The Art of Live Storytelling

Class Description

Did you ever attend a storytelling event and wished you could rock the stage with your own amazing story? Did you pen a whole memoir or novel and struggled to synthesize it into a one-page synopsis or a five-minute pitch for a potential agent or an interested party? Or, did you always want to become comfortable speaking in front of a group of people but thought there was no less than a nerve-racking way to become a public speaker? If you did any of the above, and want to change all that, and more, this course is for you!

Story ‘beats’ are knitted in our DNA. Understanding this little secret will equip you with a big communication tool that will help you express yourself better and influence others in illimitable ways. Storytelling is sharing struggles, discoveries, and vulnerability, which in turn builds bonds among us by way of identification, empathy, and inspiration. In this four-week course, we will cover the structure and elements of an impactful story tapping into classical, proven formula of “pity, fear, catharsis” and modern techniques of how to ‘hook’ and ‘move’ an audience. You will internalize this art by taking a dynamic role in class by telling true, personal stories, giving feedback to fellow tellers, analyzing professional storytellers, and preparing for a final, fun story slam!

There will be a live, onstage Story Slam at the end of this course with an audience and reception. Registration details for this event will be shared via our website and this class posting soon!

Note: This course is for both introverts and extroverts (and anyone else on that spectrum) across all professions and personalities. The success of live storytelling lies in providing a fun and supportive space for sharing!

Class Format

This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood.

Covid-19 Update:

GrubStreet's space will be mask optional when Boston's Covid-19 Community Level is low or medium. When the Covid-19 Community Level is high, our space will require masks. Please check GrubStreet's Covid-19 page for the latest info on masking and Community Levels before visiting in-person.

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.