If a story is not about the hearer he [or she] will not listen . . . A great lasting story is about everyone or it will not last. The strange and foreign is not interesting–only the deeply personal and familiar.
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
Because there is a natural storytelling urge and ability in all human beings, even just a little nurturing of this impulse can bring about astonishing and delightful results. —Nancy Mellon, The Art of Storytelling
The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
We are all made up of stories. ~Stuart Nager
Look, let me make this clear; Storytelling is as much for adults as it is for children. Only in the USA do people, overall, think telling stories is just something you READ to kids and it’s only for kids.
Reading a story is very different then TELLING a story.
Telling comes from inside. The teller tells what is important to them, how it resonates with them, and then shares it with the audience. It is not memorized word for word. A tale could be told twenty times, and there will be alterations, adjustments, feeling out the audience energy and engagement…it is knowing the tale, and taking it on.
Storytelling is for adults, too, and in some cases, THE most important audience. It has meanings that latch onto the referencing of the individuals. It straddles every single areas of our lives, not just in schools or libraries.
Corporate storytelling is BIG! The smart managers and directors realize that the personal and corporate tales give the employees something to latch onto…and to believe in. It’s internal marketing/branding, and has a deeper resonance if it’s TRUE and sincere.
The above video is all about storytelling videos from prisoners to loved ones. I’ve seen others from military parents. Think about it…It sends more than a message of love and longing. It connects on a much deeper level.
Storytelling is used in hospitals, elder care centers, and other wellness locations. It gives the potential to open up and share in a way that take conversational talking to another level. Even sitting in ones kitchen, a good telling is like sitting under the stars, listening to the story of the day’s adventure.
In Education: would you rather be engaged or talked at/nose in a book? Talked AT; not with. There is a big difference here; when you can connect and find your own meaning in something, the “lesson” you take out of it will last longer for you.
We are all made up of stories. How do you share yours?
“And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual.
This is what I am and what I am about.”
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
bornstoryteller 
Oct 25, 2011 @ 15:10:37
All so true, My dad used to do that with me, I remember things he talked about to this day.
Oct 25, 2011 @ 15:13:11
These things stick. It’s primal to remember stories. Thanks Jan.
Oct 25, 2011 @ 15:32:25
A leader who has no story to share has no followers (ipso facto, he is not a leader).
A parent who tells its child(ren) no stories has no wisdom to impart and makes little impression on their lives.
A human who has no inner story cannot inflame the passions of life and accomplish dreams.
A story need not be fiction, it need not be totally factual, but it must be true.
Oct 25, 2011 @ 15:36:36
Well said Roy. Thank you.
Oct 25, 2011 @ 21:36:45
Talked AT; not with. There is a big difference here; when you can connect and find your own meaning in something, the “lesson” you take out of it will last longer for you.
Completely agree with that last line.
Oct 25, 2011 @ 21:47:02
Thanks Damyanti.
Oct 26, 2011 @ 04:44:06
I just have to tell you that every time I come to your blog, I get a deeper sense of what is it to be a better person. You are magnificent, you really are.
Oct 26, 2011 @ 08:08:28
OK…I am blushing so hard my face is going to burst into flames.
Thank you.
Oct 27, 2011 @ 14:01:11
You’re so right about storytelling being an integral part of our lives. I agree that corporate storytelling is huge. Who wants to listen to dry summaries and reports? How many politicians use stories to illustrate their messages. Stories light up our lives and give us something to identify with.
Sometimes, I think of my storyteller ancestors (and yours) sitting around their fires in caves at night. Storytelling must go back to the birth of words or maybe beyond to gestures.
Of the quotes you included, the one that struck me most was yours, “We are all made up of stories.” However, not everyone has the talent to them.
Oct 27, 2011 @ 14:23:57
Thank you Penelope. I do think every one can do it. It is inside of us all
Oct 29, 2011 @ 04:47:08
My dedication to the Storyteller of This Story (blogpost), as well as the storyteller in us all, from a Fellow Storyteller of Life [and Everything and Nothing]:
Sarah Kay ForTheWin (FTW 😉
What comes from the heart goes to the heart.
Oct 29, 2011 @ 13:02:13
Thank you, Somebody.
Oct 30, 2011 @ 16:42:16
whether it informs, entertains or just serves as a form of expression, all writing is art. Thanks for keeping that alive.
Oct 30, 2011 @ 16:44:47
You are welcome