Well, here goes. This is a test run where I'm copying video into my blog.
I hope it works. Enjoy the story!
http://easylink.playstream.com/kellyswanson/Bridal_Shower.wvx
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Seventy-Three Things I've Learned on Stage
73 Things
I’ve Learned on Stage
1. Find out about your audience in advance if you can.
2. There is no room for mediocre.
3. Your clients don’t care how talented you are, that’s already an assumption. What they care about is whether their audience will like you.
4. The show must go on.
5. Likeability is everything.
6. Your opening sets the tone. Make it good. It’s hard to bounce back from a weak opening. You can lose them in the first couple of minutes.
7. You can not prepare for every distraction to your show. Just stay calm and react.
8. A bad demo is worse than no demo.
9. Excitement is contagious.
10. It pays to add worth to your estimate, but never underestimate your worth. (It sounded better at home.)
11. Never eat chili before a show.
12. Success is not what the world tells you it. You decide what success looks like to you.
13. Being comfortable on stage is everything.
14. You are performing from the minute you answer your phone and engage in a conversation right up until …well, it never stops…..you are always “on.”
15. Speak like you speak – talk to them, not at them.
16. When disruptions happen, acknowledge them. Don’t pretend that you aren’t aware the lights just went out. If you can make a joke about it, your audience will think you’re a genius.
17. Live and learn and always treat yourself as a work in progress.
18. Success is not a method, it’s an attitude.
19. Find a way to be the only one who does what you do.
20. Timing is everything – on stage and off.
21. If they see your passion for what you do, they will feel it too.
22. You are not a star to be admired. You are a vessel so that your gift may flow through you – remember that and serve others.
23. Praying helps.
24. If it doesn’t get a laugh, pretend like it wasn’t supposed to.
25. Remember that your audience wants you to do well. They aren’t waiting for you mess up. They are cheering you on.
26. You never know who is sitting in your audience.
27. Marketing is simply telling them you are here. Any way you know how.
28. Watch game film.
29. Never underestimate the value of a thank-you note.
30. Get a website.
31. 10% of your audience will hate you because they hate everybody. 10% will love you because they love everybody. 80% will reserve judgment. That’s the group you want to impress. Forget about the unhappy 10%. You’ll never change them.
32. Nothing will help your appearance more than spandex and a good pair of suck-me-in panties.
33. Nobody notices normal.
34. It’s okay if somebody doesn’t “get” what you do.
35. Be true to who you are and at the end of the day you’ll know that you did your best.
36. Mingle with your audience first if you can.
37. Dress like you. If you’re a southern redneck, don’t come out in a ball gown.
38. When something really cool and unexpected happens on stage, write it down. Work it into your act.
39. Think of how radically different the world would be if our every decision was made thinking of someone else first.
40. Dream big. Think outside the box. Look at what everybody else is doing and do something radically different.
41. Smile. Smile when you’re talking to them on the phone. Smile when you walk on their property. Smile when you’re on stage and when you’re getting into your car to go home.
42. Every now and then take the job at the senior citizen for a chicken breast and a glass of sweet tea.
43. Don’t break the rules until you’ve learned them.
44. Learn it like a script, then practice telling it like you didn’t memorize it.
45. They may not remember what you made them think. But they will always remember how you made them feel.
46. Funny sells.
47. If they hire you for thirty minutes, talk for 29. Never ever ever think you have the right to go over your allotted time.
48. Your stories are never as interesting to somebody else as they are to you – get a second opinion.
49. Remember that not everyone can do what you do. That makes you valuable.
50. Don’t steal material. It’s just not nice.
51. The days are over of waiting for your big break. Make it happen.
52. Sometimes you get in front of the wrong crowd. Quit early.
53. Find ways that your material can relate to your audience – a universal theme – a common thread. You may not all share the same culture or background, but there are certain experiences that you do share - first love, getting spanked, relationships, etc.
54. Don’t get out of the race because you don’t think you can be the fastest. The world is big enough for all of us.
55. Remember the big picture.
56. Never try to copy somebody well known. If they want him, they’ll hire him.
57. You’ll get into trouble pretending like you know what stage right is.
58. You are here for a reason. Treat that honor with care.
59. Seek wisdom from those who are willing to give it. Surround yourself with people who know.
60. Other performers are not your enemy. They are your PR people, your support group, your advisors, and your cheerleaders.
61. It’s not talent that makes you rise to the top. There are plenty of talented performers waiting tables. The most successful aren’t the most talented – but the most persistent. The ones who keep getting back up.
62. Don’t leave your values at home.
63. You don’t have to figure everything out today.
64. There will always be someone telling you that you can’t do it.
65. Your client isn’t there to make you feel good about what you do. That’s your job.
66. Every audience is worthy of your best show.
67. Different is good. But accept the challenges that come with wearing a different label.
68. Leave the stage while you’re ahead. Never overstay your welcome.
69. Big hair will make your thighs look smaller.
70. Give back. Not because someone once gave to you, but because you can.
71. Often we are the very thing blocking our path to success.
72. Turn your head away from the microphone if you need to burp.
73. Don’t be too hard on yourself. At least you’re better now than you were ten years ago. Aren’t you?
Kelly Swanson
www.kellyswanson.net
I’ve Learned on Stage
1. Find out about your audience in advance if you can.
2. There is no room for mediocre.
3. Your clients don’t care how talented you are, that’s already an assumption. What they care about is whether their audience will like you.
4. The show must go on.
5. Likeability is everything.
6. Your opening sets the tone. Make it good. It’s hard to bounce back from a weak opening. You can lose them in the first couple of minutes.
7. You can not prepare for every distraction to your show. Just stay calm and react.
8. A bad demo is worse than no demo.
9. Excitement is contagious.
10. It pays to add worth to your estimate, but never underestimate your worth. (It sounded better at home.)
11. Never eat chili before a show.
12. Success is not what the world tells you it. You decide what success looks like to you.
13. Being comfortable on stage is everything.
14. You are performing from the minute you answer your phone and engage in a conversation right up until …well, it never stops…..you are always “on.”
15. Speak like you speak – talk to them, not at them.
16. When disruptions happen, acknowledge them. Don’t pretend that you aren’t aware the lights just went out. If you can make a joke about it, your audience will think you’re a genius.
17. Live and learn and always treat yourself as a work in progress.
18. Success is not a method, it’s an attitude.
19. Find a way to be the only one who does what you do.
20. Timing is everything – on stage and off.
21. If they see your passion for what you do, they will feel it too.
22. You are not a star to be admired. You are a vessel so that your gift may flow through you – remember that and serve others.
23. Praying helps.
24. If it doesn’t get a laugh, pretend like it wasn’t supposed to.
25. Remember that your audience wants you to do well. They aren’t waiting for you mess up. They are cheering you on.
26. You never know who is sitting in your audience.
27. Marketing is simply telling them you are here. Any way you know how.
28. Watch game film.
29. Never underestimate the value of a thank-you note.
30. Get a website.
31. 10% of your audience will hate you because they hate everybody. 10% will love you because they love everybody. 80% will reserve judgment. That’s the group you want to impress. Forget about the unhappy 10%. You’ll never change them.
32. Nothing will help your appearance more than spandex and a good pair of suck-me-in panties.
33. Nobody notices normal.
34. It’s okay if somebody doesn’t “get” what you do.
35. Be true to who you are and at the end of the day you’ll know that you did your best.
36. Mingle with your audience first if you can.
37. Dress like you. If you’re a southern redneck, don’t come out in a ball gown.
38. When something really cool and unexpected happens on stage, write it down. Work it into your act.
39. Think of how radically different the world would be if our every decision was made thinking of someone else first.
40. Dream big. Think outside the box. Look at what everybody else is doing and do something radically different.
41. Smile. Smile when you’re talking to them on the phone. Smile when you walk on their property. Smile when you’re on stage and when you’re getting into your car to go home.
42. Every now and then take the job at the senior citizen for a chicken breast and a glass of sweet tea.
43. Don’t break the rules until you’ve learned them.
44. Learn it like a script, then practice telling it like you didn’t memorize it.
45. They may not remember what you made them think. But they will always remember how you made them feel.
46. Funny sells.
47. If they hire you for thirty minutes, talk for 29. Never ever ever think you have the right to go over your allotted time.
48. Your stories are never as interesting to somebody else as they are to you – get a second opinion.
49. Remember that not everyone can do what you do. That makes you valuable.
50. Don’t steal material. It’s just not nice.
51. The days are over of waiting for your big break. Make it happen.
52. Sometimes you get in front of the wrong crowd. Quit early.
53. Find ways that your material can relate to your audience – a universal theme – a common thread. You may not all share the same culture or background, but there are certain experiences that you do share - first love, getting spanked, relationships, etc.
54. Don’t get out of the race because you don’t think you can be the fastest. The world is big enough for all of us.
55. Remember the big picture.
56. Never try to copy somebody well known. If they want him, they’ll hire him.
57. You’ll get into trouble pretending like you know what stage right is.
58. You are here for a reason. Treat that honor with care.
59. Seek wisdom from those who are willing to give it. Surround yourself with people who know.
60. Other performers are not your enemy. They are your PR people, your support group, your advisors, and your cheerleaders.
61. It’s not talent that makes you rise to the top. There are plenty of talented performers waiting tables. The most successful aren’t the most talented – but the most persistent. The ones who keep getting back up.
62. Don’t leave your values at home.
63. You don’t have to figure everything out today.
64. There will always be someone telling you that you can’t do it.
65. Your client isn’t there to make you feel good about what you do. That’s your job.
66. Every audience is worthy of your best show.
67. Different is good. But accept the challenges that come with wearing a different label.
68. Leave the stage while you’re ahead. Never overstay your welcome.
69. Big hair will make your thighs look smaller.
70. Give back. Not because someone once gave to you, but because you can.
71. Often we are the very thing blocking our path to success.
72. Turn your head away from the microphone if you need to burp.
73. Don’t be too hard on yourself. At least you’re better now than you were ten years ago. Aren’t you?
Kelly Swanson
www.kellyswanson.net
Saturday, April 21, 2007
When Parenting and Writing Collide
I'm a "Working Mother" – a stupid expression undoubtedly created by a man, or some thin woman who still has abs and doesn’t possess one of those precious little slippery, sniveling, shrieking, leaking, scabs with feet we call children. I love motherhood, just not today, as I throw darts at my June Cleaver poster, understanding with full clarity why my mother went through forty-seven wooden spoons when I was growing up.
I don’t like the term working mom. Every mom works. I’m simply a mom with a second job, working from a home I share with my husband and a two-year-old son who has two idols – his pee-pee and Sponge Bob.
Do you think I’m sitting at my quiet desk by a flickering candle sipping a latté while I write this? Don’t make me laugh. I wrote the first paragraph on the stair-master, after learning the hard way that you can’t write on a treadmill. The second draft I wrote in the checkout line, and the final revision in stirrups at my annual pap smear, and consider yourself honored because that was my only vacation from the kid all week and I spent it with you.
I am a writer, storyteller - whatever they need within reason and even that is negotiable. Being a writer is tough, but nothing can prepare you for what happens when parenting and writing collide. And collide is the perfect word.
I still remember long baths that didn’t include posterior probes by a rubber ducky. When Enya filled the halls, not shrieks from a naked child who refuses to take off his boots and yells everything, including his favorite song about how we all use the potty –that is, everybody but him. I remember when I had never uttered a sentence with both terd and tub in it.
My story isn’t unique. I count my blessings every day that I get to be a mom and still do what I love, even if it means eating potted meat instead of filet. You see, I am not the “after” picture of success. Nor am I the “before.” I am the “during” picture – that lonely place in the middle, when you’re not sure whether to keep going or turn back. And if this is you, then hear me when I say this. Don’t give up. Don’t listen to that voice telling you that you’re not good enough - that your dream doesn’t matter.
I’m speaking to every woman who is praying for her big break or even just a tiny crack. I’ve been there. I am still there, standing beside you, whispering in your ear. You can do it. It’s not about winning the race. It’s about staying in it. It is not the most talented who become the most successful. It’s the most determined. So let nothing stand in the way of your dream. Now, go hug your kid and get back to work.
I don’t like the term working mom. Every mom works. I’m simply a mom with a second job, working from a home I share with my husband and a two-year-old son who has two idols – his pee-pee and Sponge Bob.
Do you think I’m sitting at my quiet desk by a flickering candle sipping a latté while I write this? Don’t make me laugh. I wrote the first paragraph on the stair-master, after learning the hard way that you can’t write on a treadmill. The second draft I wrote in the checkout line, and the final revision in stirrups at my annual pap smear, and consider yourself honored because that was my only vacation from the kid all week and I spent it with you.
I am a writer, storyteller - whatever they need within reason and even that is negotiable. Being a writer is tough, but nothing can prepare you for what happens when parenting and writing collide. And collide is the perfect word.
I still remember long baths that didn’t include posterior probes by a rubber ducky. When Enya filled the halls, not shrieks from a naked child who refuses to take off his boots and yells everything, including his favorite song about how we all use the potty –that is, everybody but him. I remember when I had never uttered a sentence with both terd and tub in it.
My story isn’t unique. I count my blessings every day that I get to be a mom and still do what I love, even if it means eating potted meat instead of filet. You see, I am not the “after” picture of success. Nor am I the “before.” I am the “during” picture – that lonely place in the middle, when you’re not sure whether to keep going or turn back. And if this is you, then hear me when I say this. Don’t give up. Don’t listen to that voice telling you that you’re not good enough - that your dream doesn’t matter.
I’m speaking to every woman who is praying for her big break or even just a tiny crack. I’ve been there. I am still there, standing beside you, whispering in your ear. You can do it. It’s not about winning the race. It’s about staying in it. It is not the most talented who become the most successful. It’s the most determined. So let nothing stand in the way of your dream. Now, go hug your kid and get back to work.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Planning a Tour
.jpg)
PLANNING A TOUR
Making one job turn into three
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
April, 2007
Have you ever taken a job out of town for less than your normal rate? Have you ever wished that you could find a way to make more money out of each job? Have you ever wanted an excuse to visit your favorite vacation spot? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the article for you.
As artists, many of us struggle to make a living doing what we love to do. We are so filled with passion that we are willing to work for next to nothing if that’s what it takes. And often we get discouraged when the phone doesn’t ring. Or we look at the upcoming month of bookings and know that we face another month of eating boxed noodles. This is the life of a starving artist, hence the term. And it will always be our struggle to bring in more business. But take comfort in the fact that there are ways to make more money with the jobs you’ve got. And, like everything else in the world of marketing, it doesn’t just naturally happen. You have to make it happen. Quite often in our business the answer isn’t in working harder, but working smarter. And today I’m going to share four areas where you can start working smarter.
Product
If you are a speaker or performer, at some point you will want to look into creating books, CD’s, and DVD’s. People like to take a piece of you home after the show. It’s a great way to double your money on a job. But it’s also easier said than done, and you don’t want to create something that doesn’t represent you in a professional way. So don’t be in so much of a hurry that you spend all your money to create something that a year later you wish you could take back. But also understand that there are other ways to sell product.
Make a manual, put a cute cover on it, bind it, and sell it in the back of the room for more than it cost you to make it. You’re probably wondering what the manual should be about. If you are teaching a workshop, then make your manual be a how-to book. If you are a humorist, do a manual on how to add humor to your life. If you are a storyteller, do a manual on how to use stories in your classroom or in your home. I have seen speakers bring little gadgets to sell in the back. If you are an artist, bring some stuff you have made to sell. Wouldn’t it be cool if you are a storyteller that uses gourds to tell stories and sold story gourds in the back of the room? Or maybe gourds with a manual on how to do your own story gourd. I once saw a storyteller who used a little wooden dancing puppet in his show. Turns out he sold them in the back after the show. I loved them so much I bought six to use when I do kid shows. My mother has an embroidery machine. I’m going to get her to sew one of my cartoons on a t-shirt or a bag and sell it in the back of the room. I know that some of you have skills as an artist. Make a fun story pin, have a story behind it, and sell it in the back of the room. Have fun and use your imagination. Just don’t lose sight of your purpose which is to create something you can sell to make a profit.
You may not be ready for a professional CD yet, but there are ways to sell recordings of your show. Invest in a digital recorder that will record a show that can then be transferred to your computer. At this point you can save it as a file and email it or save it to a CD. Voila! You have a recording of the show to sell. You can sell the CD’s the day of the show and promise to mail them within the week. Make sure you know what you’re doing. You’d hate to sell a recording and find out you forgot to turn the thing on. I’ve heard of speakers selling thirty-minute CD’s for ten dollars. But the digital recorder is expensive, so let me give you another option.
I want you to know about Audacity Recording software. If you do a Google search for “Audacity Free Recording Software” you will find a site that allows you to download the free recording software. Here is one site where I found it: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. Don’t go to Audacity.com because that is an actual recording studio’s website. Audacity Software can be downloaded onto your computer. It allows you to tape directly into your computer and edit it. I needed a microphone to plug into my computer. My husband had one lying around, so it didn’t have to be specific to my computer. You can save the recording as an MP3 and copy it to disc or email the recording or post it on your website. That’s how I did the demo clips on my Promotion page if you want to listen (http://www.kellyswanson.net/). Though it isn’t as good or effective as a live show, the quality is good and it doesn’t cost anything. I love it.
I have a professional CD, but I plan on doing some more CD’s by taping stories directly into my Audacity software and then saving them to CD. One time a client didn’t choose me because she wasn’t sure how I could do motivational speaking. So I jumped on my computer, taped it, and emailed it to her. She loved it. When Mother’s Day comes around I will tape some stories that have to do with mothers and sell it wherever I have a show on Mother’s Day. Same thing for the holidays – a collection of Christmas stories. What great Christmas gifts. Audacity is also good for those times when you need an audition demo that has very specific time and content requirements. Now you can create one on demand. Too cool. Make sure you have access to someone with some computer knowledge in case you run into some questions while downloading.
Extra Services on Location
Be aware of what other talents you possess – what other values you can offer your audience. If you are a storyteller, then chances are good that you can teach a Storytelling 101 class. If you make a living as a storyteller, then you know how to start your own business as an artist. You may have some great ideas about how to use storytelling in your church, or how to craft a presentation. If you are funny, then you probably have tips on humor. If you are a natural in front of an audience, then you can show CEO’s how to be natural when giving speeches. You might be a good coach or have skills at designing websites. Take inventory of your assets and next time you get a call, make sure that they know the other things you can do. This may be an incentive to bring you back again, or to put you in a more lucrative spot. You really need to think about who is calling and what they would find of value. For example, if I’m going to entertain a group of teachers with my comedy, I would make sure that they know I can teach workshops on how to incorporate storytelling in the classroom as a teaching tool. If I’m hired as the entertainment at a Professional Women’s Conference, I would want them to know that I can also teach a breakout session on Website Positioning in the Marketplace. I just made that one up, but sure sounds good doesn’t it! I am surprised at how many people out there want to learn how to do what I do. You might find yourself in the same position.
I heard a new idea recently of offering coaching sessions while on location. Basically, you tell them that you are available for personal coaching sessions for $x an hour. I think this is a neat idea and plan on trying it the next time I have a job in a venue which would allow for such an activity.
Creating Other Jobs in the Area
This is sometimes harder than you might think but definitely worth the effort for many reasons. When you have a job far from home, try to get other jobs in the area while you are there. It helps to offer a discount as an incentive for them to book you that particular week. Here is how I have worded emails in the past:
Award-winning storyteller and comedian, Kelly Swanson, will be teaching a comedy workshop in your area on June 2, 2007. She is offering a discount to anyone who books a show or workshop in the area the week of June 1st. She offers programs for children and adults, as well as a workshop for artists on how to start their own business. For more information, see http://www.kellyswanson.net/
Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. But even if you don’t get business, you are getting your name out there and planting the seed. You never know what may come of it. I have had people say, “No, we don’t need anybody that week. However, we do have a conference in September, would you be interested in coming back?”
The internet will be your starting and ending point. No need to use anything else. Plan on spending hours in front of it. I recommend that you create a system for booking your own tour - a list of who you call in every case. That’s what I did. And I based my list on the typical places where I have been known to get work. Sometimes I call and sometimes I email. I will look up any old business I had in that area and give them a call to ask if they can recommend someone who might be interested in having me come while I’m in town. Here is my list. Copy it if you’d like, but make sure that it’s a list that works for you.
Visitor’s Centers
Chambers of Commerce
Businesses in the area – usually listed on the Chamber’s site
Arts Councils
Children’s Museums
Birthday Party Hosting Sites (if you do kids’ shows)
Schools
Libraries
Churches
Book Stores
Rotaries - you may not get paid, but you can sell product and/or get your name out
Junior Leagues
Kiwanis
Ladies Groups
Civic Groups
Event Planners / Meeting Planners
Friends and Relatives who live in the area and can provide referrals
Press Releases
Press releases are a good idea for many reasons. When you know you are performing in an area, send a press release to the local media contacts. Again, use the internet to find them. You will often get some media exposure, maybe even an article on the front page of the local paper. You may not see the benefit right away, but sometimes you do. I have gotten many bookings from people who have just read about me in an article, and many bookings from those who remembered reading about me in that article a year ago. Press Releases are easy (Google a sample press release to learn how to do one) and you get much more out of them than you put into them.
And there you have it, four areas where you can start working smarter. If you are already doing this, congratulations. Maybe you’ve gotten slack and needed a reminder. Or maybe this is all new to you. Doesn’t matter. It works for everybody. And it doesn’t require upper level thinking to do it.
Even if these things don’t result in business right away, quite often they will result in business later down the line. Sometimes my declined request turned into something even better later.
The more I work at my business, the more I realize that it’s not really a matter of knowing what to do, but actually doing it. If you want the joy of turning your art into a profession and making money for what you do, you must treat it like a profession. It’s up to you. It will not happen if you just wait for it to happen.
There are those who may not agree. Those who think that marketing has no place in the sacred world of storytelling. That art is not a business. If you get paid for it, it’s a business. And you’re not selling out. You’re choosing to be brave enough to go for your dreams. Just like the musicians who sell their albums – to the dancers who perform on Broadway – to the writers who sell books – to the guitar player on the corner who puts out the faded hat for tips.
I will not say it is easy. I will not say there are shortcuts to success. It takes work. It takes courage to pick up that phone, to put yourself out there and risk rejection. Believe in yourself. I believe in you. You have a gift – a talent that a majority of people do not possess. Now go out and sell it.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
www.kellyswanson.net
Making one job turn into three
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
April, 2007
Have you ever taken a job out of town for less than your normal rate? Have you ever wished that you could find a way to make more money out of each job? Have you ever wanted an excuse to visit your favorite vacation spot? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the article for you.
As artists, many of us struggle to make a living doing what we love to do. We are so filled with passion that we are willing to work for next to nothing if that’s what it takes. And often we get discouraged when the phone doesn’t ring. Or we look at the upcoming month of bookings and know that we face another month of eating boxed noodles. This is the life of a starving artist, hence the term. And it will always be our struggle to bring in more business. But take comfort in the fact that there are ways to make more money with the jobs you’ve got. And, like everything else in the world of marketing, it doesn’t just naturally happen. You have to make it happen. Quite often in our business the answer isn’t in working harder, but working smarter. And today I’m going to share four areas where you can start working smarter.
Product
If you are a speaker or performer, at some point you will want to look into creating books, CD’s, and DVD’s. People like to take a piece of you home after the show. It’s a great way to double your money on a job. But it’s also easier said than done, and you don’t want to create something that doesn’t represent you in a professional way. So don’t be in so much of a hurry that you spend all your money to create something that a year later you wish you could take back. But also understand that there are other ways to sell product.
Make a manual, put a cute cover on it, bind it, and sell it in the back of the room for more than it cost you to make it. You’re probably wondering what the manual should be about. If you are teaching a workshop, then make your manual be a how-to book. If you are a humorist, do a manual on how to add humor to your life. If you are a storyteller, do a manual on how to use stories in your classroom or in your home. I have seen speakers bring little gadgets to sell in the back. If you are an artist, bring some stuff you have made to sell. Wouldn’t it be cool if you are a storyteller that uses gourds to tell stories and sold story gourds in the back of the room? Or maybe gourds with a manual on how to do your own story gourd. I once saw a storyteller who used a little wooden dancing puppet in his show. Turns out he sold them in the back after the show. I loved them so much I bought six to use when I do kid shows. My mother has an embroidery machine. I’m going to get her to sew one of my cartoons on a t-shirt or a bag and sell it in the back of the room. I know that some of you have skills as an artist. Make a fun story pin, have a story behind it, and sell it in the back of the room. Have fun and use your imagination. Just don’t lose sight of your purpose which is to create something you can sell to make a profit.
You may not be ready for a professional CD yet, but there are ways to sell recordings of your show. Invest in a digital recorder that will record a show that can then be transferred to your computer. At this point you can save it as a file and email it or save it to a CD. Voila! You have a recording of the show to sell. You can sell the CD’s the day of the show and promise to mail them within the week. Make sure you know what you’re doing. You’d hate to sell a recording and find out you forgot to turn the thing on. I’ve heard of speakers selling thirty-minute CD’s for ten dollars. But the digital recorder is expensive, so let me give you another option.
I want you to know about Audacity Recording software. If you do a Google search for “Audacity Free Recording Software” you will find a site that allows you to download the free recording software. Here is one site where I found it: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. Don’t go to Audacity.com because that is an actual recording studio’s website. Audacity Software can be downloaded onto your computer. It allows you to tape directly into your computer and edit it. I needed a microphone to plug into my computer. My husband had one lying around, so it didn’t have to be specific to my computer. You can save the recording as an MP3 and copy it to disc or email the recording or post it on your website. That’s how I did the demo clips on my Promotion page if you want to listen (http://www.kellyswanson.net/). Though it isn’t as good or effective as a live show, the quality is good and it doesn’t cost anything. I love it.
I have a professional CD, but I plan on doing some more CD’s by taping stories directly into my Audacity software and then saving them to CD. One time a client didn’t choose me because she wasn’t sure how I could do motivational speaking. So I jumped on my computer, taped it, and emailed it to her. She loved it. When Mother’s Day comes around I will tape some stories that have to do with mothers and sell it wherever I have a show on Mother’s Day. Same thing for the holidays – a collection of Christmas stories. What great Christmas gifts. Audacity is also good for those times when you need an audition demo that has very specific time and content requirements. Now you can create one on demand. Too cool. Make sure you have access to someone with some computer knowledge in case you run into some questions while downloading.
Extra Services on Location
Be aware of what other talents you possess – what other values you can offer your audience. If you are a storyteller, then chances are good that you can teach a Storytelling 101 class. If you make a living as a storyteller, then you know how to start your own business as an artist. You may have some great ideas about how to use storytelling in your church, or how to craft a presentation. If you are funny, then you probably have tips on humor. If you are a natural in front of an audience, then you can show CEO’s how to be natural when giving speeches. You might be a good coach or have skills at designing websites. Take inventory of your assets and next time you get a call, make sure that they know the other things you can do. This may be an incentive to bring you back again, or to put you in a more lucrative spot. You really need to think about who is calling and what they would find of value. For example, if I’m going to entertain a group of teachers with my comedy, I would make sure that they know I can teach workshops on how to incorporate storytelling in the classroom as a teaching tool. If I’m hired as the entertainment at a Professional Women’s Conference, I would want them to know that I can also teach a breakout session on Website Positioning in the Marketplace. I just made that one up, but sure sounds good doesn’t it! I am surprised at how many people out there want to learn how to do what I do. You might find yourself in the same position.
I heard a new idea recently of offering coaching sessions while on location. Basically, you tell them that you are available for personal coaching sessions for $x an hour. I think this is a neat idea and plan on trying it the next time I have a job in a venue which would allow for such an activity.
Creating Other Jobs in the Area
This is sometimes harder than you might think but definitely worth the effort for many reasons. When you have a job far from home, try to get other jobs in the area while you are there. It helps to offer a discount as an incentive for them to book you that particular week. Here is how I have worded emails in the past:
Award-winning storyteller and comedian, Kelly Swanson, will be teaching a comedy workshop in your area on June 2, 2007. She is offering a discount to anyone who books a show or workshop in the area the week of June 1st. She offers programs for children and adults, as well as a workshop for artists on how to start their own business. For more information, see http://www.kellyswanson.net/
Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. But even if you don’t get business, you are getting your name out there and planting the seed. You never know what may come of it. I have had people say, “No, we don’t need anybody that week. However, we do have a conference in September, would you be interested in coming back?”
The internet will be your starting and ending point. No need to use anything else. Plan on spending hours in front of it. I recommend that you create a system for booking your own tour - a list of who you call in every case. That’s what I did. And I based my list on the typical places where I have been known to get work. Sometimes I call and sometimes I email. I will look up any old business I had in that area and give them a call to ask if they can recommend someone who might be interested in having me come while I’m in town. Here is my list. Copy it if you’d like, but make sure that it’s a list that works for you.
Visitor’s Centers
Chambers of Commerce
Businesses in the area – usually listed on the Chamber’s site
Arts Councils
Children’s Museums
Birthday Party Hosting Sites (if you do kids’ shows)
Schools
Libraries
Churches
Book Stores
Rotaries - you may not get paid, but you can sell product and/or get your name out
Junior Leagues
Kiwanis
Ladies Groups
Civic Groups
Event Planners / Meeting Planners
Friends and Relatives who live in the area and can provide referrals
Press Releases
Press releases are a good idea for many reasons. When you know you are performing in an area, send a press release to the local media contacts. Again, use the internet to find them. You will often get some media exposure, maybe even an article on the front page of the local paper. You may not see the benefit right away, but sometimes you do. I have gotten many bookings from people who have just read about me in an article, and many bookings from those who remembered reading about me in that article a year ago. Press Releases are easy (Google a sample press release to learn how to do one) and you get much more out of them than you put into them.
And there you have it, four areas where you can start working smarter. If you are already doing this, congratulations. Maybe you’ve gotten slack and needed a reminder. Or maybe this is all new to you. Doesn’t matter. It works for everybody. And it doesn’t require upper level thinking to do it.
Even if these things don’t result in business right away, quite often they will result in business later down the line. Sometimes my declined request turned into something even better later.
The more I work at my business, the more I realize that it’s not really a matter of knowing what to do, but actually doing it. If you want the joy of turning your art into a profession and making money for what you do, you must treat it like a profession. It’s up to you. It will not happen if you just wait for it to happen.
There are those who may not agree. Those who think that marketing has no place in the sacred world of storytelling. That art is not a business. If you get paid for it, it’s a business. And you’re not selling out. You’re choosing to be brave enough to go for your dreams. Just like the musicians who sell their albums – to the dancers who perform on Broadway – to the writers who sell books – to the guitar player on the corner who puts out the faded hat for tips.
I will not say it is easy. I will not say there are shortcuts to success. It takes work. It takes courage to pick up that phone, to put yourself out there and risk rejection. Believe in yourself. I believe in you. You have a gift – a talent that a majority of people do not possess. Now go out and sell it.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
www.kellyswanson.net
Understanding your value to your customer
UNDERSTANDING YOUR VALUE TO YOUR CUSTOMER
It’s not about providing a service that is valuable.
It’s about providing a service that your client finds valuable.
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
March, 2007
I don’t know about you, but marketing is not my favorite part of my job. I’m an artist. I want to create. I want to perform. I want to sweat under a spotlight and have adoring fans faint at my feet. I want the glamour. I want the paparazzi to try to catch pictures of me sun bathing nude on a remote island. And nowhere in this dream do I envision myself licking stamps, entering addresses on a database, fighting with technology, and facing rejection on a regular basis. And for a long time, I waited for success to happen to me. I was an artist, and like most artists, I just waited for my big break. Well, guess what. Big breaks don’t just happen. You’ve got to go out there and make it happen. I don’t care what people say. Look at any artist who has benefited from a big break, and tell me that they didn’t consciously make a decision (or several decisions) that put them along the path that led to their supposed good fortune. The winner of American Idol at some point made a decision to go stand in line.
I say this, not to discourage you, but to inspire you. The waiting is over. It’s a new day. You have a valuable gift. You want to share it with the world. It’s time to let them know you are here. Any way you know how. It is that simple. As much as you may not like the way I put it, you have a product to sell. Unless you have decided that your art is for your own pleasure only and you do not intend to do anything more than enjoy it within the confines of your own home. And this is fine too. You probably won’t benefit from this article. But for the rest of us who want to share our gift with the world, read on.
I am a storyteller and a writer and a comedian. I know the value in what I do. I know the value in making people laugh. I know the power and beauty in words and how they are put together. I know that what I do has merit and brings people joy. I know I matter. If you aren’t at this point mentally, stop reading and find someone who can help you restore your soul. I’m here if you need me to remind you of your worth. But knowing you are valuable is not the key to good marketing. It’s knowing what your client finds valuable. And can you provide the value they are looking for?
Whenever I get a job that isn’t typical for those in the storytelling profession, people are surprised and undoubtedly ask me how I got the audience to “accept” what I do. How was I able to “educate” my audience on what a storyteller needs? How was I able to make them “get” what I do? The whole point of this article is that it’s not about getting your audience or your client to accept what you do. It is not about them meeting your needs. It’s about you meeting their needs. This is a business and most clients will not spend time trying to figure out how to best use your gift. Let me give you an example.
When I got booked on the cruise ships as an evening entertainer and I saw the scheduled lineup of artists, I was surprised that they chose storytelling to include in their repertoire. I knew that my show was radically different than what the cruise audiences were accustomed to watching. In my eyes, it didn’t fit. Don’t get me wrong. I knew my show was good. I knew it had value. I just wasn’t sure that it was the value my client was looking for. I was right.
My first show went off without a hitch. I didn’t miss a beat. I knew based on years of experience that I had hit the mark on all that I had set out to do. It was the best that I knew how to do. And it was received about as enthusiastically as a cold sore on school picture day. That’s right. It bombed. And do you know why? Because it wasn’t what they were expecting. It didn’t fit what the audience wanted. One man summed it up perfectly when he said, “Fantastic show. Wrong crowd.”
It was awful. On cruise ships you can’t just run away and lick your wounds. You have to face your audience everywhere! And I wasn’t finished. I had another show in forty-five minutes. And two more shows the following week before I could go home. And when you’re in show business, you don’t get to just quit. The show must go on. So in forty-five minutes I met with the cruise director who told me what went wrong. They wanted funny. They didn’t want serious or poignant. They wanted comedy. Stick with that and they’ll be fine. So in forty-five minutes I rewrote my show pulling every piece of comedy I had. And on the second show….I was a hit. The difference was astounding. They couldn’t stop talking about it. They loved it. I don’t tell you this to brag. They also liked the one-armed man who juggled poodles and sang Moon Over Miami. I tell you this because it is a great example of how important it is to find out what is valuable to your customer first, and then decide if you can provide the value. If not, no big deal. Move on to another customer.
When you know what your customer finds valuable, and you feel that your service meets that value, then there is one more step. You need to know how to sell your value to them in a language that they can understand. You need to know their lingo. Find the words that they can relate to. Schools will want to use words like curriculum and grants and test scores. Comedy clubs will be interested in laughs per minute. Churches will want to know your statement of faith. Publishers will want to know your market value. The corporate world will want points and how your service will benefit their bottom line. I know, it sounds like a lot of work. But you need to do it if you want to increase your business. And this is why it is so important to know who you want to sell your product to, before you ever figure out how to sell it to them.
And let me end this rambling session with a word of advice. Please don’t change your art to match your audience. You can tweak it here and there to fit your message to your group. I have sold my service to just about every type of venue you can think of, and have written stories to fit just about every audience and theme you can imagine. I have come up with hundreds of different ways to package my show, yet never once have I changed my material. Never once have I strayed from what I love to do – which is to write and tell stories. So do not read this article and find any reason to change yourself to fit a market. If you don’t fit your audience, find a different one. You have a gift to share with the world. You just need to find the right place to share it. And if I can be of any help along the way, don’t hesitate to ask.
I wish you all my best. See you in April.
It’s not about providing a service that is valuable.
It’s about providing a service that your client finds valuable.
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
March, 2007
I don’t know about you, but marketing is not my favorite part of my job. I’m an artist. I want to create. I want to perform. I want to sweat under a spotlight and have adoring fans faint at my feet. I want the glamour. I want the paparazzi to try to catch pictures of me sun bathing nude on a remote island. And nowhere in this dream do I envision myself licking stamps, entering addresses on a database, fighting with technology, and facing rejection on a regular basis. And for a long time, I waited for success to happen to me. I was an artist, and like most artists, I just waited for my big break. Well, guess what. Big breaks don’t just happen. You’ve got to go out there and make it happen. I don’t care what people say. Look at any artist who has benefited from a big break, and tell me that they didn’t consciously make a decision (or several decisions) that put them along the path that led to their supposed good fortune. The winner of American Idol at some point made a decision to go stand in line.
I say this, not to discourage you, but to inspire you. The waiting is over. It’s a new day. You have a valuable gift. You want to share it with the world. It’s time to let them know you are here. Any way you know how. It is that simple. As much as you may not like the way I put it, you have a product to sell. Unless you have decided that your art is for your own pleasure only and you do not intend to do anything more than enjoy it within the confines of your own home. And this is fine too. You probably won’t benefit from this article. But for the rest of us who want to share our gift with the world, read on.
I am a storyteller and a writer and a comedian. I know the value in what I do. I know the value in making people laugh. I know the power and beauty in words and how they are put together. I know that what I do has merit and brings people joy. I know I matter. If you aren’t at this point mentally, stop reading and find someone who can help you restore your soul. I’m here if you need me to remind you of your worth. But knowing you are valuable is not the key to good marketing. It’s knowing what your client finds valuable. And can you provide the value they are looking for?
Whenever I get a job that isn’t typical for those in the storytelling profession, people are surprised and undoubtedly ask me how I got the audience to “accept” what I do. How was I able to “educate” my audience on what a storyteller needs? How was I able to make them “get” what I do? The whole point of this article is that it’s not about getting your audience or your client to accept what you do. It is not about them meeting your needs. It’s about you meeting their needs. This is a business and most clients will not spend time trying to figure out how to best use your gift. Let me give you an example.
When I got booked on the cruise ships as an evening entertainer and I saw the scheduled lineup of artists, I was surprised that they chose storytelling to include in their repertoire. I knew that my show was radically different than what the cruise audiences were accustomed to watching. In my eyes, it didn’t fit. Don’t get me wrong. I knew my show was good. I knew it had value. I just wasn’t sure that it was the value my client was looking for. I was right.
My first show went off without a hitch. I didn’t miss a beat. I knew based on years of experience that I had hit the mark on all that I had set out to do. It was the best that I knew how to do. And it was received about as enthusiastically as a cold sore on school picture day. That’s right. It bombed. And do you know why? Because it wasn’t what they were expecting. It didn’t fit what the audience wanted. One man summed it up perfectly when he said, “Fantastic show. Wrong crowd.”
It was awful. On cruise ships you can’t just run away and lick your wounds. You have to face your audience everywhere! And I wasn’t finished. I had another show in forty-five minutes. And two more shows the following week before I could go home. And when you’re in show business, you don’t get to just quit. The show must go on. So in forty-five minutes I met with the cruise director who told me what went wrong. They wanted funny. They didn’t want serious or poignant. They wanted comedy. Stick with that and they’ll be fine. So in forty-five minutes I rewrote my show pulling every piece of comedy I had. And on the second show….I was a hit. The difference was astounding. They couldn’t stop talking about it. They loved it. I don’t tell you this to brag. They also liked the one-armed man who juggled poodles and sang Moon Over Miami. I tell you this because it is a great example of how important it is to find out what is valuable to your customer first, and then decide if you can provide the value. If not, no big deal. Move on to another customer.
When you know what your customer finds valuable, and you feel that your service meets that value, then there is one more step. You need to know how to sell your value to them in a language that they can understand. You need to know their lingo. Find the words that they can relate to. Schools will want to use words like curriculum and grants and test scores. Comedy clubs will be interested in laughs per minute. Churches will want to know your statement of faith. Publishers will want to know your market value. The corporate world will want points and how your service will benefit their bottom line. I know, it sounds like a lot of work. But you need to do it if you want to increase your business. And this is why it is so important to know who you want to sell your product to, before you ever figure out how to sell it to them.
And let me end this rambling session with a word of advice. Please don’t change your art to match your audience. You can tweak it here and there to fit your message to your group. I have sold my service to just about every type of venue you can think of, and have written stories to fit just about every audience and theme you can imagine. I have come up with hundreds of different ways to package my show, yet never once have I changed my material. Never once have I strayed from what I love to do – which is to write and tell stories. So do not read this article and find any reason to change yourself to fit a market. If you don’t fit your audience, find a different one. You have a gift to share with the world. You just need to find the right place to share it. And if I can be of any help along the way, don’t hesitate to ask.
I wish you all my best. See you in April.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
Developing Characters
DEVELOPING CHARACTERS
Stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the people
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
February, 2007
Cedar Grove is a tiny town about a mile and a hair past nowhere. They’ve got two stoplights total and an old brick schoolhouse that also serves as the town hall and bingo headquarters on Thursdays. They’re very proud of their one-half of a fast-food restaurant. The other half is technically in Butner – not the same Butner to which you may be familiar with. Time rolls at a slow pace in Cedar Grove where the most exciting thing that ever happened was the time Cleetus Harley’s pig made front page of the paper for having borned her a piglet with three tails. These stories, they aren’t fancy. They’re just about the people. Kelly Swanson
This is how I open many of my storytelling performances and I have spent years “apologizing” for the fact that my stories don’t have strong plots, just strong characters. I always hoped that my audiences would form a connection with my characters – a connection that would somehow make their lives better having known the characters in my small southern town.
So imagine my surprise when over the course of my studies (I am always studying comedy, writing, storytelling, speaking, etc.) I ran across a book written by one of my favorite comedy writers (Janet Evanovich) where she states that stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the characters. This is not to say that a story doesn’t need a plot, or that plots aren’t important. It is to say that with weak characters, your plot is useless. So if you remember anything today, remember that the story is in the people. Let me say it louder: THE STORY IS IN THE PEOPLE.
She’s not the first one to say it, and most certainly not the last, but for the first time I stopped and listened and let it soak into my brain as another writing truth ingrained in my heart. (Here’s where my husband would tell me to quit being so dramatic.) And so the topic I have chosen to ramble on about for this month is developing characters. I have seen time and time again that when you take the time to fully develop a character, the story will write itself. Did you hear that? Spend time on the character and the story will write itself. I’ve seen it happen over and over. So trust me on this.
I’m a big believer in showing rather than telling, so instead of giving you a list of ways to develop a character, I’m going to show you how I developed a character just last week, and how opening up your mind to these characters will unlock story trails beyond imagination. Okay, so maybe I’m being dramatic again. Let’s just get to work and see if I can show you what I mean.
I’m huffing and puffing away on my treadmill (where I get my best creative work done) and I’m reading what Janet Evanovich (in her book “How I Write”) has to say about the characters in her books. And I was so intrigued and inspired by her insights that I immediately got out my life journal (yes, I actually meant it when I said I had a life journal) and decided to create a character right there on the spot. No story, no plot, no deep hidden meanings – just a character. And as every good writer knows, perfect characters are boring. We want characters who have flaws, who make mistakes – characters who are real.
So I trusted the first person to pop into my head and decided on a girl (because I am one, and know nothing about being a boy and don’t want to do the research to figure it out.) How about a girl who teaches dance in small town. Is it the best character in the world? Who knows, this is just practice so I’ll go with it. Okay, now what?
Writers should write what they know. So if you haven’t been in the military, you probably shouldn’t have your main character be a soldier unless you are willing to do the necessary homework to understand it from a soldier’s perspective. I’m too lazy. So I know my character will be somebody I can relate to on some level. Except that I know nothing about dancing? So why did I choose a dance teacher? Beats me. Problem is, I never danced or had family who danced so I don’t know anything about that. That’s not good.
How about this: She’s never had a dance lesson in her life. She has no idea what she’s doing. Now that I can relate to. And other people can relate as well to the concept of being somewhere where we’re in a little bit over our head. She and I are sounding more alike already. And what a great situation to place a character, for nothing opens the door for comedy better than placing a characters in situations where they don’t naturally belong. I’m not sure that made sense. Remember the show Bosom Buddies from years ago? The one about the two men who had to dress as women to live in their building? That’s what I mean.
Wow, now that opens the door for humor and conflict. But how can she be a dance teacher having never taught dance? It’s got to make sense. Easy….she filled in one day for the regular dance teacher who never came back. It’s a small town. Nobody else wanted the job, the kids kept showing up, and one thing led to another…and here she is. Stuck. She doesn’t want to quit and let the kids down. She’s staying out of obligation. But secretly liking it.
Already I can see the potential for stories here – the experiences with the kids. But I’m jumping ahead. See? The story is already wanting to write itself. But back to the character.
Every character wants something – sometimes more than one thing. They may want physical things or emotional things or both. So I need to make this character want something. How about this: She wants to be bigger than the small town where she lives. She’s got something missing in her life. Problem is, she doesn’t have any idea what, and she keeps chasing after different things each week (each story.) She’s indecisive. At this point my main character has some qualities like me, and some not. That’s okay.
Not only does every story’s main character want something, there has to be something standing in their way of getting it. This is often referred to as the conflict. Notice that we aren’t really worried about what our story is going to be about. We aren’t getting into the story’s plot where you travel down the road of conflict and resolution. We are talking about the main character’s conflict. What makes her tick. The parts about her that may never show up on paper – but that we need to know before we ever begin our story. Does that make sense? It’s almost as if you are doing a report on your character before you even think about writing your story. When you get to writing a story about her, you will find ways to SHOW us what she is like through her actions, rather than a paragraph that opens up and tells us all about her. That’s boring. Yuck. Anyway, back to the main character.
What are some other things about her? At this point I’m just going to list some stuff as it pops into my head. I may not use all of it. I don’t want to give all my quirks (the things that make that character interesting) to the same character. I may want to give her a friend with some of those quirks. But we’ll get to secondary characters in a minute.
Let me take a minute to explain to you something about characters. You want them to be realistic and make a connection to your audience. You want your audience to have a stake in your character – to be rooting for them. You also want your audience to have a stake in your other characters. You want your characters to grow, but also stay true to who they are. This may sound like a lot of work, and sometimes it is. But it’s worth it if you want to have a good story. And sometimes just coming up with a brief description of your character is better than nothing.
These are some possible traits for this main character, including things I need to think about in more depth:
She tries new fashions and never quite pulls them off
Everything relates to food
She’s very uncoordinated
Low self-esteem
Bleeding heart
Wants to save the world
Thinks something is missing in her life
Drives a van with Miss Pinky Lee’s School of Dance on the side
Curses when she’s mad
Eats when she’s upset
Is a magnet for guys she shouldn’t be with
Wants something more than this town has to offer
What was her childhood like? Overweight, funny, failed at most things she did which she happily acknowledged and kept going anyway
What has made her wish so desperately for something out there?
She grew up in a conservative church and is conflicted now
Okay, that’s just a start. Who knows how big the list will grow or what will change and remain the same. Think how much can happen to this character when you start unlocking her personality. I already have so many ideas for stories about her dating life, her relationship with these kids, her uncoordinated attempts to teach, the recitals she has not knowing anything about dance. I even made of list of the messages that could be taught through the stories, like beauty is on the inside, etc. But that’s jumping ahead. We’re only talking about characters today.
What other characters will flavor these stories?
And that brings us to the antagonists or secondary characters as I like to call them. Remember that knowing these characters is as important as knowing your main character.
So I started thinking about what other characters would show up in these stories in addition to the main character? (Notice that I’m already seeing this as a group of stories – all from the creation of one character!)
I’m figuring this to be somewhat of a small town – and southern. Because that’s what I know. This could be anywhere though and still be a good trail for stories. I decided to have my dance studio be an old fast-food chicken place with a faint outline of a chicken still on the wall, and on rainy days you can still smell grease.
The first characters that come to mind are the kids who come to the class (lots of ways to go with that) and the mothers who bring them. Oh my, can you imagine all the types of mothers you can have? And don’t forget all the conflicts that each kid/mother brings with them. When I write these stories I will not work super hard to come up with descriptions on every character – at least not as much as I developed the main character unless it’s a story where the secondary character has a big role.
Then I started thinking about other characters who could come in contact with the dance class. Wouldn’t old people be fun? What flavor they would add. But how would they end up in the stories? How about if the dance studio is next door to the old folks home. Perfect. You’d get a lot of old people shuffling by wanting to see what’s going on. And I think old people make wonderful characters. Think of the many traits you could give your character. If you’re familiar with the current sitcom, King of Queens, think of the father played by Jerry Stiller. Is he not perfect? I think he is one of the greatest characters ever invented on TV. But that’s just my opinion.
And what about my character, Booker Diggs, who in an earlier story of mine was a beer drinking fishing junkie who lost a bet and had to take dance lessons. Turns out he loves it. What a great character to have in the dance studio on a regular basis! I just got chills.
I could go on and on, but enough already. You get the point. You probably don’t find this as exciting as I do, but isn’t it neat to see what has blossomed after just creating an imaginary character? You can do this too! Just please don’t take mine.
Even if you are a storyteller who doesn’t write his own stories, you can still take the time to develop the character in the story you are retelling. Even the good old Jack tale could benefit from a little character development. Just take some time to sit down and think about that character. This is what will make your story relevant to your audience. Then let those qualities shine through in what he says and does. I promise your story will be better for it and your audience will appreciate that you have a character that they can believe in.
I wish you all the best and hope that something in this rambling of mine made sense. Remember that stories aren’t about the plot, they’re about the people. And if you’re having trouble making up some people, good grief, go sit in the airport for an hour and take your journal.
Happy creating!
Stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the people
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
February, 2007
Cedar Grove is a tiny town about a mile and a hair past nowhere. They’ve got two stoplights total and an old brick schoolhouse that also serves as the town hall and bingo headquarters on Thursdays. They’re very proud of their one-half of a fast-food restaurant. The other half is technically in Butner – not the same Butner to which you may be familiar with. Time rolls at a slow pace in Cedar Grove where the most exciting thing that ever happened was the time Cleetus Harley’s pig made front page of the paper for having borned her a piglet with three tails. These stories, they aren’t fancy. They’re just about the people. Kelly Swanson
This is how I open many of my storytelling performances and I have spent years “apologizing” for the fact that my stories don’t have strong plots, just strong characters. I always hoped that my audiences would form a connection with my characters – a connection that would somehow make their lives better having known the characters in my small southern town.
So imagine my surprise when over the course of my studies (I am always studying comedy, writing, storytelling, speaking, etc.) I ran across a book written by one of my favorite comedy writers (Janet Evanovich) where she states that stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the characters. This is not to say that a story doesn’t need a plot, or that plots aren’t important. It is to say that with weak characters, your plot is useless. So if you remember anything today, remember that the story is in the people. Let me say it louder: THE STORY IS IN THE PEOPLE.
She’s not the first one to say it, and most certainly not the last, but for the first time I stopped and listened and let it soak into my brain as another writing truth ingrained in my heart. (Here’s where my husband would tell me to quit being so dramatic.) And so the topic I have chosen to ramble on about for this month is developing characters. I have seen time and time again that when you take the time to fully develop a character, the story will write itself. Did you hear that? Spend time on the character and the story will write itself. I’ve seen it happen over and over. So trust me on this.
I’m a big believer in showing rather than telling, so instead of giving you a list of ways to develop a character, I’m going to show you how I developed a character just last week, and how opening up your mind to these characters will unlock story trails beyond imagination. Okay, so maybe I’m being dramatic again. Let’s just get to work and see if I can show you what I mean.
I’m huffing and puffing away on my treadmill (where I get my best creative work done) and I’m reading what Janet Evanovich (in her book “How I Write”) has to say about the characters in her books. And I was so intrigued and inspired by her insights that I immediately got out my life journal (yes, I actually meant it when I said I had a life journal) and decided to create a character right there on the spot. No story, no plot, no deep hidden meanings – just a character. And as every good writer knows, perfect characters are boring. We want characters who have flaws, who make mistakes – characters who are real.
So I trusted the first person to pop into my head and decided on a girl (because I am one, and know nothing about being a boy and don’t want to do the research to figure it out.) How about a girl who teaches dance in small town. Is it the best character in the world? Who knows, this is just practice so I’ll go with it. Okay, now what?
Writers should write what they know. So if you haven’t been in the military, you probably shouldn’t have your main character be a soldier unless you are willing to do the necessary homework to understand it from a soldier’s perspective. I’m too lazy. So I know my character will be somebody I can relate to on some level. Except that I know nothing about dancing? So why did I choose a dance teacher? Beats me. Problem is, I never danced or had family who danced so I don’t know anything about that. That’s not good.
How about this: She’s never had a dance lesson in her life. She has no idea what she’s doing. Now that I can relate to. And other people can relate as well to the concept of being somewhere where we’re in a little bit over our head. She and I are sounding more alike already. And what a great situation to place a character, for nothing opens the door for comedy better than placing a characters in situations where they don’t naturally belong. I’m not sure that made sense. Remember the show Bosom Buddies from years ago? The one about the two men who had to dress as women to live in their building? That’s what I mean.
Wow, now that opens the door for humor and conflict. But how can she be a dance teacher having never taught dance? It’s got to make sense. Easy….she filled in one day for the regular dance teacher who never came back. It’s a small town. Nobody else wanted the job, the kids kept showing up, and one thing led to another…and here she is. Stuck. She doesn’t want to quit and let the kids down. She’s staying out of obligation. But secretly liking it.
Already I can see the potential for stories here – the experiences with the kids. But I’m jumping ahead. See? The story is already wanting to write itself. But back to the character.
Every character wants something – sometimes more than one thing. They may want physical things or emotional things or both. So I need to make this character want something. How about this: She wants to be bigger than the small town where she lives. She’s got something missing in her life. Problem is, she doesn’t have any idea what, and she keeps chasing after different things each week (each story.) She’s indecisive. At this point my main character has some qualities like me, and some not. That’s okay.
Not only does every story’s main character want something, there has to be something standing in their way of getting it. This is often referred to as the conflict. Notice that we aren’t really worried about what our story is going to be about. We aren’t getting into the story’s plot where you travel down the road of conflict and resolution. We are talking about the main character’s conflict. What makes her tick. The parts about her that may never show up on paper – but that we need to know before we ever begin our story. Does that make sense? It’s almost as if you are doing a report on your character before you even think about writing your story. When you get to writing a story about her, you will find ways to SHOW us what she is like through her actions, rather than a paragraph that opens up and tells us all about her. That’s boring. Yuck. Anyway, back to the main character.
What are some other things about her? At this point I’m just going to list some stuff as it pops into my head. I may not use all of it. I don’t want to give all my quirks (the things that make that character interesting) to the same character. I may want to give her a friend with some of those quirks. But we’ll get to secondary characters in a minute.
Let me take a minute to explain to you something about characters. You want them to be realistic and make a connection to your audience. You want your audience to have a stake in your character – to be rooting for them. You also want your audience to have a stake in your other characters. You want your characters to grow, but also stay true to who they are. This may sound like a lot of work, and sometimes it is. But it’s worth it if you want to have a good story. And sometimes just coming up with a brief description of your character is better than nothing.
These are some possible traits for this main character, including things I need to think about in more depth:
She tries new fashions and never quite pulls them off
Everything relates to food
She’s very uncoordinated
Low self-esteem
Bleeding heart
Wants to save the world
Thinks something is missing in her life
Drives a van with Miss Pinky Lee’s School of Dance on the side
Curses when she’s mad
Eats when she’s upset
Is a magnet for guys she shouldn’t be with
Wants something more than this town has to offer
What was her childhood like? Overweight, funny, failed at most things she did which she happily acknowledged and kept going anyway
What has made her wish so desperately for something out there?
She grew up in a conservative church and is conflicted now
Okay, that’s just a start. Who knows how big the list will grow or what will change and remain the same. Think how much can happen to this character when you start unlocking her personality. I already have so many ideas for stories about her dating life, her relationship with these kids, her uncoordinated attempts to teach, the recitals she has not knowing anything about dance. I even made of list of the messages that could be taught through the stories, like beauty is on the inside, etc. But that’s jumping ahead. We’re only talking about characters today.
What other characters will flavor these stories?
And that brings us to the antagonists or secondary characters as I like to call them. Remember that knowing these characters is as important as knowing your main character.
So I started thinking about what other characters would show up in these stories in addition to the main character? (Notice that I’m already seeing this as a group of stories – all from the creation of one character!)
I’m figuring this to be somewhat of a small town – and southern. Because that’s what I know. This could be anywhere though and still be a good trail for stories. I decided to have my dance studio be an old fast-food chicken place with a faint outline of a chicken still on the wall, and on rainy days you can still smell grease.
The first characters that come to mind are the kids who come to the class (lots of ways to go with that) and the mothers who bring them. Oh my, can you imagine all the types of mothers you can have? And don’t forget all the conflicts that each kid/mother brings with them. When I write these stories I will not work super hard to come up with descriptions on every character – at least not as much as I developed the main character unless it’s a story where the secondary character has a big role.
Then I started thinking about other characters who could come in contact with the dance class. Wouldn’t old people be fun? What flavor they would add. But how would they end up in the stories? How about if the dance studio is next door to the old folks home. Perfect. You’d get a lot of old people shuffling by wanting to see what’s going on. And I think old people make wonderful characters. Think of the many traits you could give your character. If you’re familiar with the current sitcom, King of Queens, think of the father played by Jerry Stiller. Is he not perfect? I think he is one of the greatest characters ever invented on TV. But that’s just my opinion.
And what about my character, Booker Diggs, who in an earlier story of mine was a beer drinking fishing junkie who lost a bet and had to take dance lessons. Turns out he loves it. What a great character to have in the dance studio on a regular basis! I just got chills.
I could go on and on, but enough already. You get the point. You probably don’t find this as exciting as I do, but isn’t it neat to see what has blossomed after just creating an imaginary character? You can do this too! Just please don’t take mine.
Even if you are a storyteller who doesn’t write his own stories, you can still take the time to develop the character in the story you are retelling. Even the good old Jack tale could benefit from a little character development. Just take some time to sit down and think about that character. This is what will make your story relevant to your audience. Then let those qualities shine through in what he says and does. I promise your story will be better for it and your audience will appreciate that you have a character that they can believe in.
I wish you all the best and hope that something in this rambling of mine made sense. Remember that stories aren’t about the plot, they’re about the people. And if you’re having trouble making up some people, good grief, go sit in the airport for an hour and take your journal.
Happy creating!
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
Creating a Business Plan
A NEW YEAR…a new plan
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
January, 2007
Here I sit at this familiar place in my life where the nostalgia of another year gone by crosses paths with the excitement of a new year ahead. I look back on the wonderful blessings that the past year brought and at the same time I reflect on the disappointments along the way that serve as a constant reminder that dreams are never easy. I hear so many artists lamenting over dreams that always seem to dangle just out of reach. And I remind them that for every wonderful opportunity, there are always many others that don’t work out – whether you’re a beginning artist or a seasoned one. I like to think that we’re given a gift without clear instructions on how to use it. And the instructions are given to us over time through opportunities big and small. And we need to focus on the journey, not the destination. For tomorrow is a new day. A new year. Okay, I’m rambling. Perhaps I should put the egg nog down and get to the reason for this month’s article – planning your year.
I’m not one for making resolutions at the beginning of a year. Mainly because I’m not one for keeping them and I already spent the last year creating lists of ways to improve myself and we see how that turned out. So even though I’m not a fan of resolutions, I am a fan of making a business plan. And the beginning of the year is the best time to make a business plan. As artists we often don’t see ourselves as business people, but if you want to sell your art successfully it helps if you come up with a plan. There has been much research on how the mere act of putting your plan on paper helps you achieve your goals.
Your business plan does not have to be complicated. It’s simply a plan for how you want to run your business in 2007. What are your goals? How will you try to reach those goals? What is your focus for the upcoming year? How will you plan out your expenses? These are the kinds of questions you want to ask.
The main reason that I like making a business plan is that it keeps me on track. It shows me where I want to focus my energies and my finances. When I think about how much money I need to bring in, it helps me have confidence when quoting fees. Having a plan helps me decide which jobs to take and which jobs to turn down because they don’t fit into the plan. And there’s always room in your plan for change because you wrote it. It’s your plan.
I can’t tell you how to write your business plan. That depends on you and your own personal dreams for the future. I can’t tell you where to get business or how much you need to spend to grow your business. There are certainly far more qualified people to speak on that subject. I would like to help you get the process going so I’m going to show you the bullet points that will be in my business plan for 2007. Use it as you wish, or come up with something of your own. These are just ideas to get you thinking about the year ahead.
Kelly’s Business Plan for 2007
Getting New Business…I’m going to ask myself who my customers will be for this year. Where will I go for new business? How will I approach them? What types of customers are best for what I do? I will probably make a list of three or four target audiences. For example: libraries, women’s conferences, storytelling festivals, corporate banquets. Throughout the year whenever I am faced with incoming business or outgoing expenses, I will ask myself how it fits into my plan. This really helps me from spending money in areas that don’t fit my focus.
Getting More Business from Old and Current Business…Do I stay in touch with my clients from the past? Do I send them reminders and updates to keep me fresh in their minds? Do I make the best use of my current clients? Do I ask them for referrals? One of the best ways to get repeat business is on the heels of current business. Ask them for names of other people who might like what you do.
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
January, 2007
Here I sit at this familiar place in my life where the nostalgia of another year gone by crosses paths with the excitement of a new year ahead. I look back on the wonderful blessings that the past year brought and at the same time I reflect on the disappointments along the way that serve as a constant reminder that dreams are never easy. I hear so many artists lamenting over dreams that always seem to dangle just out of reach. And I remind them that for every wonderful opportunity, there are always many others that don’t work out – whether you’re a beginning artist or a seasoned one. I like to think that we’re given a gift without clear instructions on how to use it. And the instructions are given to us over time through opportunities big and small. And we need to focus on the journey, not the destination. For tomorrow is a new day. A new year. Okay, I’m rambling. Perhaps I should put the egg nog down and get to the reason for this month’s article – planning your year.
I’m not one for making resolutions at the beginning of a year. Mainly because I’m not one for keeping them and I already spent the last year creating lists of ways to improve myself and we see how that turned out. So even though I’m not a fan of resolutions, I am a fan of making a business plan. And the beginning of the year is the best time to make a business plan. As artists we often don’t see ourselves as business people, but if you want to sell your art successfully it helps if you come up with a plan. There has been much research on how the mere act of putting your plan on paper helps you achieve your goals.
Your business plan does not have to be complicated. It’s simply a plan for how you want to run your business in 2007. What are your goals? How will you try to reach those goals? What is your focus for the upcoming year? How will you plan out your expenses? These are the kinds of questions you want to ask.
The main reason that I like making a business plan is that it keeps me on track. It shows me where I want to focus my energies and my finances. When I think about how much money I need to bring in, it helps me have confidence when quoting fees. Having a plan helps me decide which jobs to take and which jobs to turn down because they don’t fit into the plan. And there’s always room in your plan for change because you wrote it. It’s your plan.
I can’t tell you how to write your business plan. That depends on you and your own personal dreams for the future. I can’t tell you where to get business or how much you need to spend to grow your business. There are certainly far more qualified people to speak on that subject. I would like to help you get the process going so I’m going to show you the bullet points that will be in my business plan for 2007. Use it as you wish, or come up with something of your own. These are just ideas to get you thinking about the year ahead.
Kelly’s Business Plan for 2007
Getting New Business…I’m going to ask myself who my customers will be for this year. Where will I go for new business? How will I approach them? What types of customers are best for what I do? I will probably make a list of three or four target audiences. For example: libraries, women’s conferences, storytelling festivals, corporate banquets. Throughout the year whenever I am faced with incoming business or outgoing expenses, I will ask myself how it fits into my plan. This really helps me from spending money in areas that don’t fit my focus.
Getting More Business from Old and Current Business…Do I stay in touch with my clients from the past? Do I send them reminders and updates to keep me fresh in their minds? Do I make the best use of my current clients? Do I ask them for referrals? One of the best ways to get repeat business is on the heels of current business. Ask them for names of other people who might like what you do.
Fee Structure and Discount Policy…What will I charge this year? How much do I need to bring in to meet my expenses and make a profit? Under what circumstances will I lower my rate? Will I do any pro bono work, and how will I determine what pro bono work to take? How will I quote my fees? What will be included? How will I phrase it when I quote them my fee? Think these things through in your mind and it will be much easier when you’re asked for a quote.
Product Sales and Product Creation…Will I create any product this year? How will I aim to sell more product this year? Do my products fit the audiences I have chosen to target this year? Am I making the most of my back-of-the-room sales?
Customer Service…Is there anything I want to do differently this year with my clients? Any new policies I want to incorporate? How are my customer service skills? Do I reply in a timely manner? Am I easy to work with?
Services that I offer…Do I want to offer a workshop this year or coaching? Is there a new program and/or a new audience that I want to target? Does my promotional material (web, brochure, etc.) reflect these new changes?
Networking…How will I get my name out in the community this year? What organizations will I join? What groups will I become active in?
Budget…How much do I need to live? What are my future monetary goals? What do I need to make this year to meet these goals and needs? How much can I spend to grow my business? Do I need to raise my rates to meet those needs?
Inventory…Will I track inventory? Will this be a manual process or an electronic process? Will I run it through my accounting package?
Continuing Education…What sort of education do I need this year? How much money can I afford to spend on workshops and conferences? Which workshops and conferences fit into my target market and business plan?
Material…How is my portfolio of creative material? Are there some things that are lacking? Does my material fit the audience I’ve chosen to target this year? Does my promotional material reflect my current portfolio? Is there a way to change my material so that it adds value in the marketplace?
And there you have a list of topics I have chosen for my business plan of 2007. You may have more topics on your list. Or you may just have one or two. Or you may choose not to do it at all. That’s okay. It’s YOUR plan. Make it simple and make it realistic.
I wish you all the best as we head into this new year. I hope you find peace and joy at every turn and that your disappointments pale in comparison to your blessings. We’ll talk more next month.
And there you have a list of topics I have chosen for my business plan of 2007. You may have more topics on your list. Or you may just have one or two. Or you may choose not to do it at all. That’s okay. It’s YOUR plan. Make it simple and make it realistic.
I wish you all the best as we head into this new year. I hope you find peace and joy at every turn and that your disappointments pale in comparison to your blessings. We’ll talk more next month.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
Putting Stories Together to Make a Show
PUTTING STORIES TOGETHER
TO MAKE A SHOW
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
November, 2006
Somewhere along the way, I have realized that people are more interested in buying a show, than in buying Kelly Swanson the storyteller. Especially if you give your show a cute and catchy title like “It’s all fun and games ‘til the hair gets messed up.” Please don’t use that title for your show. I’m already using it.
With the holiday season quickly approaching, it makes sense to talk about how to put stories together to form a holiday show. Christmas is usually my biggest season with the number of holiday parties (churches, businesses, private parties, etc) that are looking for entertainment. So I’m going to show you how I put together a Christmas show. You will find that this process can be easily applied no matter where you take your storytelling.
I’ve made a list of the process that I go through to put a show together. I am using Christmas as an example, but you can see how it would work no matter what your theme.
Start by thinking where you plan on taking your show, and what kind of audience you want to target. For the sake of example, let’s say that you want to do a show for kids. You will probably have to be more specific than that because performing for toddlers requires something different than performing for fifth graders. Let’s say that you want to reach a wide span of ages. So we’ll focus on first through fifth grades.
TO MAKE A SHOW
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
November, 2006
Somewhere along the way, I have realized that people are more interested in buying a show, than in buying Kelly Swanson the storyteller. Especially if you give your show a cute and catchy title like “It’s all fun and games ‘til the hair gets messed up.” Please don’t use that title for your show. I’m already using it.
With the holiday season quickly approaching, it makes sense to talk about how to put stories together to form a holiday show. Christmas is usually my biggest season with the number of holiday parties (churches, businesses, private parties, etc) that are looking for entertainment. So I’m going to show you how I put together a Christmas show. You will find that this process can be easily applied no matter where you take your storytelling.
I’ve made a list of the process that I go through to put a show together. I am using Christmas as an example, but you can see how it would work no matter what your theme.
Start by thinking where you plan on taking your show, and what kind of audience you want to target. For the sake of example, let’s say that you want to do a show for kids. You will probably have to be more specific than that because performing for toddlers requires something different than performing for fifth graders. Let’s say that you want to reach a wide span of ages. So we’ll focus on first through fifth grades.
Then think about what kind of message or theme you would like to have. In this case we have already decided that it’s Christmas. I can tell you right now, that you may have trouble selling that to the schools so you might want to call it a holiday program. Or call it a Christmas program and sell it to churches. It’s up to you.
Decide on a message or a common theme that you want to have in your show. I’m going to choose “Christmas around the world” as a theme for this example. If you want to use that theme, go ahead. If everybody did a show on that theme they would still be different because we would choose different ways to do that. So our theme is Christmas is around the world, and we want to show how children in other cultures celebrate Christmas. Not all cultures celebrate Christmas. So you may decide to change your theme and do something about holiday traditions in other cultures. Or do something different – like Christmas through the ages in America – the traditions back through time. Your options are endless.
Now decide the length of your show. I would suggest 45 minutes - no matter what you do or where. And I would recommend that you do not do one story that is 45 minutes long. I suggest that you do short pieces (all five minutes or less) and piece them together. You might want to have some extra stories ready in case someone asks you to perform longer. And because you are putting short pieces together, you have the flexibility to take away pieces if there are any last minute scheduling changes, or if you are asked to do a thirty-minute show. There have been cases where I was about to walk on stage and was told that I needed to cut ten minutes because we were behind schedule. Be prepared to be flexible.
Now choose stories that represent your theme. Find stories about how children celebrate Christmas all over the world. Look in libraries or on the internet. If you have relatives from other countries, ask them, and you will have some personal stories in there too. You could talk about food, costumes, songs, toys, parades, Christmas hymns and where they originated, etc.
Find things to put in between your stories that will break them up yet tie them together as well. You may want to read a poem, sing a song, do a dance, etc.
Find other things that will make your show interesting and/or educational. If you are good with Power Point, bring pictures. Dress in costume. Bring props that represent the different areas of the world. Have music playing in the background. Do an audience participation game. Ask them questions. Bring a doll from each area you talk about. These are just ideas. I’m sure you can come up with others.
Put your stories together so that there is a good balance. Alternate the funny with the serious. Don’t do two long stories and then three short ones. Do a short, a long, and then a short.
Now learn your stories and practice your show
Give it a catchy title that will make people want to come. I kind of like “Christmas Around the World” as the title. But you can choose whatever works for you.
You might want to design some sort of picture to accompany the title. Clip art is fine. Or try drawing something yourself. Be careful with clipart and make sure that it is not copyright protected.
Write a one-paragraph description of the show that will make people want to come
Do a flyer or a brochure or a postcard about the show and send it out to groups who may be interested. People starting booking for Christmas shows in early October all the way through November.
Do a flyer or a brochure or a postcard about the show and send it out to groups who may be interested. People starting booking for Christmas shows in early October all the way through November.
Decide how much you want to charge for your show and how much you are willing to negotiate
If you have the means, tape the show on your laptop, burn it on CD, and make copies. Put on a cute label with your contact information. Sell the CD at the event.
If you have the means, tape the show on your laptop, burn it on CD, and make copies. Put on a cute label with your contact information. Sell the CD at the event.
Ask clients if they have the means to videotape it. Wouldn’t it be great to get it on tape? Then you can sell it at all of your future events, year after year.
Once you have performed your show ask your client to write a testimonial letter about that show (referencing the show in their letter) and then you can send it with your flyer the next time you try to sell that show.
Now wasn’t that easy? Good luck putting together your own show.
Now wasn’t that easy? Good luck putting together your own show.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
One-Sentence Approach to Story Crafting
THE ONE SENTENCE APPROACH
TO STORY CRAFTING
Based on the concept that less is more
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
October, 2006
Good grief. Is it already time to do another article? By the time my term is up, I might have to resort to plagiarism. Just kidding. I would like for these articles to flow in some sort of logical progression - only my brain is anything but logical. So some topics may be out of order due to my state of mind at the time. If you are not satisfied, I will happily return your money. Anyway, it makes sense to me that the next topic of discussion should be story crafting. I will combine some basic tips in creating a story with my own original One-Sentence approach to story writing.
But I’m not a writer you may be saying to yourself. This article can’t possibly help me. I use stories that have been written by other people. If this is you, please flatter me and at least read the rest of the article. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer. If you are a storyteller who takes a story and retells it, baby I got news for you, you are rewriting it. Whether you like it or not. Whether you’re good at it or not. Whether you put it down on paper or not. That’s what you are doing. You are taking the story and making it your own by adding your own flavor, and flavor includes words. Unless you are memorizing stories and repeating them word for word, in which case you are really an actress. And you could still probably benefit from a few basic tips. My head is starting to hurt from all this on-paper convincing. So I’ll proceed.
I have watched many storytellers, comedians, and speakers in my day, and have noticed something that many have in common. They use too many words. If you remember one thing from this article, remember this: It’s all about saying more with less. I repeat: It’s all about saying more with less.
Let’s take a moment to rethink how we view a story. Sometimes as storytellers we will set out to write/tell a story that is, for example, twenty minutes long. Or we’ll have a certain amount of time and we’ll make our story fit that time. STOP. I want you to stop going at a story from this direction. Start thinking of how to tell the story as quickly as you can. And I don’t mean quick like you’re on speed, I mean quick as in sticking only to the necessary details.
You see, that’s where many of us mess up with our stories. We think that more words make a better story. WRONG. Please believe me when I say that the more words you add to your story, the stronger your chances are of losing your audience. A point is best made with two sentences instead of two paragraphs. A poignant moment is best when kept short and sweet rather than four pages of “how sad am I.” A joke is much funnier when you tell it in thirty seconds, than when you tell it in twenty minutes. If you’ve ever been to a cocktail party, you can certainly attest to that.
When I performed for the cruise ships I told a story that was forty-five minutes long. This was just this past April, so you see that I don’t even follow my own advice. The show was a success but I still asked the client what I could do to make it better. She told me to do forty-five minutes of short stories, rather than one long story. She said that the attention span of the average American is short, and getting shorter. You have to give them breaks. Like it or not. So I came back and spent the summer reworking my portfolio of stories so that every story I have is ten minutes or less. Now when I do a forty-five minute show, I have lots and lots of variety. I have noticed a tremendous improvement in my act.
This is not to say that long stories are bad. That is not true. And thanks to the wonderful nature of storytelling fans, there will always be an audience who will appreciate them. What I’m saying is that a story should include only what needs to be said. And often you will find that you took four pages to say what could have been said in four paragraphs.
A storytelling hero of mine (Bil Lepp) once said that when you tell a story you are giving your listener a back pack. And every detail you give them is put into their back pack. And as you travel through the story, they are climbing that hill with you - carrying a back pack that gets heavier and heavier. Don’t make them get to the top of the hill (end of the story) and realize that they carried that heavy pack (all those details) for nothing. If this still doesn’t make sense to you, think of movies you’ve seen where they introduced a character in the beginning and you kept waiting for them to show why that character was brought into the story. Or you see a scene and wonder why that was put in there when it had nothing to do with the story. Or you hear a joke that had about ten minutes of information that had nothing to do with the punch line. Or you fell asleep listening to someone use three pages to describe a meadow.
But just making your story shorter is not the answer. It’s the start. It starts with cutting out those huge blocks of unnecessary information. But beyond just cutting, it’s about changing the words you use. It’s about finding a creative way to say something in one sentence, using words that another writer/teller wouldn’t use. This is where we fall into the area of “it’s not how many words you use, but what words you choose.”
If a sun is hot, I want you to show me how hot. If someone is tired, I want you to show me how tired. I want your characters to have names (nicknames even better) and stores to have names. I want your characters to have flaws - in their personalities and in their personal appearance. I want you to take your stories and cut. And cut. And cut again. And don’t expect for this to be easy. But it does get easier. And when you look over your newly edited story later, you will see how much better it is. And you will even have time left over to tell another one.
My one-sentence approach to story writing is not something that can be taught in one article. But I’m going to give you some basics that I am sure will help you create a better story. And it starts with telling your story in one sentence.
That’s right. Tell me what your story is about (including the message or meaning) in one sentence. Don’t whine, if third graders can do this (and they can) then so can you. Let me give you an example:
My story is about a girl who travels to a distant land and finds out that there is no place like the home she left behind.
In case you guessed, it’s The Wizard of Oz, and many of you will have a different sentence because people get different meanings out of stories. Don’t over think it, just understand that I want you to start with that one sentence that tells what your story is about. You’d be surprised how many storytellers I have asked that question, and they weren’t able to tell me. That’s because often the story isn’t really about anything more than a plot. Or more importantly, the storyteller isn’t clear on how to verbalize what the story is about. This is important folks. You need to know why you are telling that story, and what it means to you and to your audience. You may not put it into words, but knowing it will make you passionate about your message.
I’m not telling you to tell a one-sentence story. And I’m not saying that one sentence is supposed to be the start of your story or even anywhere in the story. I’m just changing the way you approach the creative process. Instead of taking an idea and starting on page one….start with the one sentence. This works if you’re creating your own story, or making one your own. This sentence doesn’t have to be interesting or have neat words in it. It’s just a sentence that really sums up what the story is about. And remember that it must include the meaning. Don’t tell me it is the story of a girl who gets to go to a ball and meets her prince. That doesn’t cut it. If you are having trouble at this stage of the process (bless your heart) send me an email and I’ll help you through it. Practice with some stories that you already tell.
After you have told the story in one sentence, think about what the listener needs to know. Make a list (boring I know, but do it anyway) of the necessary details. What is imperative that we know about this story? Do we need to know how Cinderella’s stepfather died? No. And if you spend three pages talking about it I’ll smack you. Do we need to know where her stepsisters went to school? Do we need a description of the house she lived in? No. No. And no. I’ve got news for you. If a detail isn’t necessary to the story, don’t include it. Especially at this stage of the process. Later you may throw some extra details in, but I assure you that they will serve a purpose too.
Once you know what your story’s about and you have your necessary details, just connect them together to form the plot. You have put together the story. And it should be pretty boring. That’s because you haven’t added the flavor yet. Those little details that make a story interesting. The next part is what I refer to as “adding the flavor.” This article is getting long enough already, so I’m going to make a list of some of my top suggestions and a brief description of each. You can email me if you have questions.
Make the opening interesting. You have about a minute to get and keep their attention. Don’t waste it on “once upon a time’s” and lengthy descriptions of meadows. Open with a bang. Open with an excerpt from a later part of the story and then back up. Open with a conclusion like “last summer was the year I learned that sometimes too much fun is a bad thing.” Your goal here is to spark an interest. To tell your listener that this story is going to be different. Creating suspense is always a great thing to do in the beginning of your story.
TO STORY CRAFTING
Based on the concept that less is more
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
October, 2006
Good grief. Is it already time to do another article? By the time my term is up, I might have to resort to plagiarism. Just kidding. I would like for these articles to flow in some sort of logical progression - only my brain is anything but logical. So some topics may be out of order due to my state of mind at the time. If you are not satisfied, I will happily return your money. Anyway, it makes sense to me that the next topic of discussion should be story crafting. I will combine some basic tips in creating a story with my own original One-Sentence approach to story writing.
But I’m not a writer you may be saying to yourself. This article can’t possibly help me. I use stories that have been written by other people. If this is you, please flatter me and at least read the rest of the article. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer. If you are a storyteller who takes a story and retells it, baby I got news for you, you are rewriting it. Whether you like it or not. Whether you’re good at it or not. Whether you put it down on paper or not. That’s what you are doing. You are taking the story and making it your own by adding your own flavor, and flavor includes words. Unless you are memorizing stories and repeating them word for word, in which case you are really an actress. And you could still probably benefit from a few basic tips. My head is starting to hurt from all this on-paper convincing. So I’ll proceed.
I have watched many storytellers, comedians, and speakers in my day, and have noticed something that many have in common. They use too many words. If you remember one thing from this article, remember this: It’s all about saying more with less. I repeat: It’s all about saying more with less.
Let’s take a moment to rethink how we view a story. Sometimes as storytellers we will set out to write/tell a story that is, for example, twenty minutes long. Or we’ll have a certain amount of time and we’ll make our story fit that time. STOP. I want you to stop going at a story from this direction. Start thinking of how to tell the story as quickly as you can. And I don’t mean quick like you’re on speed, I mean quick as in sticking only to the necessary details.
You see, that’s where many of us mess up with our stories. We think that more words make a better story. WRONG. Please believe me when I say that the more words you add to your story, the stronger your chances are of losing your audience. A point is best made with two sentences instead of two paragraphs. A poignant moment is best when kept short and sweet rather than four pages of “how sad am I.” A joke is much funnier when you tell it in thirty seconds, than when you tell it in twenty minutes. If you’ve ever been to a cocktail party, you can certainly attest to that.
When I performed for the cruise ships I told a story that was forty-five minutes long. This was just this past April, so you see that I don’t even follow my own advice. The show was a success but I still asked the client what I could do to make it better. She told me to do forty-five minutes of short stories, rather than one long story. She said that the attention span of the average American is short, and getting shorter. You have to give them breaks. Like it or not. So I came back and spent the summer reworking my portfolio of stories so that every story I have is ten minutes or less. Now when I do a forty-five minute show, I have lots and lots of variety. I have noticed a tremendous improvement in my act.
This is not to say that long stories are bad. That is not true. And thanks to the wonderful nature of storytelling fans, there will always be an audience who will appreciate them. What I’m saying is that a story should include only what needs to be said. And often you will find that you took four pages to say what could have been said in four paragraphs.
A storytelling hero of mine (Bil Lepp) once said that when you tell a story you are giving your listener a back pack. And every detail you give them is put into their back pack. And as you travel through the story, they are climbing that hill with you - carrying a back pack that gets heavier and heavier. Don’t make them get to the top of the hill (end of the story) and realize that they carried that heavy pack (all those details) for nothing. If this still doesn’t make sense to you, think of movies you’ve seen where they introduced a character in the beginning and you kept waiting for them to show why that character was brought into the story. Or you see a scene and wonder why that was put in there when it had nothing to do with the story. Or you hear a joke that had about ten minutes of information that had nothing to do with the punch line. Or you fell asleep listening to someone use three pages to describe a meadow.
But just making your story shorter is not the answer. It’s the start. It starts with cutting out those huge blocks of unnecessary information. But beyond just cutting, it’s about changing the words you use. It’s about finding a creative way to say something in one sentence, using words that another writer/teller wouldn’t use. This is where we fall into the area of “it’s not how many words you use, but what words you choose.”
If a sun is hot, I want you to show me how hot. If someone is tired, I want you to show me how tired. I want your characters to have names (nicknames even better) and stores to have names. I want your characters to have flaws - in their personalities and in their personal appearance. I want you to take your stories and cut. And cut. And cut again. And don’t expect for this to be easy. But it does get easier. And when you look over your newly edited story later, you will see how much better it is. And you will even have time left over to tell another one.
My one-sentence approach to story writing is not something that can be taught in one article. But I’m going to give you some basics that I am sure will help you create a better story. And it starts with telling your story in one sentence.
That’s right. Tell me what your story is about (including the message or meaning) in one sentence. Don’t whine, if third graders can do this (and they can) then so can you. Let me give you an example:
My story is about a girl who travels to a distant land and finds out that there is no place like the home she left behind.
In case you guessed, it’s The Wizard of Oz, and many of you will have a different sentence because people get different meanings out of stories. Don’t over think it, just understand that I want you to start with that one sentence that tells what your story is about. You’d be surprised how many storytellers I have asked that question, and they weren’t able to tell me. That’s because often the story isn’t really about anything more than a plot. Or more importantly, the storyteller isn’t clear on how to verbalize what the story is about. This is important folks. You need to know why you are telling that story, and what it means to you and to your audience. You may not put it into words, but knowing it will make you passionate about your message.
I’m not telling you to tell a one-sentence story. And I’m not saying that one sentence is supposed to be the start of your story or even anywhere in the story. I’m just changing the way you approach the creative process. Instead of taking an idea and starting on page one….start with the one sentence. This works if you’re creating your own story, or making one your own. This sentence doesn’t have to be interesting or have neat words in it. It’s just a sentence that really sums up what the story is about. And remember that it must include the meaning. Don’t tell me it is the story of a girl who gets to go to a ball and meets her prince. That doesn’t cut it. If you are having trouble at this stage of the process (bless your heart) send me an email and I’ll help you through it. Practice with some stories that you already tell.
After you have told the story in one sentence, think about what the listener needs to know. Make a list (boring I know, but do it anyway) of the necessary details. What is imperative that we know about this story? Do we need to know how Cinderella’s stepfather died? No. And if you spend three pages talking about it I’ll smack you. Do we need to know where her stepsisters went to school? Do we need a description of the house she lived in? No. No. And no. I’ve got news for you. If a detail isn’t necessary to the story, don’t include it. Especially at this stage of the process. Later you may throw some extra details in, but I assure you that they will serve a purpose too.
Once you know what your story’s about and you have your necessary details, just connect them together to form the plot. You have put together the story. And it should be pretty boring. That’s because you haven’t added the flavor yet. Those little details that make a story interesting. The next part is what I refer to as “adding the flavor.” This article is getting long enough already, so I’m going to make a list of some of my top suggestions and a brief description of each. You can email me if you have questions.
Make the opening interesting. You have about a minute to get and keep their attention. Don’t waste it on “once upon a time’s” and lengthy descriptions of meadows. Open with a bang. Open with an excerpt from a later part of the story and then back up. Open with a conclusion like “last summer was the year I learned that sometimes too much fun is a bad thing.” Your goal here is to spark an interest. To tell your listener that this story is going to be different. Creating suspense is always a great thing to do in the beginning of your story.
Cut every unnecessary word that you can. Turn two sentences into one. And cut again. If you started with your one sentence and basic necessary information, you should be off to a good start. All you have to do is add details.
Find ways to describe things like nobody else would. And don’t forget to describe them. Don’t be lazy and call him a tall man, or a mean woman. Work a little. Show me how tall. Compare her to something mean. Name your people and places. Use your voices and accents. Spend time on those little details and your audience will commend you for it. Trust me.
Create interesting characters. Don’t make them cookie cutter people. Give them flaws. Give them unusual personality traits. It doesn’t have to be a whole paragraph. Just give them a sentence. For example: My Aunt Bitsy was a walking sponge of information - useless information for the most part - that she picked up at the drug store or the beauty parlor. (When you choose details to put in your story, try to use the details that are necessary to the story. Describe character flaws that later explain their actions.)
Some details serve a purpose other than furthering the plot. I use details to make jokes, to add humor, to set a scene. The One-Sentence approach is not about doing away with those details. It’s about having a reason for using them. Just know the reason and I’ll let you keep them. Kind of like what Milbre Burch said one time at workshop she taught us. She was talking about gestures. She asked someone if they intended to use their arms so much. She said it wasn’t a matter of whether they should, but whether they intended to. It’s okay to use them, if you are intentional about it. Does that make sense? Email me if you don’t understand and I’ll explain better.
Show instead of tell. This is harder to do, but the more you practice the better you will get. Take out phrases like “he was thinking about doing this” or “and then she decided she was going to say…” Just have the person do it.
Don’t feel the need to connect every moment together in your plot. It’s okay to jump ahead. Just make sure your listener knows what you’re doing. I have a story that is only about four paragraphs long. And each paragraph covers a different time period. I just make sure that the sentence opening SHOWS (not tells) the listener that time has passed.
Sometimes a story can be one moment. You don’t have to back up and give information about how they came to be there. You don’t have to explain what happened later. Many of my stories start with me describing a moment. And often the story will end without me ever having come out of that moment. Again, remember we only need to know the necessary information.
When you make a point, make it once. Don’t repeat it or find three other ways to say it. When you drill a point too much you will find that the reader/audience no longer buys into it. Sometimes it’s better not to even make the point. Let the reader come to their own conclusion. You want to avoid sounding like you’re preaching a message. If you tell your story well, you won’t need to end with the message.
Keep endings short and sweet. The longer they draw out, the more your audience starts to get bored.
Be careful of true personal stories - they tend to be more interesting to you than other people. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t write about true personal stuff, just try to be objective about it. I run into this quite often. My business is comedy and so my objective is making people laugh. I know how to write jokes and how to write stories that make people laugh. And I think I’m pretty good at it. Until I tell something that really happened in our family. Most of the time it bombs. Because much of what made that story funny is only going to be funny to my family and those who were there. I lose all sense of objectivity because it actually happened to me. This is hard to explain. But try to get someone to help you - to listen and tell you if it is funny. Or how it could be funnier.
True stories need some lying. Many people are afraid to alter the details of a true story. “But it’s true, that’s the way it really happened,” they’ll tell me. But that doesn’t make it interesting or entertaining. And that is your first goal when you take the stage - to entertain your audience. Find a good friend who can help you analyze your material.
The weaker the punch line, the shorter the joke. There is nothing worse than a twenty-minute joke with a weak punch line.
Be careful of repetition. If you’ve got a story where your character has a repeated action, then each time you walk through that repetition, walk through it faster. You can actually speed up your voice, but I want you to take some words out. The audience will forgive you when you repeat the action once verbatim, but do it again, and, heaven forbid, again, and you will annoy them. Trust me.
Darn it…. I couldn’t think of a number 15. What a bummer. I feel like I’m dangling in the middle of nowhere. Who ends on 14? But so be it. The timer on my Hamburger Helper is going off and I need to go.
That’s enough for now. This is a lot to take in, especially if it’s the first time you are hearing it. Even if you only do a couple of these, your stories will improve. And we’ll probably cover some of these again in future articles. I’m here if you have any questions.
I leave you with a challenge. Write a one-page story starting with the one-sentence approach. Add the necessary details and then add the flavor. What happens? I’d like to know. Until next month….may the force be with you. (I’m in a weird mood. No more drinking while Will takes his nap.)
Ta-ta for now!
Kelly Swanson
Darn it…. I couldn’t think of a number 15. What a bummer. I feel like I’m dangling in the middle of nowhere. Who ends on 14? But so be it. The timer on my Hamburger Helper is going off and I need to go.
That’s enough for now. This is a lot to take in, especially if it’s the first time you are hearing it. Even if you only do a couple of these, your stories will improve. And we’ll probably cover some of these again in future articles. I’m here if you have any questions.
I leave you with a challenge. Write a one-page story starting with the one-sentence approach. Add the necessary details and then add the flavor. What happens? I’d like to know. Until next month….may the force be with you. (I’m in a weird mood. No more drinking while Will takes his nap.)
Ta-ta for now!
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
From Written Word to Spoken Word
.jpg)
PAGE TO STAGE
A journey from the page to the stage
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
www.ncstoryguild.org
September, 2006
I promised as President of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild, that I would do a monthly article on a topic of interest to storytellers. This is the second article in that series and it deals with the transformation from the written story to the performed story, or the journey from the page to the stage. Again, these are mere ramblings and only meant to help, not to overwhelm. Take what is useful and use the rest to line your bird cage or to teach future generations what poor grammar looks like.
There is a difference in the story that is meant to be read and the story that is meant to be told. In the October article I will discuss the art of crafting the story that is to be read. But today we’re going to talk about the story that is to be performed.
Many people have never heard of storytellers and therefore conjure up images of little old ladies with gray buns and knitted shawls, rocking on front porches holding oversized books, and using their best inside voices. No offense if you are old or have a gray bun.
Storytelling is not reading. And it is not merely memorizing a story and reciting it without the help of notes. Or at least it shouldn’t be. The art of storytelling goes a step beyond reading or reciting. It is the art of breathing life into a piece of literary work. I don’t care if you wrote it, if Shakespeare wrote it, or your Great Uncle Nester who was a fan of the sauce wrote it. I don’t care if you found it in a book or dreamed it up one night after eating too much Mexican food. The story has no life until you give it life. And each one of you will give it life in a different way. Or at least that is my hope. For a story that is merely memorized and repeated tends to sound just the like the story that three hundred other storytellers have memorized and repeated, and it starts to get a little OLD if you don’t mind me saying it out loud. Yes, my friends, not all storytelling is entertaining. Some of it is just plain BORING.
And now I must take a moment to back up my computer and wait for lightning to strike.
So how do we bring a story to life? Keep reading. I will attempt to give you some tips on how to tell your story in way that engages your listener. You see, that’s the key. It was the key when the story was written too, but now you have an audience sitting in front of you and they have a different expectation. They expect you to entertain them. They expect you to respect their time. They expect you to give them something that in some way changes their lives. I know, it sounds intimidating. It’s not. You can do it. They aren’t sitting there to find out what you know. They are sitting there to hear your story. To hear YOUR voice.
So here are some pointers to help you turn that written story into one that can be told in front of an audience:
Make your story CONVERSATIONAL. That is the biggest difference that I see in the written story and the performed story. The written story has every word in exactly the right place. The written story is not often written as we would talk in normal life. Tell your story in a relaxed personal manner.
I see so many storytellers tell a story using this weird voice that is way too dramatic, stretching out words, using crazy voice fluctuations. Now if that’s how you talk normally (bless your heart) then so be it. But you don’t normally talk like Vincent Peale in slow motion, then for heaven’s sakes, why start now? Talk to me like you would talk to anybody else. Talk to me like I’m sitting across from you at the kitchen table. Tell me the story like it really happened, not like you’re standing a hundred feet away in green tights and a feathered cap. When you talk like this, I know it’s not you. And when I know it’s not you, I am disconnecting. I want to hear YOU. I want to hear your voice. If you don’t believe me, start watching people who speak, like storytellers, comedians, or your preacher. Watch Donald Davis. When he tells a story, he is no different than when he’s not. Katherine Windham, Garrison Keillor, Bill Harley, Bil Lepp, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Cosby, Billy Graham. When they speak people hang on every word. And when they speak, you are hearing them. When a preacher starts up a story about a little boy who had no shoes, my brain immediately starts to yawn. But when he starts a story about himself. I am engaged right away. Trust me on this. We can talk more later if you’re still not convinced.
Start by watching other people in conversation. Note how people interact when they talk. How they tell a story when standing at a cocktail party. How they lean in. How they lean back. How they hold their arms. How they tilt their head. How they use their arms to help tell the story. Don’t talk really high. Keep your voice at a normal talking pitch. Really high indicates nervousness and can get really annoying after a while. Bring it down.
Don’t always talk in complete sentences. Pause in the middle of sentences. That’s how people talk. It makes it sound more real. This is hard to understand until you really start practicing it. Then you’ll see.
Take your time. Breathe. Smile. Talk a little and then think for a second or two. You are not there to get every line out before you forget. Savor the words. Let your audience have a chance to savor them. I’m bad at this, but I’m getting better.
Change the pace of your story. Get faster when the story gets more exciting. Get slower and softer when the story gets sad or takes on a deep meaning. Get louder when you get more excited. Just don’t spit. Take it from me, audiences don’t like that.
Don’t be afraid to interrupt your story with your own thoughts. I do this all the time in my stories. I will make comments like, “Well, everybody knows, information you get when you’re having your roots done is sacred, and not to be questioned!” Take little tangents here and there. As long as they are planned. Don’t just stand up there and ramble. We can tell when you just want to hear yourself talk.
Make eye contact with your audience. Look all around the room. Don’t leave any side of the room out. Talk to them. Even when you can’t see them. Trust me. A day will come when you are standing on a stage under bright lights and you can’t see a soul. You must act as if you can see them. You must still make them feel as if you are talking to them.
And sometimes you can look out into the distance when you are talking about something really moving. I use this technique to make my audience think that I’m so engrossed in my story that I’ve forgotten they are there. It’s also a great stalling technique if you can’t remember the next line.
Make sure your story has a mix of fast and slow, high and low, funny and sad. Try to feel when it’s time to bring them up or take them down. This is where a partner can help with your timing.
When you first read the story, learn it in blocks without worrying about every little word and every little thing that happened. Just learn the major points of the story and practice telling the story without any notes, as if summing it up for your neighbor. As if you only have thirty seconds to recap. Pretend you are telling a friend about a movie she should see, but you only have a minute. This will help you get a good general overview of your story. And it will help you to see what the key points of that story are. Stories for the stage become a whole lot shorter than the written versions.
YOU LEARN TO SAY MORE WITH LESS. Condense your stories. Stick to the important details, and the details that will add flavor. You don’t need every plot detail or every thought the character has. You can skip around in time. You can drop down into one moment of the story. More words don’t make a better story. It’s saying less, and using BETTER words. I’ll get into this more in the next article.
I recommend that you focus on shorter stories that can be put together, rather than twenty or thirty-minute stories. The attention span of the average person is short. They like “commercials” and they find it hard to hang on for that long. You can still have a show that is two hours - just a show that is two hours of shorter pieces. And I like it this way because there is less pressure on the story. If they hate it, good grief, it’s only five minutes. They’ll like the next one.
Use dialogue and don’t bother with saying “he said” and “she said.” Just say it.
Take out phrases that tell us what you’re about to say. Find one sentence to describe a scene instead of four. Use better details and less words. Don’t repeat what you just said or take too many sentences to drive a point home. These are just some random tips that I will bring up in the next article too so don’t get freaked out if it’s too much. If you focus on cutting and cutting and cutting and cutting, then you will start to see that much of what you had in your story was unnecessary.
Tell your story from another perspective. If you can’t really relate to the main character, is there someone you can relate to. If there are three hundred storytellers telling that same Jack Tale, how will you be different? And if you say that you’ll tell it wearing a hat I’m going to smack you.
Tell us how the story affects you. Why it touches your heart. What you learned from it. The impact that it has on you. Why it has become your story.
I really wish I could think of one more tip so it would be a nice even round twenty. But I can’t. And you know that as soon as I send this to you, I will think of ten more tips that are definitely better than any listed here.
That’s all for today. Sorry for any mistakes I didn’t catch or any tips you don’t agree with. If you do one or two of these, your story will be better. We’ll get into more details on how to craft stories in my next article which will talk about my one-sentence approach to story crafting. That article will show you how to say more with less and basic writing techniques that will help you make a better story.
If you have any questions, shoot me an email. I hope you are writing in your journals. Until we meet again - enjoy the journey!
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
www.kellyswanson.net
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Queens of Comedy
QUEENS OF COMEDY...A STUDY OF FUNNY WOMEN
by Kelly Swanson
www.kellyswanson.net
Being a comedian and a professional speaker, I know a lot of funny women. Some of them get paid for their sense of humor, others use it as a tool to get through life. I just returned from a quarterly meeting of the NSA/Carolinas (www.nsacarolinas.org) where I had the joy of engaging in endless side-splitting conversations with some of North Carolina's funniest women. I place a high value on humor and the ability to stay on the funny side of life. So what makes these women the queens of comedy? I'm starting the list and a survey. Please let me know what you think is a trait funny women have in common.
WHAT DO YOU THINK FUNNY WOMEN HAVE IN COMMON? I'D LOVE TO KNOW. SEND ME YOUR ANSWERS.
Here are some of my favorite funny women:
www.kaliferguson.com
www.libfowler.com
www.jeannerobertson.com
www.evanovich.com
www.pamelacable.com
Cherie Nettles - www.columbiaafterdark.com
Brooklin Greene - look for her on Myspace.com
Laura Hamilton - find her on the www.nsacarolinas.org site
Here's to wishing you all a little more humor in your day.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
www.kellyswanson.net
kelly@kellyswanson.net
by Kelly Swanson
www.kellyswanson.net
Being a comedian and a professional speaker, I know a lot of funny women. Some of them get paid for their sense of humor, others use it as a tool to get through life. I just returned from a quarterly meeting of the NSA/Carolinas (www.nsacarolinas.org) where I had the joy of engaging in endless side-splitting conversations with some of North Carolina's funniest women. I place a high value on humor and the ability to stay on the funny side of life. So what makes these women the queens of comedy? I'm starting the list and a survey. Please let me know what you think is a trait funny women have in common.
- They have the ability to laugh at themselves
- They know what they can control and what they can't
- They don't aim for perfection
- They know that happiness is a choice
- The find the funny in life instead of waiting for the funny to come to them
- They aren't afraid of looking silly
WHAT DO YOU THINK FUNNY WOMEN HAVE IN COMMON? I'D LOVE TO KNOW. SEND ME YOUR ANSWERS.
Here are some of my favorite funny women:
www.kaliferguson.com
www.libfowler.com
www.jeannerobertson.com
www.evanovich.com
www.pamelacable.com
Cherie Nettles - www.columbiaafterdark.com
Brooklin Greene - look for her on Myspace.com
Laura Hamilton - find her on the www.nsacarolinas.org site
Here's to wishing you all a little more humor in your day.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
www.kellyswanson.net
kelly@kellyswanson.net
From the Page to the Stage
CREATION
A journey from the page to the stage
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild www.ncstoryguild.org
August, 2006
I promised as President of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild, that I would do a monthly article on a topic of interest to storytellers. You can read the whole thing by going to my site. Otherwise, here are the bits and pieces.
A journey from the page to the stage
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild www.ncstoryguild.org
August, 2006
I promised as President of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild, that I would do a monthly article on a topic of interest to storytellers. You can read the whole thing by going to my site. Otherwise, here are the bits and pieces.
YOUR STORY
Stop fanning yourself. This is not a religious discussion on creation. I mean creation in the artistic sense. We are artists. We create. We tell a story. Whether we dance, paint, sing, or play Beethoven’s Fifth on the jaw harp, we tell a story. A story about life. And when we tell this story we evoke an emotion from our audience. We take them to places in their own life or to distant lands where cultures are different but the emotions are the same. We are given our gifts for a reason. Our voices were meant to tell a story. And as artists, we spend our lives finding out what stories are in us to tell. It is important that you find YOUR story, YOUR message to the world, YOUR voice.
Note: A great book you should read on the kinds of stories you should tell: The Story Factor by Annette Simmons. Here's a link to her site: www.groupprocessconsulting.com
THE PROCESS STARTS INSIDE OF YOU
It starts with searching inside yourself (an ongoing process by the way) to find out what messages you have to share with the world. What stories your heart speaks.
WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW
WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW
Professional speakers are taught to speak about what they know, what life has taught them. I encourage you as artists to do the same. And to do so, we must at least wonder what our lives have taught us. What lessons have we learned? What sage wisdom have we stored up? What do we have to share with the world?
Note: Pamela King Cable is a southern writer who has really tapped into the heart of writing what you know. Here's her site: http://www.pamelacable.com/
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE
If you’re like me, upon hearing this, you went “huh?” and wondered if maybe you should have filled out that Wal-Mart application after all. I went so far as to get out a piece of paper and write across the top, “Things I have learned in my life….” And I stared at it for like fifteen minutes and then went to get some chocolate and an aspirin for my brain cramp. But I came back to it and decided, oh what the heck, just start writing. And my list was started. I gave myself no rules, no limits, no boundaries. I told myself it could be serious, funny, religious, earth shattering or silly. The point was just to write and keep writing without thinking. To write about what my life has taught me. And I knew (I was right of course) that in this process some things would start to take birth. And I was right.
MAKE SURE THE LISTENER KNOWS YOUR MESSAGE
MAKE SURE THE LISTENER KNOWS YOUR MESSAGE
Make sure your listener knows the message. I am surprised at how often the teller isn’t even clear on the message, much less the audience. I know it sounds weird and maybe hard to understand. But nobody said creation was going to be easy. But you will be glad you went to the trouble because this is how you begin to find your voice, your attitude, the kinds of stories you want to tell. Shoot, you may even have the courage to start writing your own stories.
STARTING A LIFE JOURNAL
STARTING A LIFE JOURNAL
I want you to get a journal. Today. By journal, I mean a notebook with paper in it that can not be used for grocery lists or notes to yourself. Call it your life journal. This is not a diary. I repeat, this is not a diary. This is a place to start recording stuff. By stuff, I mean anything that gets your attention. I mean scenes that touch your heart, descriptions of people on the subway, funny ways to describe a drooling dog with three legs, what it feels like to get older, rants about voice mail and customer service, whatever you want to write. You don’t even have to write in complete sentences.
Keep the journal with you at all times. If you’re like me, you’ll have several in different places - your car, by your bed, in your purse. And I’m warning you to write this stuff down as soon as you think of it. You will not remember it tomorrow. What we’re doing here is recording the details in life so that when we sit down to write a story, we’re not trying to think of things off the top of our head. We can refer to our notebooks which over time will grow to be grand collections of material to use in our art.
Keep the journal with you at all times. If you’re like me, you’ll have several in different places - your car, by your bed, in your purse. And I’m warning you to write this stuff down as soon as you think of it. You will not remember it tomorrow. What we’re doing here is recording the details in life so that when we sit down to write a story, we’re not trying to think of things off the top of our head. We can refer to our notebooks which over time will grow to be grand collections of material to use in our art.
Here's a thought: why not create a blog and let your daily entries be your journal? I know. I'm a genius.
JOURNAL TOPICS
On some of the pages of the journal, give yourself a topic and write about it. Here are some of the topics I have used in mine:
· Funny names of people and towns (internet and phone book is a great place to look)
· Funny names of businesses
· Places I remember growing up
· My first love
· What it felt like to be a teenager
· If I had a week left to live
· Ways to describe a man with a long neck
· Things you don’t see in church
· The dinner table at a our family reunions
FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE
· Funny names of people and towns (internet and phone book is a great place to look)
· Funny names of businesses
· Places I remember growing up
· My first love
· What it felt like to be a teenager
· If I had a week left to live
· Ways to describe a man with a long neck
· Things you don’t see in church
· The dinner table at a our family reunions
FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE
IF YOU STILL DON'T GET IT
Email me (Kelly@kellyswanson.net) and I will be happy to respond. I suggest that you start your journal first, get used to it for a little while, and then if you still have questions let me know.
SHARING THE JOURNEY
I’m excited to walk along this journey with you - the journey to discover your unique voice. Trust me, you have a gift. You were given this gift for a reason. We need your voice. Until we meet again, happy creating!
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)