I need to get more experience storytelling. I need other outlets besides the folk clubs. Folk clubs are good, but there are guest nights and my stories are too long to fit into guest nights. So my experience through going into folk clubs is slightly limiting. It's also telling to adult audiences, and most storytelling work is telling to children.
I rang the Education Officer in Middlesbrough this morning. She was helpful and friendly. Gave me a couple of numbers to try. I have to contact the primary schools individually. Will leave that to next week probably (a bit busy today, and the school's are only just back and will be pretty hectic). SureStart, the nurseries, sounded quite promising though. The lady there has taken my number and will get back to me.
Public libraries are a dead duck though. This time I spoke to one of the heid bummers. Friendly, affable, but they can't use me. Apparently there all sorts of issues about using volunteers. Legal issues and employment issues. She told me that they have 4 librarians who go round telling stories. NO! They don't have librarians who go round telling stories. They have librarians who go round READING stories. It's not the same thing, as I promptly told her. She did concede that it was different, but said it was a problem because a librarian could claim someone was trying to do HER job. Bizarrely it is not an issue if the person telling stories is paid for the work, only if someone is a volunteer. They're looking at the issue of using volunteers and hope to resolve it, but goodness knows when. I could try Stockton libraries, who DO use storytellers, but they are paid storytellers, and I would probably have the same issues there.
Looks like I will have to go through the nurseries, and eventually the schools.
SureStart nurseries have just rung me with the name of someone to contact - she's not in next week but will be available next week.
Slow business - voluntary storytelling
Diane that sounds very promising! I wonder if there is an opening of some sort in television? Perhaps if you get the experience with the nurseries or schools, you could approach this idea? There is also radio. Sounds exciting to me!
There have been cases of people creating characters for childrens' stories and getting their own slot, was it something like 'Flump'?
Good to see you're making progress....
Thank you wallaby1. Don't really see tv as possible; radio maybe. However, the kind of storytelling that I do is oral storytelling. It's a performance art, and really needs to be a live performance. I specialise in traditional stories; folk tales that are very old, and have been transmitted orally. It is possible that I will eventually write some of my own material (I already tell brief stories online about my pet dragon!).
I've told stories, in the amateur slots at festivals, and have been well received. I'm being supported by Stanley R., one of Scotland's foremost storytellers. I used to live in Aberdeen and know him through the folk club. We are old friends. It is really helpful to have a friend in the business!
Yes Diane, not what you know but who you know! I did think TV was a bit distant, not an audience, but who knows, they may be beating your door down soon! Your pet dragon? Yikes, do you have a dungeon too? I can see the next J K Rowling coming along. I wonder if she is related to me, my name is Rowley, they did write down names as they sounded! I have a bit of the storyteller in me at times, things just 'pop out'.
No dungeon! I had a wizard living in my attic at one time. I took him his meals up on a tray. Some local children saw me watering the garden so I gave them my version of a water wizard! I don't think that J K Rowling needs to worry...
J K Rowling has made her fortune, there is no reason at all why you could not join the ranks of famous writers. The market seemingly has many trying, and it is ripe for this, but there is always the 'exception', as in many walks of life that is true.
What happened to your wizard? I bet he is still there, better check see if he is hungry, there might be a wish waiting to be granted!
Diane, if the Stockton bunch might balk at you volunteering to do your storytelling for free, WELL, duh, they can PAY you then and there would be no problem! That goes to the others in your area, but I don't think you need associate with that bunch of sniveling idiots that are afraid you might work harder for free than any of them that are getting paid , possibly putting their jobs in jeopardy!
Hi Doris! No, it's not Stockton that has been sniffy, but Middlesbrough. It's actually a national thing with the libraries. Not a great deal that I can do about it. Middlesbrough were okay when I said that I would be contacting them later in the year about telling, saying that I would ask for payment next time.
Hopefully Stockton will forgive me for being hasty! I get so irritated at the treatment you get from these other idiots! Meantime you seem to be doing quite well with your foot in the door! Keep[ it up!
Thank you Doris!