"You'll Need This Monthly Collection..." - List-a-Day.com
"You don't have to be a professional actor to enjoy telling stories to a crowd. If you don't have any formal acting training, you'll need this monthly collection of tips and advice from Doug Lipman, a storyteller, coach and mentor.
Lipman tackles a central topic each month - how to take care of your voice, incorporating storytelling into different arenas, such as corporate events and children's festivals, stimulating imaginations, creating characters and the essential elements of storytelling - and shares advice, insights and some personal philosophy.
You'll learn techniques for effective storytelling without straining your most precious instrument, your voice."- Janet Roberts, List-a-Day.com
Thirty years ago, at 7:30am on a Tuesday, I stood facing a roomful of restless pre-adolescents. Unexpectedly, I had been placed in front of 70 of them with the instructions, "They can't use the playground because of the rain. Keep them busy until the other teachers get here."
I looked out over their faces, which revealed 10% hopefulness that I'd say something interesting, and 90% cynicism that any adult ever could. Their bodies were slumped, their arms were folded. They were challenging me to interest them.
Not knowing what else to do, I began to tell a story. Within moments, their postures changed. Their arms lowered to their sides. Their faces relaxed. Their eyes rolled slightly back. Best of all, they remained entranced throughout the fifteen minutes of the story.
I had no way of knowing it, but those fifteen minutes were to change my life. Over the next years, I followed the "story response" of children and adults - out of my teaching job, into free-lance performing, and finally into my role as a storytelling coach.
I became part of the storytelling revival, which has swept from classrooms and bedrooms into theaters and boardrooms. I wrote books, performed at festivals, recorded video and audio, coached individuals, and offered workshops and corporate trainings.
"Your newsletter is a terrific resource, not only for school and library storytellers, but for anyone who is drawn to using story in other settings as well. - Gail Rosen, Bereavement Counsellor, Pikesville, MDA
What is your equivalent of that room full of antagonistic children? Do you face:
Jaded colleagues?
Sceptical investors?
Bored children?
An organization in need of your vision?
A staff locked in conflict?
A profession unaware of the opportunities you see for it?
Storytelling can be a vital tool to help you communicate, solve problems, and lead. Wouldn't you like more insight into how and why it works its magic?
"Whole courses!"
"You are like a university all onto yourself! The articles in the newsletter are whole courses and textbooks." - Rabbi Steve Vale, Rabbi and storyteller, Vacaville, CA
"Most helpful!"
"I think that your newsletter is terrific. I'm using many of your 'tips' with my Museum outreach staff - and they're most helpful. Keep up the good work." - Candace Barrett, Los Angeles, CA
"A joy to read!"
" Doug Lipman's 'eTips from the Storytelling Coach' is a joy to
read! Informative, interesting and very helpful to anyone who performs
stories or music. I'm so happy I found it!—Amy Conley,
musician, Milford NH
"Reminds me of my passion!"
"Reminds me of my passion! I look forward to taking some of your
training some day when finances allow. In the meantime, I really
do appreciate your newsletter. When I go to a gig tomorrow, I will
take some of your wisdom with me."—Rita Whitebud, NY
In order to keep in touch with people who care about the transformational power of storytelling, I send out a FREE email newsletter. It just comes out once or twice a month, so it won't clog your in-box.
Every issue of eTips from the Storytelling Coach features five items:
1. An article about a topic that is central to your storytelling, touching on one or more of these areas:
Improving and applying your storytelling
The importance and uses of storytelling
The process of coaching
"Gives me insights into my own work!" —Russo Louis
"My sincerest thanks to you for defining storytelling for me in the way that you did. What you did was, in a manner of speaking, provide me within the scope of your answer to my question, a plot of such healthy soil I do believe it will bear fruit for me when ever I refer to it for harvest for the rest of my life.
Without going into how your excellent answer relates so well to my particular art form, as further compliment and thanks, let me say, that it does most assuredly but not only that, further, it gives me insights to my own work, perpetually in development, and also my living for over fifty years."
— Russo Louis, Comedy Ventriloquist (Listed on HBO’s broadcast of the "Ed Sullivan All Star Comedy Special" with "fifty of the world’s greatest comedians.")
2. A story related to the article. For example, a recent issue featured an article titled, "How to Have Storytelling Breakthroughs." The story for that month was about a college student who was led, painlessly, to a breakthrough over a cup of tea.
3. An exercise related to the same topic. This contains a detailed explanation of a practical, hands-on activity you can try—alone or with a partner—in order to advance your skills related to the topic.
4. A contest in which you can win up to $50 worth of products of your choice. Usually, the contest is for the best story on the topic of the monthly newsletter.
5. A "subscriber special"—a
time-limited discount announced only to eTips subscribers. Recent offers
have included:
discounts as large as $100 to $300 and more on storytelling resources,
advance
announcements of telephoneseminars,
pre-order offers on upcoming recordings,
discounts on web hosting for storytellers,
discounts as large as $1628 on packages of coaching services,
and much more.
In fact, the last 12 newsletters contained subscriber specials worth a total of $3919.71!
Once every few months, I send announcements about:
My personal and recommended storytelling events,
and
Useful storytelling resources I may find from time
to time.
By popular demand, I also send an email reminding you when a subscriber-only
special is about to expire. Altogether, you can expect to receive two
to four emails a month from me.
I welcome your feedback on the content and usefulness of the newsletter, and will sometimes incorporate your comments in future issues.
"A goldmine!"
"Most email newsletters are worthless. This one is a goldmine." - Ellen Riordan, Children's Coordinator, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD.
Past issues have included topics such as:
Finding the Sacred in Stories
Does Storytelling Make Us More Human?
Can Storytelling Teach Children Respect?
How to Harness a Hidden Power
Saved By a Buddy
What Are Stories Made Of?
Are You Neglecting Your Voice?
The Four Pillars of Your Storytelling
Are You Making These Marketing Mistakes?
What's the Purpose of Character Voices?
Storytelling Spreads...Now to the World of Business
Do You Want to Spend More Time on Your Art?
Can We Lead Through Stories?
Wild Women Speak Their Minds
Seven Tips for Choosing a Story Coach
Why Can't Johnny Tell?
Two Dangers To Your Storytelling
Want to read the current issue? It's available free on the web.
3. If you prefer, send me an email to
, including the word "unsubscribe" in the subject.
"A Wonderful Pick-up!"
"I've unsubscribed from other things, lots of things, but never from the storytelling coach. It is a wonderful pick-up for my spirits." - Bob Reiser, author and storyteller, Tarrytown, NY
NO-SPAM PRIVACY POLICY
My privacy policy is simple and iron-clad: I won't give your email address to anyone else.
Period.
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eTips is my gift to those interested in storytelling. At the same time, it lets me spread the word about unique resources.
To explain these same storytelling topics individually, I would charge at least $195 an hour, often more. But this one essay a month is free!
"Essential Information!"
"This is essential information for anyone interested in oral communication. I can't believe you give so much good information away!" - Gail Rosen, Bereavement Counsellor, Pikesville, MDA
Your email address is safe. You can cancel anytime. Thousands of others are receiving this high-quality information. If you are interested in storytelling, you can't afford to miss this information.
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