Your storytelling is more than just the story

“The art of storytelling is centred on the storyteller’s involvement with character and plot. He cannot, in James Joyce’s words, sit back godlike and pare his fingernails. He must have an attitude towards the contents of his story. Only then can the magic of the story work whilst the storyteller draws his audience nto a web until, helpless and trapped, they are compelled to listen.”

Reading Leon Rubin’s account of co-directing the great 1980s Royal Shakespeare Company production of Nicholas Nickleby, I was struck by his insight about storytelling.

It’s the need to have an attitude towards the content that’s important. Not a mere telling of the facts or descriptions of the characters, but how I – as the storyteller – feel about them. The listener tunes into the stakes, appreciating why the tale might matter to us, here and now. Yes!

The Nicholas Nickleby Story by Leon Rubin

Once upon a time, any story would do. No longer. Audiences have zero tolerance for boredom. And what we are working on is too important to get wrong.  You can no longer afford to repel the audiences you need to attract.

Our popular Storytelling for Leaders workshop is back and ready for business owners, heads of organisations, leaders of teams, managers, change managers and consultants. That’s anyone who wants better results by shaping the stories of their organisation.  

For more information on our ‘Storytelling for Leaders’ workshops please visit Storytelling for Leaders | Paul Jackson Associates Ltd & The Improvisation Academy or email paul@impro.org.uk directly.