Storytellers

This is a page for storytellers. Whether you are sitting around a campfire or standing at a boardroom table getting ready to tell a story, this page is for you.

People who have read Steve Shepard’s book, The Deliberate Storyteller, or who have attended one of his workshops, often come back with questions about the storytelling craft.
Typical questions include:

• Where do your stories come from?
• What is your technique for collecting stories? How do you find them?
• Do you record people telling stories or do you just listen and then write them down later?
• What do you read?
• What are your favorite stories?
• What are your secrets for becoming a good storyteller?
• Do I have to be a good writer to be a good storyteller?
• Do you have any hints for someone who wants to be a better write or presenter?
• What is the role of photography in storytelling?
• You work in a wide range of industries in your consulting work. How do you stay on top of the issues that   affect such diverse customers?

Storytelling is an important part of human life. It has a role to play in every country, every industry, every company, every person. Good stories – well-told stories – lead to better personal and professional relationships, improved competitive advantage for businesses, diverse ways to see and understand the world around us, and richer, fuller lives.

This page is devoted to stories and storytelling. Here I will post a regular series of downloadable essays and occasional Podcasts that will help you become a better storyteller. Be aware: this is not designed to be a simple how-to guide. Some of the topics that I intend to write about will make you scratch your head and wonder where I’m going. But all of them will be interesting and all of them will demonstrate, one way or another, how to be a better storyteller.

Here are some essays to get you started: