MO-TELL Member of the Month

From his introduction to storytelling at the 2017 Kansas City Storytelling Celebration, where he told his first story at a Story Swap, to today Rich White has embraced storytelling in a BIG way. While he tells many genres of stories: Historical, Folk, Fairy Tales, and occasionally Personal, he is best known for his Tall Tales.

He joined MO-TELL in 2018 when he first competed in the MO-TELL Missouri LiarsContest. 2018 was also when he was part of the first graduating class for the Oral Storytelling Certification classes offered by the Story Center at the Mid- Continent Public Library. He has served on the Board of Directors for River and Prairie Storyweavers (RAPS) as the Secretary for the past 6 years.

Rich has won the Missouri Liars Contest twice (last winning in July 2023), the Kansas Storytelling Festival Tall Tales contest twice (last winning in April 2024), and the Texas Storytelling Festival Liars Contest once (winning in March 2024). He is planning on competing in the 2024 MO- TELL Missouri Liars Contest so for those who haven’t heard him yet there is an opportunity to hear him and several other of the best “Liars”in Missouri in Columbia, MO on July 20th , 2024.

He has also told stories at Missouri Town 1855, done several programs for the Cass County Historical Society, at the Swapping Grounds at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesbourgh TN, and as part of the outreach activities for the RAPS Chicken Festival (where he convinced a high school senior that in Missouri you can get a driver’s license even if you have two (2) artificial eyes – he’s good). His next adventure in storytelling is that he will be telling at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park in June 2024 as part of the MO-TELL Telling at the State Parks programs.

The reason the picture shows both Rich and Alice is he said she has been his companion throughout his journey in storytelling, encouraging him all the way.

Sue Hinkel Presents: Tips for Telling

Here are some books to help you in your storytelling journey:

Telling Your Own Stories by Donald Davis. August House, 1993. In this great little book, Davis’ storyprompts draw out your personal stories. He also has a nice story structure outline. For moving from storytelling to story writing, check out Writing as a Second Language: from Experience to Story to Prose, also by Davis.

Storyteller, Storyteacher: Discovering the Power of Storytelling for Teaching and Living by Marni Gillard. Stenhouse, 1996. Not a how-to book, but a wonderfully warm “learner’s journey,” this is onestory teacher’s tale, told to encourage us all to tell stories.

Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling by Matthew Dicks. New World Library, 2018. This one is full of advice for telling personal stories, by a Moth-style storyteller.

The Storytelling Coach: How to Listen, Praise, and Bring Out People’s Best by Doug Lipman. August House, 1995. You’ll find a very useful structure for encouraging others to tell stories here. Also look for Improving Your Storytelling by Lipman.

Storytelling: Process and Practice by Norma J. Livo and Sandra A. Reitz. Libraries Unlimited, 1986. (See also Storytelling Activities by the same authors.) You’ll find nuts-and-bolts advice on storytelling here.

The Storyteller’s Start-Up Book by Margaret Read MacDonald. August House, 1993.(Also look for other collections by this storyteller, such as Twenty Tellable Tales and The Parents’ Guide to Storytelling.) I recommend this simple how-to book for beginning storytellers.

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee. Harper Collins, 1997. Though this is aimed at screenwriters, you’ll find great information on crafting stories here.

The Storyteller’s Guide by Bill Mooney and David Holt. August House, 1996. Holt and Mooney interviewed storytellers around the US for this book, which houses a wealth of information on the art, craft and business of storytelling.

Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking about Difficult Stories by Loren Niemi and Elizabeth Ellis. August House, 2001. This was written by two long-time professional storytellers who don’t shy away from telling fierce stories.

The Grammar of Fantasy: An Introduction to the Art of Inventing Stories by Gianni Rodari, translated by Jack Zipes. Teachers and Writers Collaborative, 1996. This is a quirky, funny book, full of ideas on how to play with stories in unusual ways.

The Way of the Storyteller by Ruth Sawyer. Viking, 1942. A classic in the field, this book is as readable and insightful today as it was when it was first published.

These tips are from Priscilla Howe. Thanks, Priscilla!

Subsequent months will offer tips from various sources.

Contact Sue with your tips. Email suehinkel1@gmail.com or Text 314-406-0695

A Note from the President

Hello my friends,

I am thinking about the significance of our stories and how important it is to share them.

We are each a piece of the history of our times. Our stories will be remembered if we tell them. So, with that in mind I better get busy.

I was discussing with a friend a story project I have in mind. I have started it, but the problem is, it is only in my mind. I want to tell a story about each of the women in my life. I’ve talked about it, but I have not done it yet. Why is that? I am getting old and if I don’t start doing this soon, it will never get done.

I am thinking about this more because my husband is now residing in a memory care facility, and I see so many people there who have lost their memory and their voice. I wonder if their story has been lost. Who will tell their story? Who will tell mine if not me? Who will tell yours?

The history section in the newsletter carries peoples stories of MO-TELL. We want to hear about your connection to MO- TELL. We don’t want our stories to be lost. Send us your stories about our history. We have been sharing tales since the 1980s. Find a piece of our history that connects to yours.

Have you told your story?

Keep telling your tales,

Joyce Slater

President, MO-TELL

“Stories are memory aids, instruction manuals and moral compasses.”

-- Aleks Krotoski , author, broadcaster, journalist and social psychologist