Websites about storytelling
Tell
Me Your Stories
This US-American project has developed a curriculum,
which enables to carry out school projects about oral story-telling. Seniors are
given the opportunity to tell their life story and young people are helped to
understand history by interviews with elder contemporary witnesses.
The Society for
Storytelling
Website of an English story-telling network. Beside
general information about story-telling, a calendar of events, a list of
publications and numerous links about story-telling are provided.
Graham Langley, Storyteller, Homepage
Website of a British story-teller. Provides insight of the work of a professional story-teller.
The New
Zealand Guild of Storytellers
Website of a New Zealand's story-telling organisation. Contains several guidelines and background information about story-telling.
Centre for Digital Storytelling
The Centre for Digital Storytelling is a great website which provides a comprehensive introduction to the innovative genre of digital storytelling, an initiative which choreographs the stories of peoples lives using digital media. Although they are currently collecting stories for display on the site, it provides useful links to the world of digital storytelling, showing how the movement has progressed since its creation in 1994. The site also contains info on the centre's public workshops in the US and Canada. But if you can't make it that far, there are explanations of the process of creating digital stories and the skills involved, such as scripting, design and production. You can also download founding member Joe Lambert´s ´Digital Storytelling Cookbook and Travelling Companion´, which explains the process in more detail.
Capture Wales, Digital Storytelling
Capture Wales, based in Cardiff, brings the concept of digital storytelling to the United Kingdom, running public workshops in Wales, in both English and Welsh. The initiative focuses specifically on the Welsh community and "…the idea is to show the richness of life in Wales through stories made by the people of Wales". If you live in Wales, you can download an application form for the opportunity to get involved in one of the workshops.
The site has a comprehensive database of fascinating stories created in their workshops, divided into themes of Challenge, Community, Family, Memory and Passion, and you can also browse by area. Transcripts of the stories are available and there is a featured digital story every week. And for those of you who speak Welsh, there is of course a Welsh version of the site too.
The Storyteller
The Storyteller is the homepage of Rona Barbour, who has devoted herself to the art of storytelling and calls herself an ´International Storyteller´. Her work is based in the UK, telling stories at schools, at children's parties, open days and various events. Rona believes in the importance of communication through storytelling at all levels, including in business. She currently runs workshops on ´Storytelling in the Workplace´… "Storytelling is no longer ´for kids´, it has become a vital skill for those who seek to communicate at a higher, complex professional level."
International Storytelling Center
The International Storytelling Center provides a series of online resources
to introduce readers to the power of storytelling and how to use this
ancient tradition to enrich one's lives and work.
Tech Head Stories
This website provides an exhaustive list of links to digital storytelling sites and resources, including links to digital story archives, books and articles on digital storytelling, software and tools for digital storytelling, as well as to sites on interactive fiction, online journals, corporate storytelling and community projects. It even has links to online comics and online storytelling tests!
The website for business and organisational storytelling
This website is Steve Denning´s platform for his exploration into the world of knowledge management and the concepts behind ´corporate storytelling´. Steve used to be head of knowledge management at the World Bank, so we can assume he knows his stuff. The site provides several mini essays on themes related to storytelling and communication, looking at the philosophies behind them, and has a detailed list of types of stories and narrative, with particular reference to ´springboard stories´ (stories "that enable a leap in understanding by the audience so as to grasp how an organization or community or complex system may change") You can also purchase Steve's books online. His most recent book, ´Squirrel Inc: A Fable of Leadership Through Change´, looks to be of most interest and you can read some witty, although sometimes scathing, reviews of the book online.
Storytelling Power
Using stories to ´enhance your life, your career and your community´ is the drive behind this storytelling website, which provides useful tips for storytelling. Although they are mainly aimed at telling stories orally, many of the tips apply to written stories as well. The website has many articles on all aspects of storytelling, including ´Should Storytellers Work for Free?´ and, should you decide not to, ´Ways to Market Your Storytelling´. The site offers a free newsletter and recommends some books on storytelling ´how to´, which can be purchased on amazon.com. There are also links to other websites by the same author on how to make presentations (Powerful Presentations) and how to choose a career (Creative Keys).
The Internet Public Library
This is not a storytelling related site but it is an excellent resource. It works just like a normal library but it catalogues internet articles. Here you can find information on everything from Arts and Humanities to the Social Sciences.
Storytelling Resources for Storytellers
Comprehensive collections of articles, links, and information on the oral tradition and the art of storytelling.
Handbook for Storytellers
A brief, useful guide to storytelling offering hints to anyone who is interested in telling stories. The guide is focused on help people to develop their own storytelling style.
BBC: How to Write a Short Story
A more informative guide from the BBC on how to write short stories, inspired by one of their dramas. There is also a index of short stories sent in by the public for a competition.
Last Words
An online writers workshop where you can read, review and submit stories.
Deutsches Jugendinstitut, Projekt Bildungs- und
Lerngeschichten
German educational project, which uses learning stories as an instrument for observation and diagnostic of childish learning. "Learning story" here is understood as a story about learning of a child previously being observed during a task or an action.
Story Telling in Unternehmen:
Vom Reden zum Handeln – nur wie?
Article in "wissensmanagement online" about the value of Storytelling for knowledge management in companies.
Stran zo ortoke
Website for children with tales and support of learning
www.pozitivke.net
Stories written by visitors, some are real events, some are fictions.
Aktivnosti in clanki
Short description of project in which Danish and Slovenian pupils were writing tales together.
8. slovenski pripovedovalski festival
Short description of Slovenian storytelling festival
Cafédiverso
Cafédiverso is a fantastic website available in both English and Spanish and is definitely worth a look. A database of stories, pictures and blogs from around the world, it is "a cultural crossroads for people of all nationalities to exchange stories, ideas and creativity." You can submit your own photos and stories and check out other people's. It has an ´In Exile´ section where you can find accounts of people who have lived in other countries. In particular check out Killian´s, who founded Cafédiverso and now lives in Barcelona. There is also a section for ´Efriends´ so you can get in contact with people from other parts of the globe. They are currently working on a forum, travel expeditions and a section to get in touch with people already travelling. An excellent website for showcasing up-and-coming talent.
La Casa de los Cuentos
A well formatted site in Spanish with a database of authors, poets, musician, actors, dancers and basically anyone creative from around the world. The idea is that you can get in touch with like minded people and share ideas, creativity, etc. At the moment it is still being developed so there aren't many people on the database yet. There is however a collection of stories and the option to publish your own stories and poems on the website if you become a member. Members can also access the forum. Also check out the recommended books section and the photo gallery.
Centro del Cuento
Centro del Cuento is a Spanish website with a catalogue of professional storytellers from all regions of Spain. The site also has loads of info about their 24hr storytelling marathon in Guadalajara, Spain. The marathon takes place every year and you can view pictures on the website. The centre also holds a storytelling evening every Friday.
Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes
An online library, in Spanish, with an exhaustive database of classic and contemporary literature which can be read online. Despite it is not a storytelling site it worth to have a look at it since literature should be the inspiration when writing a story.
Cooperativa Itaca
The Italian organisation ITACA is currently studying the benefits of the
autobiographic stories for the elderly. The site presents a number of
stories told by old people to children and youngsters. The stories allow to
bridge the gap between generations, help the elderly be useful thanks to a
sort of knowledge transfer, teach the younger audience their lessons learnt,
recollect past events, games, situations.