How to Tell a Story Well

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The cherries from the tree had small sets of antlers inside.
The cherries from the tree had small sets of antlers inside.
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The Cherry Tree Buck grew a cherry tree from between its antlers.
The Cherry Tree Buck grew a cherry tree from between its antlers.

For most people, knowing how to tell a story well is a long forgotten trade. However, anyone can be a good storyteller given they have the right technique. Robin Moore, a professional storyteller, provides storytelling tips and steps towards telling a compelling story.  Originally published as “The Art of Storytelling and The Cherry Tree Buck” in the October/November 1991 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS.

I make my living by knowing how to tell a story well and am an author of books celebrating the oral tradition. The questions I’m most often asked are: “How did you get started in storytelling?” and “Who taught you how to tell a story?”

I have never been able to come up with satisfactory answers to these questions basically because I didn’t “learn” to tell a story any more than I “learned” how to crawl or walk or run. But I did have a lot of examples of good storytelling techniques around me while I was growing up in rural Pennsylvania during the 1950s. My family, neighbors and friends were always telling stories. Of course they didn’t call it that. To them it was just talk. From this “talk” I developed an active imagination and a love of language. I guess you could say they gave me the gift of gab.

I realize that not everyone was as fortunate as I was. I have been astonished to find that there are a lot of people who grew up without stories or storytelling. But whether you have storytelling in your background or not, I think just about anyone can be a good storyteller.

Here are a few simple tips on storytelling that will help you create and tell a story. I’ll use “The Cherry Tree Buck” as an example. I first read this story in a book, but you can develop any story that interests you, regardless of its source. It’s easier to start with stories from books or other people; then, once you have the hang of it, you can develop stories from your own imagination or personal memory.

  • Published on Oct 1, 1991
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