It was a quiet Tuesday morning in my hometown on the edge of the prairie. The sun had just begun to peek over the tops of the trees. The birds were just beginning their morning serenade. Ahhhhh It was a quiet and serene morning in my little world. I had just sat down for a […]
The Only Story In The World
February 25, 2020 by Leave a Comment
The debate was over what makes up a great story. The crowd filtered into the gym. They took their seats. Wedging themselves into the metal folding chairs that can turn your butt to stone in an instant. A small podium faced them On one side of the podium sat the traditionalists. Joseph Campbell, Keith Browning, […]
To The Dreamkeepers
February 5, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Neil Gaiman is a sage of storytelling while he’s awake. And one of the most interesting people alive. But there’s something you may not know about him. He is also a masterful weaver of whimsical, intensely interesting stories while he’s asleep. But dreams are fleeting So, over the years, his wife, musician Amanda Palmer, has […]
Schizophrenic Advice To Storytellers
November 5, 2019 by Leave a Comment
So many voices in my head. Telling me what to do. Or how to do it. Or how to think about storytelling. The difference between what to think and how to think It’s always been that way. There’s always a battle between the rules and principles. For example, once upon a time there two titans […]
How To Build A Storytelling Culture
September 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Natalia is a 15-year-old girl who lives in a small village in Mozambique. It is amazing how much of her life revolves around water. Waiting on water Each morning, after caring for her six brothers and sisters, she walks with pails to a riverbed miles away. When she get there she stands in line, waiting […]
Want To Lead A Movement? Start With A Story
April 16, 2019 by 1 Comment
Two children were born on the same day in Uganda. Two children grew up in the same Ugandan village. One boy One of those boys dropped out of school. He never learned to read. He ended up cutting sugarcane. He eventually struggled with alcohol abuse and parented many children out of wedlock. The other boy […]
Ten Things A Movement Needs
April 2, 2019 by 4 Comments
Through the oppressive heat, and humidity, and driving rain they came. Traveling in their luxury limos, and the family sedan they came. Celebrating in their fancy, streamlined motor coaches they came. Crowded into rickety, old school buses and church vans they came. In broken down VW buses and specially scheduled trains they came. From the […]
Visual Stories My Old Friend Tells Me
January 22, 2019 by Leave a Comment
We have met at least once a month for the last 22 years, my old friend and me. And every time I visit I see something I didn’t see before. Something new from my old friend to me. For 22 years Every time we’re together I feel inspired. That’s my old friend’s gift to me. […]
More Nothing: What Visual Storytelling Needs
January 8, 2019 by 1 Comment
Heather Anthony is an artist. She creates family portraits. To begin, she asks the family to send her photographs of each person. She asks them about the clothes they like to wear. And the fashion story they tell. Creating context From those contextual elements, she draws a digital sketch of the group for approval. Only […]
