Hello Northener

And Happy Birthday. You have the same birthday as my elder sister. I hope you had a good holiday. How are you doing?- we haven't heard from you for a while.
Maggi xxxx

Hello Sorgina! I've been hectically busy learning my way round storytelling. Here's my account of today's visit to Whitby Folk Festival and my debut there as a storyteller.

This went just great! We have story-a-rounds every weekday morning at 10 o' clock. There is a storyteller who organises the story-a-round, and who usually starts it off. Today's storyteller was Stanley R, my old friend from Aberdeen. Stanley is a master storyteller, an internationally renowned storyteller.

Us lesser mortals then went round one at a time, each telling one story. About two thirds of us today told a story. There was no-one today who was bad, although I found that some of them were a bit boring. I had chosen "Sarkless Kitty" - largely because it originates from my beloved Farndale but also because it is a ghost story, i.e. it is supernatural. I could remember that Stanley has always had a love for supernatural stories and I was keen to tell him a story that he would really enjoy.

My telling went superbly. It helped that I was telling it to an old friend as I didn't feel quite so nervous. I didn't trip over any words at all. I went at a relaxed pace and felt comfortable with it. Very comfortable. I made eye-contact with most of the audience and could see that most of them had engaged with it and were appreciating it. It was miles better than my telling at Bleddfa only a matter of days ago. I then got a very good round of applause. Very good indeed.

I had been expecting to be average, but again I have the impression that I am not average. To be blunt, I think I may be good.

I spoke to Stanley after my performance. He said just one word. "Lovely". That's all that I needed him to say.


I feel satisfied and excited. I am hearing interesting changes in my voice. It sounds more melodic and rhythmic. More musical in other words. It may well be that my earlier love of singing is coming through into my speaking voice.

This is all very wonderful for me.


This message was edited Sep 2, 2006 5:54 PM

Northener, that sounds wonderful! I'm so pleased for you. All the very best for Friday. I'm sure the others won't mind listening again as you tell the tale so well.
Maggi xxxx

Diane, I was beginning to get so worried about you and afraid you might have been ill. But now I see you have been having the time of your life! This is such exciting news and you are making connections and having such fun with your story telling. This may be your true vocation! And a belated Happy Birthday! Hugs, Doris

Thank you Doris. Yes, I hope that this is indeed my true vocation.

Hi Northerner. I didnt know it was your birthday. Belated wishes anyway ;)

Oppss and another one I've missed!

Happy Belated Birthday Northerner!

Thank you all!

I've now told my story at Stockton Folk Club on Monday night. It went down very well. Perhaps too well. The MC told me during the break that I'd be third on after the interval but that I could only do one story. I said, "That's fine, I'm a beginner - I only have one story." Well I did my story and it went very well. Dave, the MC, said it was lovely. But just as I was leaving he caught up with me. "I thought you said you were a novice" he said. So I replied, "Yes, I am." Well he gives me this accusing look and says "Then how come did you knew all those words?" I tried explaining that I'd been on a course at Bleddfa and we'd been shown how to internalise a story. But I don't think he understood.

It's a good job that I've got a good sense of humour and have taken it as a compliment.

You should never give your secrets away Northerner and just accept credit where credit is due ;) A compliment indeed. Im glad it went well for you.

That was a great compliment. Where do you go next?

Hmm, well I'm thinking of going to another small festival at the end of September, in the Lake District. It's just a weekend thing.

I do have a problem in that there are very few storytellers telling locally. To keep motivated and to help me keep learning I will need to go away for occasional weekends to see professional storytellers performing. So the Lake District one is the next one that I should be thinking of. After that I will go up to the Guid Crack Club in Newcastle. They have a monthly storytelling evening (on a Friday) plus the occasional Saturday event. Means me finding a pleasant little B & B for my trips up there. If I can go to the Newcastle club occasionally I will get some support - and I need that. Also possibly in the future is the possibility of me starting up a club right here in Middlesbrough - I've already been talking to the Arts Development Officer about it.

But the very next thing is seeing Tony W. a Newcastle storyteller, perform in Stockton on Friday as part of Stockton Heritage Day.

This message was edited Sep 9, 2005 12:37 PM