WHAT IS STORY TELLING?
A Story is an “account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment,” and storytelling is simply the art of sharing a message in the form of a story.
The teller conveys a message in order to connect with other people. The message includes a protagonist plus a number of other characters, a central plot, some conflicts or obstacles, a theme (one idea that recurs throughout) and a narrative arc. If you think about classic fairy tales, they were magical tales that embodied all these points and always sought to teach the reader or listener (often children) a lesson.
IN THE WORDS OF THE NATIONAL STORYTELLING NETWORK:
“Storytelling is an ancient art form and a valuable form of human expression…. [It] is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination.”
