Storytelling: more than just a buzzword

I’m not sure when “storytelling” became a business buzzword, but I frequently see blog posts that command their readers to start telling stories NOW and articles about that cite storytelling acumen as a contributing factor of this or that successful business.

Researchers are examining why and how people respond to stories.

Because stories are relatable and can motivate people to act, storytelling can be a powerful communications tool for your business or organization, whether you are looking for:

  • volunteers for your cause;
  • donors for your campaign;
  • new employees for your team;
  • improved internal collaboration;
  • clients for your products and services; or
  • partners or investors for your company.

So, do you know to tell an effective story, one that will engage and influence your audience? Do you know how to use stories within a business setting?

Better Said Than Done will answer these questions in our workshop, Your Business Story: Crafting Your Company Tale, on Friday, February 24, 2017, 1-5 PM. Join us in Reston, in a fun and supportive environment, to learn how to:

  • develop characters that will create connections;
  • structure your stories to evoke emotion; and
  • build momentum in various media.

To register, please visit our workshops page.

For organizations with larger teams (including employees, partners, members, and/or volunteers) or specific needs or concerns, Better Said Than Done offers private, specialized workshops and presentations, onsite or online; read more about these options here.

 

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Submissions Closed

We are no longer accepting submissions for the short story anthology Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors.  Thank you to many men and women who submitted stories.  We will be informing authors whose submission was accepted no later than March 24, 2017.

I just want to take a moment to say how truly grateful I am that so many people chose to share their personal stories.  We will not be able to publish every submission we received, but we are carefully reading and reviewing all of them.

Thank YOU for YOUR time and consideration. All of you have contributed to what is going to be a fantastic anthology. Thank you for helping us raise funds for The National Network to End Domestic Violence.

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He Said, She Said – Storytelling with at least two sides

Better Said Than Done StorytellersHe Said, She Said: stories with a point of view, or two
February 25th, 2017
7:00PM Show/Doors Open at 6:00PM
The Auld Shebeen, downstairs
3971 Chain Bridge Rd.
Fairfax, VA

Join host Jessica Robinson and storytellers Richard Barr, Catherine Calvin, Ellie Klein, Jay Krasnow, Jack and Colleen Pelar, Allison Stevens and first time storytellers Freddi Donner and John Kreul for a night of true, personal stories about this or that, or maybe this and that, or just this, or just that, depending on who you ask.

Purchase $15 Admission at Door (Cash Preferred)
Purchase $12 Advance Tickets Here
Full menu and bar available
Seating is on a first come, first served basis

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Inaugural Storytelling Show Videos

Did you miss the “Inauguration?” If so, you missed the best show. It was huge.

Seriously, we had a great inaugural storytelling show at The Auld Shebeen in downtown Fairfax, VA.  Hosted by Jessica Robinson, storytellers shared not only their true, personal stories about ceremonies, beginnings and presidential stuff, but each one also shared the first memory they had of a president.  There were lots of fun moments and surprises not included in the videos below.  Next time, you’ll come out to see the show live so you don’t feel so terrible for missing out.  In the meantime, click on the links below to watch videos of our storytellers sharing their inaugural stories.

Bill Grella

Miriam Nadel

Jay Krasnow

Allison Stevens

Robert Lovejoy

Davine Ker

BN Heard

Jack Scheer

Sandra Hull

See you on February 25, at 7PM back at The Auld Shebeen in Fairfax, VA. Join us for “He Said, She Said: stories with a point of view, or two.”

Want to learn the art of storytelling? Sign up for a storytelling workshop.  We have a storytelling in business workshop on February 24, and a personal storytelling workshop on March 4th. Details and registration here.

Have a true, personal story about obstacles women face? Submit your story for consideration for publication in the anthology Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors. Submission Deadline is February 16. Submission guidelines here.

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Inauguration Storytelling Show

This January, Better Said Than Done kicked off 2017 with an appropriately titled storytelling show, “Inauguration: stories of ceremonies, beginnings and Presidential stuff,” at the Auld Shebeen in Fairfax, VA. Hosted by Better Said Than Done founder Jessica Robinson, the show featured true, personal stories by 8 returning – and one brand spankin’ new – storytellers.

Bill Grella launched the show with a story about his first job working for the airlines.

storyteller

 

Miriam Nadel shared a story about weddings ceremonies and all their charms.

storytelling

Jay Krasnow took us on a run that took a wrong turn.Better Said Than Done

And introducing Allison Stevens. This young lady took us to a time long gone past, when recording TV was still novel!first time storyteller

Robert Lovejoy learned a lot about how to run an effective campaign in elementary school.Robert Lovejoy

Davine Ker discovered a new world that no one had ever, or did ever, explain to her.Davine Ker

BN Heard’s story about his Papa really cranks my tractor.BN Heard

Jack Scheer discovered that sometimes adages exist for a reason, and sometimes they don’t.storyteller

Sandra Hull closed out our night in Fairfax by taking us to the White House.storytelling show

We had the best audience at our show. Huge numbers. And the storytellers? Top notch. Top talent. The food at The Auld Shebeen? The best. It was a bigly night all around. storytellers

All right storytelling fans. We started off 2017 for you. And we did it right. See you on February 25, at 7PM back at The Auld Shebeen. Join us for “He Said, She Said: stories with a point of view, or two.” It’s gonna be the best. After all, we have the best words.

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My Daughter, the Storyteller

I’m teaching my daughter to tell stories. At 3 and a half years old, what this mostly involves is my husband and I telling and reading her stories and, of course, asking her lots of questions. On occasion, when I ask, she actually agrees to tell me a story too.

young storytellerTo be clear, I am not pushing my daughter to tell fully formed stories at 3 and a half. I’ll wait until she’s four before giving her critical reviews of structure and dramatic arc. But getting kids into the habit of telling stories is a great way to teach them to understand the world. Furthermore, storytelling helps them to create long term memories. When they frame their day, or an event, in their own words, it tends to stick with them longer. In fact, there has been some research done suggesting that women have more memories from childhood than men specifically because people talk to girls more than boys, asking the girls more questions and expecting them to flesh out their answers. Hopefully, my husband and I can even things out by asking our son a lot of questions too – once he learns to talk!

Lately, my daughter has been into stories about babies. This might have to do with the arrival of her baby brother. She asks us to tell her about when she was born, when mommy was born, when daddy was born. She is starting to piece together the story of her birth, and the timeline of our family, but she’s not quite there yet. For example, she often asks my husband to tell her what I was like as a baby, and vice versa. This morning, when I asked her to tell me a story, here’s what she said.

“Once upon a time.” (Classic storytelling start. Way to go little girl!) “Daddy had a baby and her name was mommy.” (Okay, okay. If we take that figuratively, it could work.) “One night, daddy’s belly started to shake. Daddy went to the doctor and then mommy jumped out of his belly!” (So, I guess she meant the baby part literally. My daughter jumped feet first from my belly when she was born. She must’ve liked that image.) “And then mommy was a little baby named Jessica and she was so happy and daddy was so happy to have her.” (I couldn’t have said it better myself.)

Not only do I love to hear her telling a story, practicing forming sentences and thoughts and ideas, but I also learn so much from hearing how she interprets what I’ve told her. She might not have gotten the sequence exactly down, but she knows that when the little baby was born, daddy, and mommy too, was so happy to have her.  That’s a story I will always cherish, and I know she will as well.

Storytelling gives us a way to access the world, the things we understand and the things we are trying to understand. Giving kids the tools to try to form their own stories is like giving them a way to make sense of the world. It is never too early to share stories with children, and to encourage them to share their stories.

——

If you’d like to hear some storytelling for adults, come to our monthly themed storytelling shows, usually the last Saturday of the month.  The February 25th show is called “He Said, She Said: stories with a point of view, or two.” Details and tickets here.

Read about our storytelling workshops for adults here.

And if you are looking for storytelling for kids, well, I’ll leave that part up to you!

——-

Jessica Robinson is the Founder of Better Said Than Done and the author of Caged, an urban fantasy novel set in Northern Virginia.  She’s the mother of two very vocal children and will next be heard sharing her own true, personal story on stage in “Roar: true tales of women warriors” at Jammin’ Java in Vienna on April 30, 2017.

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Inaugural show of 2017

January is a time for new beginnings. Listen to ours at —

storytelling showInauguration: true stories of beginnings and presidential stuff
Saturday, January 28, 2017
7:00 PM (Doors open at 6:00 PM)
The Auld Shebeen – downstairs
3971 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
$15 per person (Buy your tickets online by 6 PM on January 27 for $12 each.)
Cash preferred at the door.

Our starting lineup for the year includes true, personal – and maybe cermonial – stories from Bill Grella, Brent Heard, Sandra Hull, Davine Ker, Jay Krasnow, Robert Lovejoy, Miriam Nadel, and Jack Scheer. We will also be welcoming Allison Stevens to the stage as a first-time storyteller!

Full dinner and bar menu are available at The Auld Shebeen. Seating is first come, first served.

Do you have a story you want to tell but you’re not sure where to get started? Join us for our next half-day storytelling workshop on February 4, in Reston! Read more about it; advance registration is required.

And mark your calendars now for our upcoming shows!

He Said, She Said: stories with a slant — February 25, 2017, The Auld Shebeen – downstairs, 3971 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, Virginia, 7:00 PM (doors at 6:00 PM), $15

Marching Orders: stories about moving on or moving out — March 25, 2017, The Auld Shebeen – downstairs, 3971 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, Virginia, 7:00 PM (doors at 6:00 PM), $15

Roar: true tales of women warriors — April 30, 2017, show to benefit the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, Virginia, 7:30 PM (doors at 6:30 PM), $20 (tickets on sale now)

 

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Roar – Call for Story Submissions

Call for Anthology Submissions

This is a call for submissions for a collection of stories entitled Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors. The book will be published in April 2017, and launched at the Better Said Than Done storytelling show of the same name at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA, on April 30th. After the book launch, the book will be available for purchase in both print and Kindle versions on Amazon and promoted by Better Said Than Done and the National Network to End Domestic Violence. All proceeds from the book benefit the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors will feature true, personal stories about the challenges of womanhood. We want stories from across the spectrum including, but not limited to: school, work, community, family, relationships, sex, marriage, motherhood, health, and assault. The goal of the book is to empower women to share stories of obstacles they have overcome and to help others understand the obstacles women still face, even in 2017.

We want to hear from the heart. We are not soliciting opinion pieces as much as true, personal experience stories.

 Submission Guidelines:

Please note: We Are No Longer Accepting Submissions. The deadline has passed. Thank you.

Deadline: Email submissions to: submissions{at}bettersaidthandone dot com by the midnight PST on February 16, 2017.

Bio: At the beginning of your email, please include your first and last name and a few sentences about yourself, including any storytelling and/or writing experience you have. You do not need to be a professional writer or storyteller to be included in the compilation. We would just like to know. You must be at least 18 years old to enter.
Please note, if your story is selected for the book and you choose, you may have it published anonymously.
Story Submission: Please put “Roar Story Submission, Your Story Title” in the subject line. Copy and paste your story into the body of the email, at the end of your email. We will not open attachments. Submissions must be your original work and be between 1500 and 6,000 words in length. You must currently hold the copyright to the work you are submitting. We will accept stories that have been performed in a storytelling show, or shared on a personal blog, but we will not accept any work where a contract for publication was signed. If you are simultaneously submitting your story to other publications, you must let us know. And if it’s accepted elsewhere,  please contact us by email immediately to withdraw your story from consideration. We will only accept and review one submission per person. Please do not submit more than one story; if you do, we will only review the first one we receive.

Review Process: Each submission will be blind reviewed by a panel. No names will be passed on to the reviewers. If your story is selected for publication, you may be asked to make some grammatical and/or style changes. The author will have final say over creative changes, but must be open to revisions. The book will be professionally edited both for style and grammar and the publisher has final say over grammar and formatting.

Panelists Include:
Mary Lucas, Writer, Editor
Meredith Maslich, Possibilities Publishing
Richard Peabody,  Gargoyle Magazine
Mary Supley Foxworth, MSF Public Relations and Communications, Better Said Than Done

Publication and Promotion: The book will be published April 30, 2017.  Better Said Than Done is hosting a storytelling show in Vienna, VA, on April 30th, at which the book will be launched and sales will begin. It is not necessary to attend the show, but all are invited to purchase tickets if they would like to. After the book launch, each author will be given one printed copy of the book for themselves. Additionally, copies will be available for purchase through Amazon in print and Kindle versions. All proceeds benefit the National Network to End Domestic Violence. There will be no royalties paid, nor will additional copies of the book be available at discounted rates. However, each author will have a bio listed in the book and on the book website, which will be promoted by Better Said Than Done and the National Network to End Domestic Violence. In order to maximize exposure for all participants, each contributor is expected to promote the book through social media and be available for interviews with press. We will provide materials to make this easy for you to do. When available, we would like as many contributing authors as possible to come to readings that we arrange. Authors are also welcome to do their own press releases and schedule their own readings. You will also become part of the Better Said Than Done family and receive calls for submission for future book or storytelling projects.

Final Steps:  Upon acceptance of your submission, we will send you an agreement to sign reviewing these details and granting Better Said Than Done first publication rights of your piece. If your story is selected for publication, you will be contacted, but please be patient for our response.

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Roar: Call to Action

This is a call for submissions to perform a true, personal story, live, on Sunday, April 30th, 2017, at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA.  The storytelling show will run from approximately 7:30PM to 9:15PM and is called “Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors.” All proceeds from the show benefit the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

National Network to End Domestic Violence

“Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors” will feature personal stories, approximately 8 minutes in length, about the challenges of womanhood. We want stories across the spectrum: motherhood, sex, assault, pregnancy, workplace, marriage, etc. The goal of the event is to empower women to share stories of obstacles they have overcome and to help others understand the obstacles women still face, even in 2017.

Submission Guidelines:

Email submissions to stories{at}bettersaidthandone dot com by the end of the day on January 25, 2017.

Please note, you must be available to perform on April 30th and able to get yourself to Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA to be considered for the show.

Bio: Please include a few sentences about yourself (if you haven’t already performed with Better Said Than Done) including any storytelling, performance and writing experience you have. (You do not need to be a professional writer or performer to be in the show)

Story Concept: In a separate paragraph, include a short synopsis of your story idea – no less than 50 words, no more than 500. We will be selecting stories based partly on the quality of submission, and partly on the variety of stories to be included in the show.

The lineup will be chosen and announced by February 10th, 2017. If you are not a regular BSTD performer, please let us know if you’d be interested in performing in future BSTD shows.

There is no compensation for the show – other than access to the photos and videos that will be taken at the show.
The show will be photographed and videotaped and, with your permission, the videos and photos will be shared through Better Said Than Done as well as through the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
Questions can also be emailed to stories{at}bettersaidthandone dot com.

Better Said Than Done is accepting written story submissions for a book of the same name and theme. Find submission guideline for Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors here.

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A 2016 Retrospective

I’m taking a card from “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” and saying that, though 2016 was pretty awful, there was at least an hour and a half each month that wasn’t entirely horrible. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights of 2016, according to Better Said Than Done storytelling. I think it’s safe to say we did a lot of good, had a lot of fun, and made some great friends in 2016. I hope you feel like you’re one of them!Better Said Than Done

In the case of each of the storytelling shows listed below, I have included a link to the playlist of that show’s videos. Just click on through if you’d like to relive our storytelling shows in all their glory.

January

We started 2016 off right with a storytelling show at The Auld Shebeen in Fairfax, VA – Wasn’t Me: true personal stories about mistaken identity. Hosted by Derek Hills, returning storytellers included Pierce McManus, Kathy Stershic, Sandra Hull, Richard Barr, Mike Kane, Catherine Calvin, Anna Marie Trester and Ann Cavazos, and new to the Better Said Than Done stage was Jay Krasnow.

February

Better Said Than Done teacher Mary Supley Foxworth led a storytelling workshop for the U.S. Department of State and teacher Jessica Robinson led a panel on storytelling for Marie Stopes International. To take our minds off the cold, our storytelling show took the audience to Margaritaville with host Dustin Fisher and storytellers Ann Cavazos, Catherine Calvin, Bill Burton, Sandra Hull, Richard Barr, Bill Grella, Jack Pelar, Jack Scheer.

March

We launched part one of our storytelling contest in honor of our upcoming 5-year anniversary! More than 20 storytellers submitted videos of their top Better Said Than Done story performances, looking for your votes so they could advance to part two – the anniversary show – in May.

April

Liezel Munson hosted  Man’s Best Friend: stories about pets, with returning storytellers Richard Barr, Mattie Cohan, Sandra Hull, Jennifer Greene and Colleen Pelar and three first time storytellers – Alex Dixon, Stacy Crickmer and Tamara Lords!
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