George Dawes Green on The Moth and the art and power of sharing our stories

May 3, 2023

George Dawes Green, an award-winning author and the founder of The Moth, dives deep into the transformative power of storytelling. He reflects on the essence of Southern storytelling and its ability to forge community connections, especially in a digital age. George shares tips on enhancing storytelling skills and stresses the importance of personal narratives. He discusses the evolution from traditional hero narratives to more authentic, vulnerable storytelling, which resonates with modern audiences. Embracing vulnerability, he enlightens listeners on the courage needed to share their stories.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Physical Community Still Powers Joy

George Dawes Green says our deepest joy comes from physical community and we're losing it.
Prioritize real places to gather because digital connection can't fully replace in-person storytelling.

INSIGHT

Attention Varies By Context, Not Just Shorter

George notes attention varies by context; short online bites coexist with appetite for long live experiences.
Don't assume audiences can't focus—they'll engage deeply for immersive, meaningful storytelling.

ANECDOTE

Moth Began With One Night In An Apartment

George Dawes Green founded The Moth after hosting a single evening of stories in his New York apartment.
He saw promise and added direction and a timekeeper.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

What makes a powerful storyteller?

Those able to tell a story that - whether it’s from a porch, a stage, a bar or an auditorium - can literally change the fabric of the air around you.

Those able to, from their first breath, plunge us into a world completely different from our own. Yet still offer a roadmap we can use to solve our own challenges.

Those able to literally change the way we view the world.

My guest today is not only one such globally regarded storyteller. His vision and commitment has also amplified over 50,000+ human stories across the planet.

Today’s Guest

George Dawes Green is an award winning author and Founder of The Moth.

His first novel, The Caveman’s Valentine, won the Edgar Award and became a motion picture starring Samuel L. Jackson. His second - The Juror was an international bestseller in more than twenty languages and became the basis for the movie starring Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin. His most recent The Kingdoms of Savanna is currently being made into a major television series.

However, for me, George’s impact reaches much further.

Back to 1997, when he first founded The Moth from his lounge room in New York.

The Moth, as he would describe it, is “a raconteur club” that he created to recreate the feeling of sultry summer evenings in his native Georgia. When moths were attracted to the light on the porch where he and his family would gather to spin spellbinding tales. The first New York Moth event was held in George’s living room and the story events quickly spread to larger venues throughout the city. It has since brought more than 50,000+ live stories to audiences across six continents.

The Moth podcast, containing some of these stories, also won a Webby People’s Voice Award Winner for Best Podcast Series, and is downloaded more than 100 million times a year. If you haven’t already discovered it please just trust me on this one.

Instagram: @georgedawesgreen

You’ll Learn

How The Moth began from his own hunger to replicate the intimacy and power of the storytelling of his childhood.
What he’s discovered about our collective hunger to share stories – including the ability of one human story to change the entire fabric of a room.
Finally, why the audience is always willing you to succeed – and how tapping into THAT knowledge gives you permission to speak from a place of both truth and clarity.

References and links mentioned

My new ebook The Influencer Code
George's website, and his most recent book, The Kingdoms of Savannah

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Inside Influence Podcast! Please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave an honest review. Don’t forget to hop on my website juliemasters.com and download my new ebook The Influencer Code or become an insider by signing up to my newsletter. Influencer Code or become an insider by signing up to my newsletter.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.