Kate Farrell (author of Story Power) wants to help you find your voice in the spoken art of storytelling with this online class.
Instructor: Kate Farrell
Maximum Enrollment: 10
Class Term: 09/21/2021 – 10/12/2021
Tuition/Fees: SCN Member: $120.00, Non-Member: $160.00
Enroll In This Class
Class synopsis
In this interactive, engaging workshop you’ll learn basic storytelling techniques and discover your storytelling style. Personal, ageless, inclusive, the art of traditional storytelling is for everyone—it develops confidence in speaking as well as writing and connects us all. Using prompts and exercises to create and craft true personal narratives, we will coach one another with constructive feedback to effectively tell your stories in any setting from public speaking to a family gathering.
Class description
We will begin sharing stories the first week of our weekly sessions, creating compelling narratives from authentic memories and refining the telling of them with coaching and feedback. We’ll focus on crafting a clear structure, with rising and falling action to a satisfying conclusion, including vivid sensory details, dialogue, and setting. We’ll explore your storytelling style and identify your effective delivery techniques, and become more attuned to your writing voice.
Class goals
- Review seven steps to effective storytelling
- Learn the use of a storyboard to structure the narrative arc
- Discover, recall, and tell stories using prompts and exercises
- Practice storytelling skills during the session
- Give and respond to feedback to improve structure and delivery
- Enjoy the lively art of storytelling!
Class communication method
Tuesdays: 10:00 am – 11:30 am PT / Zoom
Four 90 minute sessions: September 21, 28, October 5 and October 12th
Text: Story Power: Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories
Class outline
We will use the award-winning book, Story Power: Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories by Kate Farrell available at all booksellers and in many libraries. ISBN-13 : 978-1642501971
Week 1: Getting to know each other, overview of class structure, dive in with modelling, prompts, exercises, share storyboard and/or outlines, receiving/giving supportive feedback, based on Chapter Three: Family Stories.
Week 2: Chapter Three: Tell family stories, practice giving supportive feedback, discuss possible real life uses and benefits.
Week 3: Chapter One (read prior to class meeting), answer and discuss questions provided in class, prompts, exercises, share storyboard and/or outlines, receiving/giving supportive feedback.
Week 4: Chapter One: Tell stories from one of the three themes, practice receiving/giving supportive feedback, discuss possible real life uses and benefits.
Class time commitment
3-4 hours
Instructor bio
Storyteller, author, librarian Kate Farrell is the author of the award-winning Story Power: Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories. Kate founded the Word Weaving Storytelling Project and published numerous educational materials on storytelling. She has contributed to and edited award-winning anthologies of personal narrative, Times They Were A-Changing: Women Remember the 60s & 70s, and Cry of the Nightbird: Writers Against Domestic Violence.
Story power
Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories
Stories are everywhere. The art of storytelling has been around as long as humans have. And in today’s noisy, techy, automated world, storytelling is not only prevalent—it’s vital. Whether you’re interested in enlivening conversation, building your business brand, sharing family wisdom, or performing on stage, Story Power will show you how to make use of a good story.