Tell The Story
Here are some tips on how to tell the story, along with some things you could do before and after. As we said on the previous page about how to get ready to tell a story, these are just some things that have worked for us that you may want to try. The most important thing is that you get started and keep going. You'll find your own voice and style from there.
Start with the previous story.
As suggested on the Host Card, before you start ask these two questions and leave some room for responses after each: 1. Who did you tell last week's story to, and what happened? 2. If last week's story was telling you to do something, how'd that go?
Tell the story as you prepared it.
Generally that means telling it as simply as you can without adding to it, while at the same time describing the sensory details and explaining words and customs that people may not understand.
Tell the story in your own style.
Just be yourself! Maybe you'll tell it in a relaxed way and have fun with it. Or maybe you're really passionate, and you'll be super intense! Don't feel bad if you feel nervous either, it's normal. Just stop, take a deep breath, smile, and tell the group you're nervous if you have to.
Every story you tell is your own story. ~Joseph Campbell
Tell the story in a repeatable way.
What you don't want people to say is "Wow, I could never tell a story like that!" What you do want them to say is "That was ok. I could do that."
The role of the storyteller is to awaken the storyteller in others. ~Jack Zipes
Ask the group for help.
If your mind goes blank or you forget what happens next, just ask the group to jump in. At least one person in the group has probably heard the story before and can help get you going again.
Make it multisensory.
There are lots of fun ways to incorporate all five senses. For sight, you could have a couple people act it out as you're talking. Or draw stick figures! For hearing, have the group make up sound effects as you go. For touch, and maybe even smell or taste, bring objects to pass around.
The basic rule of storytelling is show, don't tell. ~Julianna Baggott
Ask if you missed anything.
At the end ask if you missed anything. You want to reconstruct the story as accurately as possible, while still telling it in your own words. If you're concerned you may have missed a fair bit of the story, you could have someone read it from the Bible and compare.
If history were taught in the form of stories it would never be forgotten. ~Rudyard Kipling