Telling stories

I ran out of time on Friday, or I would have posted that I was going to attend a storytelling workshop on Saturday. Had I done that, it is possible that my blogging friend Sally Jenkins would have seen it and then it wouldn't have been a surprise when we both turned up! It was lovely to meet Sally in real life after having followed her blog for so long. We ended up working together and it just felt right, somehow. (The pic isn't brilliant, I'm afraid.)

The workshop was organised by Writing West Midlands and  led by Maria Whatton, who proved to be an excellent teacher. I don't want to do a 'school report' here, so let me just give you the bullets:

• Storytelling is not a performance; rather it is a way to engage with the people listening.
• Unlike writing, where we have a reader in mind, a storytelling session depends on who turns up on the night.
• The more thoroughly you can imagine the world you are creating, the better and more believable your stories will be. Interrogate your characters. Put yourself in their shoes - and heads. Draw the world you are creating - see pic.
• There is value in the rhythm of the story; it's almost like music. Read aloud, even if your story is for publication.
• Walk as you think. A change of physical surroundings can stimulate the mind.
• Inanimate objects can be characters. Push yourself to explore the less usual points of view.

We listened, we wrote, we chatted, we shared. It was an excellent day.