Storytelling
Storytelling costs nothing and needs no equipment, just your voice and your memories. It connects you with children, grandchildren, and neighbors, and it keeps your mind sharp as you shape a tale and hold a listener's attention.
What you need to start
- Your own memories and life experiences
- A few true stories worth sharing
- A little practice saying them out loud
- A willing listener or a small, friendly group
At a glance
Your learning path
Three stages, taken at your own pace. Start at the top, get comfortable, then move down as you grow. There is no rush, and no wrong place to begin.
New to telling stories out loud? Start right here. These gentle talks show you that you already have stories worth telling, and how to shape a simple one with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
5x15 and The Moth: How to Tell a Story
5x15 StoriesHomework for Life | Matthew Dicks | TEDxBerkshires
TEDx TalksSeven Keys to Good Storytelling | Josh Campbell | TEDxMemphis
TEDx TalksThe Secret to Telling a Great Story — in Less Than 60 Seconds | Jenny Hoyos | TED
TEDOnce you can tell a simple story, these help you bring it to life: using your voice and well-placed pauses, holding a room, and sharing tales with children or a small circle without memorizing a word.
Give me 9min, and I'll improve your storytelling skills by 176%
Philipp HummThe magical science of storytelling | David JP Phillips | TEDxStockholm
TEDx TalksDonald Davis at the 2022 Timpanogos Storytelling Festival
Timpanogos Storytelling InstituteHow To Teach Kids The Art of Storytelling 🦁 🎠🏝️ ✈️- Children Love to Tell Stories
acurlyheadmommaHow to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth
Chris VossReady to go further? These show storytellers performing on stage, competing in Moth-style slams, and preserving family history, so you can craft longer stories, lead a circle, and pass your memories on.
Martha Cooney, Winning Storyteller, The Moth Grand Slam, When Worlds Collide
Martha CooneyThe Moth StorySLAM: Julia Lechner's "Strange Encounters" Story
Julia LechnerThe 3 ingredients of powerful storytelling | Joseph Romm | TEDxTralee
TEDx TalksThe power of story: Susan Conley at TEDxDirigo
TEDx TalksFamily Oral Histories with StoryCorps
Chattahoochee Valley LibrariesWhy storytelling is wonderful after 50
By the time you reach fifty, you have a lifetime of stories to share, and that is exactly what storytelling asks of you. There is no equipment to buy, nothing heavy to carry, and no special gift you had to be born with. You simply sit and speak, and the years you have lived become your richest material. Storytelling connects the generations, giving grandchildren a real sense of where they come from. It is warm and social, drawing people close, and it keeps your memory and quick thinking sharp. Best of all, storytelling circles are welcoming places where every voice matters and beginners are cheered on.
Your first month, week by week
Start collecting. Each evening, jot down one small moment from your day or your past that stuck with you, something you might want to tell someone about. Do not judge them yet. You are simply gathering raw material.
Pick one memory and shape it into a short story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Find the single point or feeling at its heart, the reason it matters to you, and let everything build toward that.
Tell your story out loud, first to yourself, then to one trusted person. Notice where it drags or rushes. Do not memorize it word for word; just know its shape and its ending by heart.
Share your story with a small, friendly group, perhaps at a senior center, a library, or a family gathering. Listen to others tell theirs too, and notice what makes you lean in and want to hear more.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Memorizing your story word for word. When you forget a single line you can freeze, and it often sounds stiff. Learn the shape and the ending instead, and tell it in your own words each time.
- Packing in too many details and side trips. Trust your listeners and keep only what moves the story forward, or you will lose them along the way.
- Rushing through, especially when you feel nervous. Slow down, breathe, and let a pause do its work so your words have room to land.
- Telling a story with no clear point or feeling behind it. Before you begin, know why this story matters to you, and steer everything toward that.
- Never practicing out loud. A story lives in the telling, so say it aloud several times before you share it, not just in your head.
- Starting too slowly with long background. Begin close to the moment that matters, and fill in only what your listener truly needs to know.
Make it easier on your body
Simple ways to keep storytelling comfortable and safe with arthritis, low vision, or limited mobility.
- Storytelling is done entirely seated and needs no equipment, which makes it one of the most accessible hobbies there is. You can do it from a comfortable chair, at a table, or even from bed.
- It is perfect for sharing family history and life memories, so your years of experience become the whole point rather than any kind of limitation.
- Large-print notes or a simple outline, not a full script, can support your memory. A few key words on a card are enough to keep you on track.
- You can tell stories one-on-one or in small, welcoming circles, so there is no need for a big stage or a loud, crowded room if that feels like too much.
- A small microphone or portable speaker helps if your voice tires easily or is soft, letting you be heard clearly without any strain.
- Go at your own gentle pace. Pauses are a natural, welcome part of good storytelling, so there is no pressure to rush or to speak for long stretches.
Words you'll hear
- Oral tradition
- The age-old practice of passing stories, history, and wisdom from one generation to the next by word of mouth rather than in writing.
- Arc
- The shape of a story as it moves from its beginning, through a rising middle, to a satisfying end. A clear arc keeps listeners with you.
- The hook
- The opening line or moment that grabs your listeners' attention and makes them want to know what happens next.
- Pacing
- The speed and rhythm of your telling. Slowing down and using well-placed pauses builds suspense and lets important moments land.
- Story slam
- A friendly, open storytelling competition, made popular by The Moth, where people tell true, personal stories in about five minutes with no notes.
- Personal narrative
- A true story drawn from your own life and told in your own voice, the heart of most modern storytelling.
Where to find your people
- Local storytelling guilds and circles, where tellers of all levels gather to share stories and encourage one another.
- The Moth and its StorySLAM events, held in many cities, where anyone can put their name in the hat to tell a five-minute true story.
- Groups at your senior center or community center, which often host storytelling afternoons, reminiscence groups, and open-mic gatherings.
- Your public library, which frequently runs free storytelling programs, oral history projects, and author or teller events.
- Online storytelling communities and forums, where you can watch tellers, share your own recordings, and find local events near you.
Start learning Storytelling
Sign up for our free, friendly lessons and we will help you take the first step. Tell us where you are starting from and we will meet you there.
