much alive. Although storyteller as
a profession only prospers in big cities, small cities have
their share of activities. People enjoy traditional stories as
well as imaginative modern stories. Subjects often discussed by
Indonesian storytellers include: Preservation of traditional
stories; How children and parents perceive storytelling; How to
increase awareness that storytelling is not an ancient tradition

Recent seminars discussed Theme: "Modern Parents Have No Time
For Storytelling", A Change in Culture and its impact in the
intensity and quality of storytelling at home, Storytelling as
an educational transformation media at school, The philosophy of
Bakaba and Ethnic Stories in Modern Society, Storytelling and
Preservation of Environmental Values. It is still difficult to
make storytelling one's sole income, thus many people make
storytelling their second job. However, they are very serious in
professional development.

Italy

There is in Italy an old tradition of storytellers
(Cantastorie), specially in the South (Sicily, Naples, Calabria,
etc.) but it's disappearing. This decline is caused by the
general decline of folk traditions: the use of dialect above
all. Today the "Cantastorie" are a subject of study for
ethnologists and folklorists. But there is a great number of
theatrical companies, actors, musicians that are studying the
old repertoires for their performances including stories from
Italian tradition ("Fiabe Italiane" collected by Italo Calvino
or "Il Cunto de li Cunti" by Giambattista Basile. There isn't
any major revival of Storytelling.

===============================================================

CREDITS

===============================================================

This FAQ is maintained by Tim Sheppard. If you have any
questions about storytelling and don't know who to ask, email
Tim. Also feel free to send web links, corrections, additions,
answers, suggestions etc.

This FAQ may be distributed freely, but not for profit,
providing it retains all personal credits. You have permission
to copy sections of this FAQ only if they remain unaltered, and
you include the beginning and ending (this) credit sections. You
are welcome to make web links to this FAQ - please call it The
Storytelling FAQ, maintained by Tim Sheppard. Copyright remains
with the editor and authors. See www.lilliput.co.uk, Storytell,
or alt.arts.storytelling for the latest version - or write to
Tim at the address at the beginning.

===============================================================

Thanks to contributors: Shari Lynn Kochman
[email protected]; Janet Glantz [email protected];
Kate Dudding [email protected]; Nancy Howland
[email protected]; Randel McGee [email protected]; Barry
McWilliams [email protected]; Barbara McIntyre
[email protected]; Ingrid Buck
[email protected]; Bonnie [email protected]; Herrick Jeffers
[email protected]; Chuck Larkin [email protected]; Judy
Schmidt [email protected]; Bonnie [email protected]; Lois
Sprengnether [email protected]; Tara Hartley
[email protected]; Miriam Nadel [email protected]; Bob
[email protected]; Papa Joe [email protected]; Rebecca Cohen
[email protected]; Roger Armstrong
[email protected]; Granny Sue [email protected];
Beate E. Larsen [email protected]; Owen [email protected];
Barra Jacob-McDowell [email protected]; David Wilson
[email protected]; Meryl Arbing [email protected]; Amanda
Katili-Niode [email protected]; Wren [email protected];
Lynn [email protected]; Lorna Czarnota [email protected]; Barry
Patterson [email protected]; Tim Jennings
[email protected]; Bob Shimer [email protected];
Joi Cardinal [email protected]; Richard Martin
[email protected]; Doug Lipman [email protected]; Margaret M.
Sheehan [email protected]; Hope Baugh [email protected];
Richard Marsh [email protected]; Mario Villani
[email protected]; Doc Moore [email protected]; Audrey Kopp
[email protected]; Derek Johnson [email protected]; Anne Tayler
[email protected]; Mabel Kaplan [email protected]; Suzi
Shaeffer [email protected];

===============================================================

The seeker handed the list back gingerly and it disappeared into
the folds of Mr. Faq's cloak.

Mr. Faq smiled at him and said, "You have sought knowledge and
gained it. May it serve you well.

"Welcome newcomer. May all your stories touch the heart."

The smoke from Mr. Faq's pipe grew until it filled the cave. The
seeker coughed, but before the smoke became unbearable, it
slowly faded away. The seeker looked around, yet Mr. Faq was
nowhere to be seen.

The seeker turned and walked out of the cave. In the distance,
he could see the flickering light of a campfire and the evening
breeze carried the voices of the storytellers gathered there.
Hurriedly, he made his way to join them...

The Beginning...

=========================================================
Tim Sheppard                    [email protected]
Lilliput Press   -   Publisher of fine books in miniature
England                         http://www.lilliput.co.uk
                     The Storytelling FAQ is hosted here
=========================================================

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