Every now and then everything will just
click. A story will be all that I hope for and more. For the purposes
of this post, let's call that “magic.” After diving into the deep
end that is Doug Lipman's Improving Your Storytelling,
I think Doug Lipman believes in magic.
While
he mentioned the idea of story development through informal telling
earlier, I find it best enfleshed in the section entitled, “The
Dangers Practicing” (84-86). He writes, “When I coach
storytellers, I can usually recognize those who rehearse alone too
much” (85). It is here that I admit, to this assembled body
digital, that I usually only
practice my stories by myself. Maybe I am a perfectionist or maybe I
need to start viewing my early tellings of a story – in some ways –
practice.
Lipman continues,
“by practicing alone too much you forego the magic ingredient of a
listener's attention” (85). Ouch! Strike two! Yup. I've got to find
some magic, and I can't do it alone.
-Bob
Very insightful post! I enjoyed reading this, Bob!
ReplyDeleteThat very quote in Lipman's book has bedeviled me, Bob, because I also practice in isolation - practicing for cats = practicing alone. I know I am enriched many times over by feedback and questioning from colleagues, something that really struck home in the Institute this summer and I am continuously reminded of this as our class works together.
ReplyDeleteI practice in my car (alone)---and I practice in my dreams---sometimes I work out stories in my dreams----but I also practice them on friends and family---in guilds---and in performances set up by guilds (where a polished performance is not expected).
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, the stories are always changing---sometimes so much that they are hardly recognizable from where they began.
Joy
I am always nervous to practice in front of other tellers, until I do it. And then, something happens, like Doug says, and I can't remember why I was even nervous at all.
ReplyDelete