Busy lady - supporting storytelling

I'm really busy right now going to various activities that will support my storytelling.

I'm going to a singing class on a Wednesday evening. It might sound boring - breathing exercises and scales - but it's absolutely just what I need for my voice. I thought I'd never sing in public again, after all the various health problems that I had with my voice in the 90s. I even had a speech therapist at one time. But the lessons are really helping. I'm singing again - even reached top G last night - years since I've last achieved that! I'm hopeful about singing my folk songs in the clubs again very shortly.

I'm also going to a guitar class. Guitar work will go very well with my singing though I would still want to sing a number of my songs unaccompanied. Teacher is really enthusiastic.

I've also started going to a drumming workshop run by a Togolese gentleman. Drumming is an extremely useful skill to complement storytelling. The workshop is great fun. The troupe is made up of people from different nationalities. I'm hoping to be able to learn some of their songs and stories eventually. I told them a riddle - was met with great enthusiasm and a drum roll!!!

I've returned to the Stockton Folk Club and am enjoying it and making friends.

Went to Taffy T's Lakeland Festival at the weekend. It wasn't just storytelling - there was singing and music too and shadow puppets and juggling. On the Saturday morning I went on an outing to Lake Windermere. Taffy noticed me on this old vintage bus and clearly recognised me from his story-a-round session at Whitby - he called out a cheery Hi honey! I had a pleasant chat with Mike R the Shropshire storyteller about walking on the North York Moors (he's a keen hiker) and with Lesley M the Blackpool storyteller. Lesley was very supportive - I had talked to him a year ago about wanting to become a storyeller. He was very encouraging. On the Saturday evening there was session of ghost stories by firelight. Wonderful!

I also told Sarkless Kitty once again, in a tipi on Sunday morning. It went down very well indeed - I made it into audience participation and I had the audience joining me in making animal noises! Woof! Moo!!! Terrific! One of the storytellers there has asked me for a copy of the story so that he can learn and tell it too. This is the normal thing to do so I've agreed. He's an experienced storyteller so maybe he will give me one of his stories and I can improve my repertoire. It's also good to make friends!

So my life is busy right now. This period is likely to go on for several months as I acquire and improve my skills. It should all make me an excellent and well-rounded storyteller.

My next outing is to Newcastle at the end of next week to a workshop being held there by the A Bit Crack Club.

Wow!!...Busy lady, how do you have time to fit this all in?

I think I can just about remember when life used to be like that, rushing from one thing to another.I used to wish then i had time to slow down and take things easy, now it's the opposite.

We could do with a childs energy when we get older, instead when we need it most is when it seems to fade away...

you sound as if you have been having a great time, bet you didn't think this was down the line a while ago?

Guitar as well, is there no end to your talents? The next Joan Biaz? (is how it was spelt? )
Life sounds good for you at the moment, long may it last.

Thank you sueone. Of course you have to realise that I'm unemployed - all the time in the world. On paper I'm a distance learning tutor - in practice my college hasn't sent me any students for months.

So, rather than be idle I'm spending time developing skills that may eventually lead to me being able to go the self-employment route. Essentially, I'm on the scrapheap, and the only way off is going freelance (self-employed).

Once I have a repertoire built up (sets of programmes) some of these classes will be dropped as I contact possible employers. I've dropped the teaching classes that I was going to - it had become obvious that it wasn't going to lead to a livelihood.

Sounds as if you're having a ball - doing all those things that you love!
Great to hear and hope it all leads on to more and more good things. You certainly deserve it for effort alone ;o)

Thank you Philomel. It's slow though, and expensive. I'm going to a one-day workshop up in Newcastle on Saturday. Costing me £40, plus my train fare. Thankfully one of the local storytellers is putting me up overnight. It's slow work developing material.

Wow, you have really been busy since your last post. I realize it is not bringing in money, but it sounds like you are beginning to get recognized and meeting other professinals who have become friends. Plus along with your classes, it is great you are using this spare time to brush up your skills in music, etc. Who knows, at this time, which way your future might turn? I'm sure you never thought a year ago what you would be doing at this time, something that perhaps you might be making a living at, singing even writing, or other things since you have a real talent and the skills! Grab all the opportunities that you can. I feel that I don't have to worry too much about you now! Keep it up!

Northerner, you're a true renaissance woman! It seems storytelling is your passion, and when you're working at it it's not really like work at all -right? I would love to hear the storytellers and stories you've described. We just don't have much opportunity to hear storytelling around here, except for our Native American storytellers at potlatch gatherings and so on, I haven't heard many other examples. It's a real art. How exciting that you are doing all of those classes.

Thank you both.

I'm a beginner, an amateur. It takes a very long time to become proficient at storytelling. I've been told it can take between 7 - 10 years. Although it is possible to work professionally before that. It's a long and slow career path though.

And the work is demanding too. Most of it is in schools (about 90%). It can be very draining (physically tiring) telling stories for an hour at a time. It's also very tiring trying to find enough work to make a living from, and is poorly paid for the most part. So, it's not a very good career option if you have other choices. Of course, I have very few other options. I still look through job adverts in the (now forlorn) hope that I can still find work that will use my computing Master's but at least I am using spare time to put together something else.

This message was edited Oct 5, 2005 3:23 AM