Storytelling course: write & tell stories with impact

In this storytelling course, professional storyteller, comedian and facilitator John Knowles will share his insights and techniques for converting your special memories into stories and bringing them to life with your voice - for performance, for your business or personal memoir. A practical step-by-step guide to being able and ready to tell an entertaining true story.

John will guide you through the process of finding and choosing a great personal story, shaping and distilling it into a tight script and then applying stagecraft and presentation skills. In this storytelling course, you will be offered writing tips and illustrated examples to assist them in developing their stories. Participants should walk away feeling they are ready to step onto any stage and tell their compelling story with confidence knowing that it will be heard and remembered.

• Increase your knowledge of the styles, mechanics and craft of storytelling in an experiential, supportive environment

• Receive comedy writing and performance tips, methods and learn why they work

• Be taught the ‘Art of Proactive Listening’, which is crucial to drawing out interesting stories from other people and a skill that can be life-changing when applied to personal relationships

• Learn John’s practical unique methods for rediscovering, writing and editing memories and family tales into powerful narratives suited to oral storytelling

• Build confidence in your storytelling performance skills and have coaching in the stagecraft necessary to engage and hold the attention of a live audience

• Chart the people, passions, pinnacles and potholes of your life and uncover story-worthy incidents and patterns then choose one to hone and deliver well

• Experiment with context, genre and tone, playing with characters and perspectives to trigger emotional responses from your audience

• Enjoy plenty of genuine laughter and engaging conversation

The storytelling course will illustrate how the ability to confidently tell your own story is not only an entertaining performance skill but also a valuable interpersonal communication tool that can be employed when meeting new people, describing or branding yourself and or illuminating chapters of your history. Previous participants have also commented that telling their own true stories has enabled them to discover humour and healing in retelling sad or serious incidents from their past.

For further information, please visit Sydney Community College.