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    The Moth - Storytelling Tips & Tricks - Reader Mode

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    joehmyersviking
    The document provides tips for effective storytelling at The Moth events. It advises to tell stories from memory without notes, ensure the story has stakes for the teller, and begin with a gripping first line that establishes stakes. Stories should be entertaining but avoid meandering endings, rants, essays, fake accents, racism, or hate speech. The goal is to engage the audience through a personal story.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    The Moth - Storytelling Tips & Tricks - Reader Mode

    Uploaded by

    joehmyersviking
    538 views3 pages
    The document provides tips for effective storytelling at The Moth events. It advises to tell stories from memory without notes, ensure the story has stakes for the teller, and begin with a gripping first line that establishes stakes. Stories should be entertaining but avoid meandering endings, rants, essays, fake accents, racism, or hate speech. The goal is to engage the audience through a personal story.

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    The Moth _ Storytelling Tips & Tricks - Reader Mode

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    The document provides tips for effective storytelling at The Moth events. It advises to tell stories from memory without notes, ensure the story has stakes for the teller, and begin with a gripping first line that establishes stakes. Stories should be entertaining but avoid meandering endings, rants, essays, fake accents, racism, or hate speech. The goal is to engage the audience through a personal story.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    538 views3 pages

    The Moth - Storytelling Tips & Tricks - Reader Mode

    Uploaded by

    joehmyersviking
    The document provides tips for effective storytelling at The Moth events. It advises to tell stories from memory without notes, ensure the story has stakes for the teller, and begin with a gripping first line that establishes stakes. Stories should be entertaining but avoid meandering endings, rants, essays, fake accents, racism, or hate speech. The goal is to engage the audience through a personal story.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 3
    At a glance
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    The key takeaways are to have stakes in the story, start with action, and avoid meandering endings. Tell the story from your own experience and voice.

    An opening line should set up the stakes and grab attention by starting in action rather than exposition. It should draw the audience in rather than bore them with unnecessary details.

    Storytellers should avoid meandering endings, standup routines, rants, essays, and fake accents. They should also avoid hate speech.

    12/22/2020 The Moth | Storytelling Tips & Tricks - Reader Mode

    The Moth | Storytelling Tips & Tricks

    What to do

    Be forewarned
    Moth stories are told, not read. We love how the storyteller connects
    with the audience when there is no PAGE between them! Please know
    your story “by heart” but not by rote memorization. No notes, paper or
    cheat sheets allowed on stage.

    Have some stakes


    Stakes are essential in live storytelling. What do you stand to gain or
    lose? Why is what happens in the story important to you? If you can’t
    answer this, then think of a different story. A story without stakes is
    an essay and is best experienced on the page, not the stage.
    Start in the action.

    Have a great rst line that sets up the stakes and grabs attention
    No: “So I was thinking about climbing this mountain. But then I
    watched a little TV and made a snack and took a nap and my mom
    called and vented about her psoriasis then I did a little laundry (a
    whites load) (I lost another sock, darn it!) and then I thought about it
    again and decided I’d climb the mountain the next morning.”

    Yes: “The mountain loomed before me. I had my hunting knife, some
    trail mix and snow boots. I had to make it to the little cabin and start a
    re before sundown or freeze to death for sure.”

    Know your story well enough so you can have fun!


    Watching you panic to think of the next memorized line is harrowing
    for the audience. Make an outline, memorize your bullet points and
    play with the details. Enjoy yourself. Imagine you are at a dinner party,
    not a deposition.

    ...and what not to do

    chrome-distiller://39fd8957-ce0d-47f7-89b3-d2332a755ba4_c5aac6b02844aa7c7890d791401d33dd61dea8bd3c448d0fa2e3b02b6c18133d/?title=The+Moth+%7C+S… 1/3
    12/22/2020 The Moth | Storytelling Tips & Tricks - Reader Mode

    Steer clear of meandering endings


    They kill a story! Your last line should be clear in your head before you
    start. Yes, bring the audience along with you as you contemplate what
    transpires in your story, but remember, you are driving the story, and
    must know the nal destination. Keep your hands on the wheel!

    No standup routines please


    The Moth loves funny people but requires that all funny people tell
    funny stories.

    No rants
    Take up this anger issue with your therapist, or skip therapy and
    shape your anger into a story with some sort of resolution. (Stories =
    therapy!)

    No essays
    Your eloquent musings are beautiful and look pretty on the page but
    unless you can make them gripping and set up stakes, they won’t
    work on stage.

    No fake accents
    If your story doesn't work in your own voice, or that of your people of
    origin, please consider another story. In our experience, imitating
    accents from another culture or race rarely works and often offends. 

    Please use our stage to practice civility and respect. Please don't
    include racism, homophobia, misogyny or any form of hate speech. 

    Need more info?  Here are helpful guidelines that we provide at every


    StorySLAM:

    chrome-distiller://39fd8957-ce0d-47f7-89b3-d2332a755ba4_c5aac6b02844aa7c7890d791401d33dd61dea8bd3c448d0fa2e3b02b6c18133d/?title=The+Moth+%7C+S… 2/3
    12/22/2020 The Moth | Storytelling Tips & Tricks - Reader Mode

    chrome-distiller://39fd8957-ce0d-47f7-89b3-d2332a755ba4_c5aac6b02844aa7c7890d791401d33dd61dea8bd3c448d0fa2e3b02b6c18133d/?title=The+Moth+%7C+S… 3/3

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