How to learn to tell stories. How to tell stories so that everyone is interested? How to become an interesting storyteller

I will be impudent. Come to the “Read and Retell” non-fiction book retelling club.

Once a month we gather in apartments in the center of Moscow and retell 3-5 books about the non-fictional, drink wine and eat. Before the meeting, we post teasers of retellings in our Facebook community.

Seven years ago the Gutenberg Smoking Room movement began. Lecturers talked about books and ideas to audiences ranging from 30 to 300 people. Its founder, Misha Yanovich, became disillusioned with the lecture hall format a couple of years ago and went “underground” into apartments. Now, together with Misha, we are doing “Read and Retell” for 20-30 participants, but in the evening we have time to communicate and discuss ideas and books.

An example of a teaser for Denis Gorelov's book "The Motherland of Elephants".

The July Retelling Party recently took place. Our editor forgot his responsibilities and warned one of the participants late. In the end we made a replacement. Instead of a story about selling drugs online, we listened to the story of an apologetic editor about Denis Gorelov’s book “The Motherland of Elephants.”

The guilty editor claims that “The Motherland of the Elephants” will help any reader fall in love with Soviet cinema, even if he has not watched it and does not intend to watch it. Denis Gorelov, a film critic from the 2000s, describes the highest-grossing Soviet films - from Sergei Eisenstein's "October" to Karen Shakhnazarov's "City Zero". Almost all the texts in this book are written in a cheeky, familiar language, as if between the fifty-year-old author and, for example, the most famous children's poet of the Soviet Union, Sergei Mikhalkov, there is only a pioneer tie and hymns that the founder of a famous clan wrote for every turn of Soviet politics.

Gorelov most often uses the film as an excuse to delve into a controversial decade. There, through the murky water of red myths, he looks at the unexpected pieces of the puzzle, on the box with which the USSR is still glimmering, although after seven decades the game has ceased to be put together. The author sees Girls as the first feminist film behind the Iron Curtain, traces the connection between spy series and the strengthening of the security forces within the party, and casually notes Eisenstein’s pathological desire to kill children in his films. Gorelov follows the master and spares no one.

The author manipulates the reader's gaze, before which facts and opinions flash without citing sources. The reader looks at these fireworks almost in despair. His hand, typing another query into Google, stops, frozen in respectful awe before the total self-confidence of this film critic, who is now finishing a book about foreign films in Soviet distribution. This means that we are waiting for another meeting with texts that, according to Roman Volobuev, at first you don’t understand, then you hate, and in the end you accept as an impudent page in the history of film criticism

Who is the soul of the company? Someone who knows how to tell stories in a fun and playful way. They are loved, they are valued, they are invited to registration, and then, when they grow old and get fat, they are invited to the restaurant for anniversaries.

However, this gift is not given to everyone, except perhaps the chosen ones. But it is very easy to become this chosen one, since there are rules that will allow you to be the first talker in the village. And if you become more skilled, you can go to a club and joke in front of a pseudo-intellectual audience.

1. Choose a story that is important to you

The problems start from the very beginning - which story to choose? It’s very simple: take the one that worries and excites you directly. You can delve into the jungle of your own past and unearth something that has left an imprint on your future. Chances are that a story that you find funny will also be funny to your friends.

2. Divide into parts and present each correctly

Your story shouldn't be too different from a literary story. So mentally break your story into several parts. Do not forget to indicate at the beginning those details that are necessary for the normal perception of the story. You can even start with the notorious “Once upon a time...”. Rising action is always much easier to perceive.

The main thing is not to forget to embellish the details of the plot as the story progresses. There is such a cinematic technique - to pile colors and special effects on sagging fragments of the script and uninteresting details. It’s the same here: don’t hesitate to add color to those moments that, in your opinion, cannot be ignored.

The final part of the story should be the most effective. It is the ending that makes it clear to the viewer why he was forced to listen to all this. Of course, these rules do not apply to all stories, but they are guaranteed to be effective.

3. Focus on the right details

Not everyone likes to read Balzac, who passionately described everything - from the squiggles on the asphalt to the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes. Such richness, perhaps, helps present the story in more detail, but only for the most persistent individuals. It is very difficult to listen to stories that are too oversaturated with information. Therefore, we strongly recommend focusing on truly interesting and juicy moments.

The purpose of your story is to make people experience the same emotions that you experienced. Therefore, if you want to stuff your story with vivid details, add your personal experiences to it. This is a universal material: people are much more interested in learning about your personal condition and attitude than about defects in a corrugated pipe. Out of natural curiosity, it is interesting and useful for a person to observe the behavior of other people, because he can use this model of behavior in the future.

4. Tell the truth

You are not a fisherman, not a woodcutter in a remote village, not a prisoner, not a superhero, or even a traveler - you are an ordinary person. You haven’t seen everything that Fedor Konyukhov could see, but does that mean that listening to you is completely uninteresting? Life is full of fun - an interesting story can happen to anyone. Therefore, always tell the truth - no need to embellish. Because people who begin to invent some details in a story in order to seem better, shift the entire emphasis to their magical coolness, which makes the listener ask: “What was the story about?” It’s especially funny when everyone knows that you’re a jerk and a coward, and in the stories you look like Lee Bruce.

In fact, the most interesting stories are those in which the narrator is sincere and does not hide his vulnerability, stupidity, and strangeness. The truth is much more fun and interesting, so there is no need to try to decorate it with fictitious details. When you start making it up on the fly, it stands out, as does a coherent, sincere story.

5. Practice and work on the little things

Everywhere you need practice - even things that seem simple at first glance. Talk these stories to yourself, take a breath, write down the details that you would like to convey, because such little things are completely forgotten, fly out of your head. And without them, a story is like a sailboat without sails: some kind of nonsense. A story in the style of “I came to the garden and was beaten by a mole. It was painful. That’s it,” it won’t be successful.

We talked about sincerity, but there are details everywhere that should be omitted. Some - because they are meaningless and uninteresting, and some - because they will defame you. That's why it's important to think through your speech before it becomes public.

And what’s most important: your story should sound equally interesting and cheerful both the first and the hundred and twenty-first time, so be kind, try. If you are asked to tell it again and again, then congratulations: this is a success.

6. Know your audience and don't be afraid of failure.

Don't be afraid that your story won't be accepted or understood. People are different and everyone has different interests. This is just a story - nothing more, nothing less. But in the future, notice at what moments people perked up, at which they laughed, and at which they yawned. And most importantly: if possible, take into account the characteristics of the audience. If you know for sure that someone cannot stand jokes about dicks or is categorically against humor from the Internet, this needs to be taken into account.

The ability to tell exciting stories and be a good conversationalist characterizes a woman as an interesting, intelligent person. If you want to become the center of attention and the soul of the company, start working on yourself, develop your speech, improve your acting skills and make your language richer.

You'll need your storytelling skills

Photo by Shutterstock

Start with writing

First you need to work on the epistolary genre. Keeping a diary in which you will record all current events can help with this. Just make sure your notes have fun details and interesting details, rather than just a dry list of what you did during the day.

Keeping a diary will help you see the essence of things and the main thing in the events of your life. Follow the logic of the story. To do this, you must clearly see the entire structure of each entry.

Reading certainly helps develop speech, both written and spoken. But not every book is suitable for such training. Stop your choice on the works of world classics. Read slowly and thoughtfully.

Try to keep track of successful formulations and comparisons, and not just pay attention to developments

From classical literature you should take the ability to feel different styles of storytelling and a vision of composition, the beauty of written language. After reading the book, try writing a review, like an essay in school. Express your feelings that the literary work aroused in you and mark the most remarkable places in the work.

Expand your vocabulary

Whenever you come across an unfamiliar word, be sure to look up its meaning in the dictionary. Moreover, make it a rule to learn a new word every day. After all, the richer your vocabulary, the more opportunities you have to become an interesting storyteller.

Buy a dictionary of sayings and proverbs. Sometimes the apt and precise use of an aphorism, catchphrase or folk wisdom can add liveliness and humor to your story.

Work with speech

Improve your diction, practice using various tongue twisters. In addition, you need to work out the tempo and timbre of your speech that is comfortable for listeners.

The speed of the story should be average. If you speak too slowly, your listeners will get tired or even fall asleep. And you will start

You walk into a friend's party and immediately see a beautiful woman. You're good-looking, your body is Arnie at his best. You are well dressed and radiate an atmosphere of complete success. But the woman doesn’t pay attention to you, like all the people around - everyone is looking attentively at the puny guy who seems like a complete loser, but he seems to hypnotize everyone present. This “loser” is the main advantage of the whole party, because he knows how to tell stories. You also want to learn this art, right? If so, what do you need to know? what exactly makes a good story good. This is a whole science that begins with the personality of the storyteller.

Narrator's personality

A good storyteller is always an interesting person. The storyteller does not have to be a great personality with unlimited talents, but he must have a character that is based on the following qualities:

Confidence;
- ability to formulate thoughts;
- sense of humor;
- passion;
- communication skills;
- erudition;
- ability to be creative.

The storyteller has a relationship with the audience and must interact with them as their clients. He “sells” a story that should be of interest to listeners. The reaction occurs not only at the psychological, but also at the physiological level. This happens due to the hormone oxytocin, which enhances the feeling of empathy and increases a person’s ability to experience various emotions. To put it simply, the action of oxytocin creates a connection between the storyteller and the listener - this connection is, in a sense, chemical.

But a good story doesn't always work perfectly. The reason is simple - each situation requires a specific approach. The same story goes well among friends, but shocks colleagues. To understand this, you have to understand the types of narratives. Conventionally, they can be divided into three: social type, professional type and emotional type.

Social history

Social history contains a huge layer of storytellers. As a rule, we are talking about comedians, actors, showmen, pop stars. They all fall into this category. The essence of a social storyteller is simple - tell jokes and entertain the audience. Social history works best among friends or people who cannot be “offended.” To tell a good social story, you need to know a few simple truths:

History should entertain. Try to tell something that will evoke pleasant emotions - don’t tell topical stories, people don’t want to hear them at parties.
- Be open. You need to be your guy. Don't move away from the crowd, make them think that you are their most loyal friend.
- Savvy. You will have to work with the audience to capture their attention. Try to pull material out of those listening to use it in the story.
- Short and to the point. If your story is too long, you will lose attention - be to the point.

Professional history

This type of story is in demand among religious leaders, CEOs, chieftains, and various life coaches. Great for people who want to tell a good story from the height of their authority. The rules of this story are a little more complicated than the previous one, but not much.

Manage conflicts. This is important when you need to show confrontation, a point of disagreement, which can be great fuel for the perception of the story.
- Provide the story with the context of the past and a forecast of the future - this must be done so that listeners see the story in volume, and not in fragments.
- Describe difficult situations in simple words. Your audience must understand you. A good storyteller should not use highly specialized vocabulary.

Emotional story

Suitable for women's ears, which perceive the world much more sensually than we do. Also great for small group conversations. An emotional story is the ideal choice when you are talking to a person face to face. This story has a number of distinctive features:

Fear. Use this feeling to thicken your colors.
- Excitement. Keep the ending unclear so that the listener waits with bated breath for the ending.
- Disappointment. You can talk about the problems that concern you.
- Compassion and love. These feelings are still strong on this planet - use them for the story.
- Vulnerability. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. Thanks to this feeling, the listener takes the side of the narrator.

To tell an emotional story well, you must use body language, eye contact. You must also understand the importance of voice intonation, its tone. You should not evoke pity, but through the story you should evoke sympathy, pain, fear or any other strong emotion. If you master even one type of storytelling, you will be able to become the life of your company - we know this for sure.

Whether you're telling a joke, a fairy tale, or a story, knowing how to teach it correctly is a very important skill. Some people have a natural gift for storytelling, while others have to learn it. Never be afraid. You can learn to tell better and more engaging stories, and wikiHow can help you do it! Just start with step 1 below.

Steps

Part 1

1. Engage your audience. Begin your story by capturing your listeners' attention or engaging them in the story. Ask questions, even rhetorical ones, related to some conclusion, plot twist, or context of the story. Alternatively, you can say something catchy to grab attention (get your audience hooked, just like big newspaper headlines do). This way you will intrigue your listeners and they will want to hear more.

   • Example for a fairy tale: "Have you ever wondered why a moth flies into a flame?"
   • Example for a funny story: “I have a story from my university days that will outshine all others. It has to do with the toilet.”

2. Build an action scene. Throughout the story, you must create an immersive experience. The audience should experience the story as if they were participating in it. Start with the introduction. Create a story by adding details that convey atmosphere, emotion, and action. Choose your expressions very carefully: use words with strong emotional connotations.

   • An example of a fairy tale: “A long time ago, in the old world, where magic did not cease to exist, and animals could speak...”
   • An example of a funny story: “I’m quite quiet and homely, like a cat, right? But my roommate in the hostel was quite a party animal.”

3. Build up and release tension. Of course, the main storyline will become increasingly intense, reaching a climax, after which the action will begin to end. However, you should also ease tension between the most intense moments. Otherwise, the story will seem crumpled or too schematic. In real life, there are moments that fill the gaps between events. The same goes for stories. This could be a description of a scene, a small aside to add detail, or a joke to add flavor to the story.

   • An example of a fairy tale: “The Moth flew up to a tall white candle, where the Flame was blazing in all its glory. The Moth felt a blow somewhere in the stomach area and love awakened in him. Of course, heroes do not save princesses in one day, and the Moth spent many delightful nights , falling more and more in love with the Flame."
   • An example of a funny story: “The new year came, and we moved to a new area, nice and... unsafe. So I lived in a state of emergency almost all the time. By the way, this is a good blood pressure booster.”

4. Focus on what's important. When telling a story, it's important to include details to create immersion. However, the story should not turn out to be incoherent and drawn out. Therefore, it is very important to focus on the main thing. Omit the unimportant details and leave in those that add flavor to the story or make it clearer.

   • Try not to get ahead of yourself or slow down; add details if necessary to see the audience's response. If they get bored, speed up and get to the point.

5. The narrative should flow logically. This is where it is very important not only to know history, but also to teach it correctly. You've probably met people who constantly interrupt their story with the words: “Oh, I forgot to say...”. Yes, you don't need to be that kind of person. Don't stop to go back. This distracts the listeners' attention and confuses them. The story should flow smoothly and logically.

   • If you forgot to mention something, weave the detail into the story without interrupting the main line. For example: “Now the Pied Piper was hunting for the city’s money for a reason. After all, a deal was made with him earlier."

6. The story must have a clear conclusion. It's very awkward when your audience isn't sure whether you've finished your story or not. So your story needs to have a clear ending. There are several completion options, for example:

   • Ask a question and answer it. “Isn't this crazy? So I'm not going to do it again."
   • Draw out the moral. "This, ladies and gentlemen, is a perfect example of why you shouldn't bring your cat to work."
   • Choose your tone and manner of speaking carefully. Try to speak louder and faster to escalate the situation, and then lower your voice and slow down to show that you have come to the end.

   Part 2

   Using voice and body

   1. Create characters. Let the characters in your story sound different. If you get used to different roles, you will avoid a dull and annoying empty story. You can also make the story more real. Play with accents, speech, people's voices. You can add comedy by parodying silly or stereotypical voices.

      • For example, make your father's voice sound overly deep and raspy, adding a special twist to the dialogue: “[Important part of the story] ... I'm also going to the garage to build a platform. Or part of the platform. Or maybe I'll watch a TV show where they build platforms."

   2. Make your narrative "big" or "small." Choose the sound of your voice so that it is appropriate in one or another part of the story. Change the intonation, tone, volume to make the story sound calm or exciting, depending on the plot. Speed ​​up and speak a little louder towards the end. Slow down at the very end.

      • You should also experiment with dramatic pauses. A little silence and facial expression can make a story much more interesting.

   3. Control your facial expression. If you want to become a truly great storyteller, you must master the ability to create and change facial expressions depending on the progress of the story. The whole story should actually unfold on your face. If you really want to learn this, watch a video on Youtube, search for John Stewart or Martin Freeman.

      • Remember, facial expression has more than 3 shades. You can create truly vivid emotions with very specific facial expressions.

   4. Speak with your hands. Knowing how to sign can take you from a really boring and boring storyteller to someone who commands all the attention in the room. Hands convey emotions. Hands capture the audience's attention. Hands create a sense of action. If you don't use your whole body, at least gesture with your hands as you talk.

      • Of course, you shouldn't overdo it. There is no need to hit someone or knock over your drink. Or throw it in your face.

   5. Play the story. If possible, move your whole body while telling the story. You don't need to reproduce every movement, but you should use your entire body at key points to capture the listener's full attention. It also adds a comedic effect.

      • Look at the behavior of famous people and their facial expressions and gestures. For example, enter in a search engine: Groucho Marx, Rodney Dangerfield, Conan O'Brien and Robin Williams.