A lot of people ask me if I’ve had any training in Dramatic Arts or if I’ve ever taken workshops to learn to do what I do.

The answer is no.

I’m not saying that you wouldn’t learn to be a better storyteller by taking classes or workshops (in fact, I wish I had more time so I could attend workshops) but I, personally, have never been taught by anyone to tell a story.

It was something that I could do naturally.

I will share some thoughts on the subject of storytelling because I have some thoughts worth sharing.

These are my own personal beliefs and they are to be taken as so.

If they inspire you to try your hand at telling you own tales (be it to your children at home or to a room of complete strangers) then I’m glad this list helped.

• First: Have Fun! It’s a simple thing to do really, just open up a book and start reading each character with a different, goofy voice.  That’s fun in itself. Or try to act the book out. Remember, most of the time you will be telling stories to young children. Children LOVE to be silly, and they love it even more when adults can be silly with them. They will have just about as much fun as you.
• Second: Be careful of what you read.  This is essential, not only to the enjoyment of the audience, but to what kind of message that you are sending to them as well.
• Third: Find out what your audience wants to hear about. Children are at a delicate time in their lives where they are just learning about their feelings in a real way. They are expressing themselves and trying to be heard. When they get angry they may lash out and hit someone – then they hear “Don’t hit.” But no one has validated how they feel. “It’s okay to be angry, but let’s find another way to deal with our feelings other than hitting.” Some children’s literature focuses on these very important issues.  Learning what your children are dealing with and then finding stories that they can relate to is a step in the right direction.
• Last Thought: Make the best out of the time you have. Children grow up really fast.  We have a finite amount of time to sit and share stories. Don’t let this moment pass you by!

I love my job. I want to tell stories for the rest of my life.  I’m good at it and it’s been very good to me. Affording me the time to meet all sorts of new and exciting people, travel all over!

I think every person has the ability and the drive to do what they want. If you want to be a storyteller, my best advice is to just go out there and try it.

Start small, tell stories to family and friends, then get comfortable telling them to people you don’t know, then, if it’s right, just let it strap you in and take you for an unforgettable ride.