The Shortest Distance Between Two People is a Story
Original Post | 2015 Storytelling Festival
You would never guess that the world gathers in Jonesborough, Tennessee, the first weekend in October. And by now, if you haven't gotten your tickets or made a reservation, you're pushing your luck. Trust me on this. The world is coming; this is one hot ticket.
Through the rain and cold, thousands lay down their cell phones, unplug from their computers and remember when Uncle Larry's stories told 'round the Thanksgiving table provided enough joy to propel you until next Thanksgiving. The spoken word becomes king and as your heart is tugged and your eyes well up with tears, you rejoice in the fact that this is the most wonderful place on earth and you're swooning.
There is power in these stories told in the Storytelling Capital of the World.
It all began in 1973 when a few people gathered to hear a few Appalachian tales told from the back of a hay wagon. Few have turned into thousands and the stories have reached far beyond Appalachian tales to those of universal narratives featuring various cultures and traditions.
Swappin’ Ground
A popular tradition, the Swappin' Ground provides an audience for everyone willing to take the stage and share a story.
Even the kids get involved. There's a legacy brewing as the daughter of internationally known (and fan favorite) storyteller Bill Lepp captures her own audience as she spouts her version of a story. Described as "a satisfying blend of Bob Newhart and Jeff Foxworthy", Lepp has won the West Virginia Liars' Contest five times. He will return to Jonesborough this year.
Bill Lepp and his daughter
Six-Word Memoir Station
It's simple. Tell a story in six words. Do you have any idea how long I stood there to find the perfect six words? Try it sometime and make each work count.
I am bias toward Donald Davis. I will admit it. I first met him a couple of years ago in a storytelling workshop in Madison, Georgia, and fell in love - with him and his stories.
Davis was "born in a Southern Appalachian mountain world rich in stories, surrounded by a family of traditional storytellers who told him gentle fairy tales, simple and silly Jack tales, scary mountain lore, ancient Welch and Scottish folktales, and most importantly, nourishing, true-to-life stories of his own neighbors and kin."
During our Madison afternoon drenched in laughter and remembrances (even a few tears), Davis gave me insight into storytelling. Since I was working on my own manuscript, I inhaled every word. In a nutshell, here are the important things to remember:
*You have to have a good time.
*Talk with people, no matter if they hear or not.
*Oral tradition is powerful. Bring the story to life because that is where it will live.
*One of the greatest things to learn about storytelling is how much the audience wants to help us.
*Writing is really our first foreign language. Our real first language is a package of gestures, sounds of attitude, feedback and spoken words. All is well until we start school, and the teacher says, "You've been talking six years. Now let's be quiet and work on language."
*Move the picture in your head.
*Once you laugh, I know the picture is there.
*Did you ever make a list of everyone whom you ever loved? A list of people your mother wished you'd never met? First pet? Our friends' parents? Unfortunate science experiments? The lists don't end; they just keep going.
*The best stories are about ordinary things, so ordinary that when people hear them, they've been there.
*There are stories I've told for 30 years. What has changed? I have changed. The teller has changed. Now, it's history being told by an old guy.
If you have an opportunity to be in the the audience (it will be crowded) as Davis shares his childhood, his first days of kindergarten, working at the drive-in and how father knows best, you will leave feeling renewed in the human spirit. With every moment and every lesson, the listener becomes more grounded in and thankful for his own life while being graciously entertained.
Donald Davis
