I’ve always loved storytelling. As a kid, I liked to record improvised “radio plays” on cassette tapes and would take long walks during which I rambled adventures to myself out loud, looking for all the world like the neighbourhood madgirl. Later, once the glories of the internet opened up to me, I spent hours in online writing communities crafting group-written stories with other enthusiasts. Even some of my geekier pursuits, like creating a long-lasting Dungeons & Dragons game group, were born out of the desire to have fun felling stories. A big reason why I love speaking and presenting so much is because it scratches that same itch – I get to tell a good yarn while giving people information that can improve different aspects of their lives.
Freeflowing, creative storytelling play hugely improved my ability to create compelling presentations. Great presentations always involve storytelling, and having consequence free fun with stories is one of the best ways to stretch and expand your presentation and speaking muscles.
I completely understand that it can be hard to simply dive into creative writing. That’s the beauty of group-written stories. You get the boost and creative input of other enthusiasts, and when it is overlaid with a game-based structure, you get the additional benefit of a scaffold to help direct your story. It takes some of the hard work out of writing and lets you play in the mud with the other kids.
Today, a colleague of mine introduced me to the perfect platform for creative, group-based, storytelling play. I had a look, gave it a go, and was so excited that I couldn’t wait to share it with you. It’s an online game platform called Storium. This is a collaborative story game that combines the best of group creativity with light game structure. I’ve joined it’s Kickstarter campaign and am very, very excited to play in a way that I haven’t done in years.
Once you start telling stories on a regular basis, you will find it easier and easier to tell them on the fly. Stories are the backbone of great presentations, and the more you tell them the better you’ll be. Give Storium a go, and let me know what you think!
Do you do play with any other type of storytelling? Planning on trying Storium? Let me know in the comments below!