Overview

In ancient times, storytelling was an important part of communication. Storytellers told their tales for various purposes, ranging from entertaining children to relating historical events. Storytelling is an art form that we still use on a daily basis.

Stories are everywhere; they are within us all. A novice storyteller may begin by picking a story about something that has happened to him or her or a story passed down within his or her family. As one develops as a storyteller, one may want to move on to other people's stories. One becomes an effective storyteller by telling a variety of tales.

There is a great deal of folklore, which has been passed down from generation to generation, from which one might find enjoyable stories to tell.

Storytelling utilizes many of the techniques used in acting. However, storytelling is not acting. One does not become a single character in one's story; one instead suggests all the characters through vocal and physical characterization. One must visualize the characters, get to know the story well, and practice telling it. When telling the story to an audience, one should take pride in the story.