About storytelling

What is storytelling?

Storytelling is the art of taking something that happened to you and turning it into an experience you can share with other people.

Some of the best stories start with something completely ordinary: a disastrous dinner, a missed train, a strange encounter, a terrible decision, a moment of unexpected joy. What matters is what happened, what you felt, and why you still remember it.

“Stories are a communal currency of humanity.” — Tahar Ben Jelloun

What happens at a Storyslam?

A Storyslam is a night of true stories, told live and without a script.

Anyone can tell a story. At the beginning of the evening, put your name in the hat. Names are drawn at random throughout the night, and if your name comes up, you get five minutes on stage to tell us a true story connected to the evening's theme.

There are just a few rules:

• It has to be true. It happened to you.
• You have five minutes. Short enough to keep things moving, long enough to take us somewhere.
• No reading from notes. You can prepare and practise, but when you step onto the stage, it's just you and the audience.
• Keep it personal. We're interested in what happened to you — not in giving a speech or making a presentation.
• Have fun with it. You don't need to be a professional storyteller. You just need a story you want to share.

And then there's the audience. Because storytelling isn't just about the person on stage. A story changes when it's told to a room full of people — through laughter, silence, recognition and all the little reactions in between.

How do you tell a good story?

Start with a moment that matters to you.

Instead of trying to tell us everything that happened, find the moment when something changed. What did you want? What got in the way? What surprised you? What did you do next?

Bring us into the scene. Give us the little details that make it real. Let us hear what you heard, see what you saw, and feel what you felt.

A good live story doesn't feel like a polished performance. Just let us in on something that really happened and be yourself.

Want to tell a story?

If there's a moment from your life that you keep telling your friends, a story you've never told anyone, or something that still makes you laugh, cringe, wonder or shake your head — we look forward to hearing it!

Learn more

There is a wonderful storytelling community out there. Check out some stories people told live or any of the below resources on storytelling:

• The Moth — Storytelling Tips & Tricks Practical advice on finding, shaping and telling a personal story.
• The Moth — Tell Your Story More guidance on crafting and preparing a true story for the stage.
• The Moth — How to Tell a Story A deeper dive into the craft of storytelling.