How to celebrate National Storytelling Week

In a celebration of the power of sharing stories, each year at the end of January/beginning of February, we recognise National Storytelling Week. (The dates change from year to year so it’s always good to keep your eye out). 

Stories teach us about the world, they allow us to step into someone else’s shoes. Stories help us to relax and provide an escape from everyday life. They also can help develop essential literacy skills. So, if you don’t already know, stories are incredibly important. They connect, entertain, and inspire and are something to be celebrated.  

Did you know that stories are good for the brain? When we listen to a compelling story our brains release the neurochemical oxytocin, which enhances our empathy and allows us to connect with the story. Storytelling expert and neuroeconomist Paul J. Zak found these stories are also the ones that move us to action. 

Stories are celebrated across the globe, in many ways. Since 1973 people have ventured to the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee, where stories are shared with hay bales and wagons as the stage.  

World Storytelling Day was first celebrated in the 1990’s in Sweden where it was called Alla Berättares Dag, or All Narrators Day, and now had made it world-wide. In the UK this day is celebrated in March.   

But what can you do to celebrate and take part in National Storytelling week? 

Share your favourite stories
Start a conversation with a friend, a sibling, or a family member about your favourite…
– Films
– Books
– Theatre productions
– Paintings
– Myth, legend, or mythical character 

Let a book choose you
Go to a local bookshop or library and let a book choose you. Find and pick up the most colourful/hardest to reach/closest to the window book on the shelf.  

You could go in with a title in mind, a colour, or an image, and just run with that this week.  

Let someone choose a book for you 

This might open you to genres and stories you never thought you might enjoy.  

We have a blog on why you should let someone pick the next book you read, and why this is such a good idea.  

Reinvent an ending
Can you think of a story that you wish had ended differently? A happier ending, a better twist, even a death?  

Choose a story and give it your own ending – the funnier, the gorier or the more ridiculous the better!  

Collect memories
Think of a memory that sticks out and write it down. You can do this with as many new memories as you like and start a memory jar.
You can also ask friends or a family member to join in with their own memory too. Pop the notes into a jar, pull one out at random, and try to guess whose memory it might be. 

Write a poem
Poems are a simple but powerful form of writing; they can be as long or as short as you want. You can keep it in a book or take it further and speak out loud at an open mic night, or local poetry slam.  

Report an event
Choose a moment from your day/week, it can be something as simple as a dinner you made.  Next, turn it into a news report of the moment: include some details of what happened before. Try to make your report as dramatic as possible and turn it into a big event. Don’t feel that you need to keep it truthful, fictionalise your event into something far-fetched. You can write up your report as a news article, or film a video news report. Hey, it’s pretty much what we do on social media all the time, right?  

Try some improv
Now this might seem a daunting one – improv – but it’s a fun way to create stories and can even be done without speaking. Grab your friends, family, or anyone you feel comfortable with, and start to build a story together. If it’s too much and messy, switch to playing a good old game of charades.  

What’s going on locally? 

Check to see what’s happening around your town/city. I’m confident there’s more than you think. There could be free art exhibitions, classes and even courses you could take part in.  

Visit Libraries and Museums 

Many libraries and museums host special storytelling exhibitions and workshops during this week. Take advantage of these opportunities to learn and be inspired. 

Ask someone their story
People are fascinating and have a lot to share. Why not try volunteering at a care home, or local charities, and ask someone their story. You might learn something new.  

Become a strategic storyteller 

You might not realise but you do write a lot already. From Facebook posts to text messages. You are writing. Did you realise that writing can help your business grow? We discuss how you can harness the power of stories and engage your audience.  

It’s safe to say that there are many ways you can celebrate National Storytelling week, we hope you find something that’s fun, inspiring and works for you.