Liz Warren | Storyteller

I am sure everyone has watched a music awards show.  One attribute all these shows have in common is the variety of acts that are showcased. Some acts perform with the full experience-laser light shows, pyrotechnics, and elaborate costumes.  Others skip the special effects but fill the stage with band members, backup singers, and sometimes even dancers.  All these performances are exciting and fun to watch; however, often the talent of the music and the musician is overlooked or even lost.

For me the most memorable performances are the solo acts.  In country music, this is when Tim McGraw stands on the stage in his black hat in front of the white background and sings “Live Like You Were Dying.” Or when Carrie Underwood stands on the stage alone and sings “Cry Pretty.” These artists are so talented they can tell their stories of loss and trauma without all the background noise.

For me storytelling is like these memorable musical performances.  The teller stands in the middle of the stage without a background, special effects, backup singers or dances and tells the story.  Using only his/her body and voice, the message is relayed from the artist to the listener-plain and simple. The story telling triangle described by Doug Lipman in Improving Your Storytelling is complete because a relationship has been created between the teller, the story and the audience.

The image at the top is from Doug Lipman's Improving Your Storytelling.