Speak Up Storytelling

Tom Reed Swale, a storyteller and vice principal, shares a humorous and relatable tale about a surprising romantic encounter during his college days. He discusses the power of self-deprecating humor and how to effectively engage audiences through storytelling. Tom highlights the importance of mood and tone, as well as the hazards of cultural references. The conversation also touches on the ethics of storytelling, particularly when it comes to sharing personal narratives involving others, providing a thoughtful perspective on the art of connection.

David Ring, a Connecticut attorney with a riveting legal background, shares a gripping tale involving a trial, potential death penalty, and a hit ordered on his life. He vividly recounts a memorable moment in New Haven, blending city life with the promise of summer. The conversation also touches on the evolution of storytelling, exploring the importance of detail and the mastery of authentic narratives. Listeners learn about the delicate balance of justice and humanity through the story of Manford, revealing the powerful connections within the criminal justice system.

Chuck Fedolfi shares a touching story about his dog, Boo, lost in the woods during a snowstorm, highlighting emotional vulnerability and the bond with his pet. The episode discusses the effective use of time shifts in storytelling, turning anecdotes into stories, and tips for improving moments of surprise. It also covers the difference between formal and informal storytelling, structuring storytelling spreadsheets, and pitching stories effectively.

The hosts discuss storytelling techniques, humor in storytelling, and moments of surprise. They share a story about mishaps and adventures in preparation for a bike race. Topics include effective use of humor, setting scenes, and creating mental schemas. They also cover balancing vulnerability in storytelling, gender gaps, and engaging children in conversations.

The hosts discuss the value of 'Homework for Life' in storytelling, share insights on finding untold stories, and analyze Erica Donahue's college experience. They emphasize effective use of details, broadening stakes, and the power of contrast in storytelling. The conversation also covers transitioning in stories involving trauma and ends with recommendations for exploring recipes and interesting facts.

The combination of Hanukah and an injury (happily not too serious) to our son's foot has made it impossible to record a new episode for you this week, so please enjoy this rebroadcast of one of our most popular episodes ever. Elysha and I will be back next week with a brand new episode.  Happy Hanukah to all of our Jewish listeners!  _____________________________________ On episode #4 of Speak Up Storytelling, Matthew and Elysha Dicks talk storytelling! We talk about about finding excellent stories in your everyday life using my strategy "Homework for Life" and the importance of transformation in storytelling.  Then we listen to Sam Carley's story about a challenging bus ride through an Indian desert with the possible girl of his dreams, followed by commentary and critique, including: The ideal arc of a story Describing human beings in stories Limiting unnecessary description Advancing time in a story Next, we answer listener questions and offer recommendations.   LINKS Homework for Life: https://bit.ly/2f9ZPne Speak Up storytelling: http://speakupstorytelling.com Matthew Dicks's website: http://www.matthewdicks.com Matthew Dicks's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/matthewjohndicks  RECOMMENDATIONS Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: https://www.netflix.com/title/80160037 Evernote: https://evernote.com

Topics include finding everyday stories, humor in storytelling, effective use of surprise, competition storytelling hints, and recommendations for engaging books and podcasts.

Learn how to find stories in your everyday life with Homework for Life, enjoy Linda Storms running for her life at age six, and hear tips on storytelling techniques like embodying your former self, raising stakes, and preserving suspense. Dive into worst storytelling moments, motivations for storytellers, and personal recommendations.

Discover the power of storytelling with strategies to find excellent stories in everyday life. Explore Renae Edge's journey to finding her voice and storytelling techniques like using backstories, singing in stories, and specificity of names. Learn about effective best man speeches and enjoy family ice cream adventures and the movie 'Memento'.

On episode #25 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, Matthew and Elysha Dicks are joined by storyteller Danielle Dnes to talk storytelling! In our followup segment, we talk about upcoming Speak Up shows and messages received from around the world.  Next, we talk about finding and collecting stories in your everyday life using "Homework for Life." Danielle recently reached the 100 day mark in her Homework for Life and shared it with Matt and Elysha. We poke through the 100 days to find some stories that Danielle didn't initially see upon first glance.  Then we listen to Jenny Steadman's story about the pressures of playing golf with her grandfather and his pals.  After listening, we discuss: Effective character and location descriptions Planting seeds early in a story that will sprout later The best way to repeat a laugh line throughout a story Pacing and pausing  "The curse of knowledge" in storytelling Next, we answer questions about a storytelling improv game that we use in workshops and is detailed in Storyworthy. We even play a round to demonstrate.  Finally, we each offer a recommendation.   LINKS Homework for Life: https://bit.ly/2f9ZPne Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling: https://amzn.to/2RIHR9g Matthew Dicks's website: http://www.matthewdicks.com Matthew Dicks's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/matthewjohndicks  RECOMMEDATIONS Elysha: How to Listen to REM's Final Years: https://bit.ly/2zJeAUt Matt: Scriptnotes: The Podcast: http://johnaugust.com/scriptnotes