Are You a Good Storyteller?

By Michael Gonchar
Andrew Linderman, kneeling, at one of his storytelling classes. “It’s the nuances that make a story distinct,” he says. Related Article James Estrin/The New York Times
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Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

Being able to tell a good story might someday help you land a better job or start your own business. And perhaps even more than that.

Are you a good storyteller? What’s a favorite story you like to tell?

In “Storytelling Your Way to a Better Job or a Stronger Start-Up,” Alina Tugend writes:

It’s been called a strategic tool with “irresistible power” by Harvard Business Review. And “the major business lesson of 2014” by Entrepreneur magazine.

What exciting new 21st-century technology is this?

The age-old art of storytelling — something humans have done since they could first communicate. So why has it become this year’s buzzword? And what is its new value?

In these days of tougher-than-ever job searches, competition for crowdfunding and start-ups looking to be the next Google or Facebook, it’s not enough just to offer up the facts about you or your company to prospective employers or investors. Or even to your own workers.

You need to be compelling, unforgettable, funny and smart. Magnetic, even. You need to be able to answer the question that might be lingering in the minds of the people you’re trying to persuade: What makes you so special?

You need to have a good story.

“As human beings, we know that stories work, but when we get in a business relationship, we forget this,” said Keith Quesenberry, a lecturer at the Center for Leadership Education at Johns Hopkins University.

Learning — or relearning — how to tell stories requires some skill. And consultants are lining up to teach it — sometimes for a hefty fee.

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us…

— Are you a good storyteller? Why do you think so?

— Do you know any good storytellers? What makes them good?

— What elements do you think make for a good story?

— Do you agree that knowing how to tell a story is an important skill? Why?

— What’s a favorite story you like to tell? We invite you tell it here, as long as you can be brief and adhere to Times commenting standards.

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

shantez p December 19, 2014 · 7:39 am

I believe that storytelling will actually help you along in life. After reading this paragraph it makes me want to start telling stories when I get older. But I do not think that story telling should be used to get a job; I think that you should use your own brain to get a job.

Tricia December 19, 2014 · 3:46 pm

I can relay a story fine. It’s the coming up with my own that I have trouble with. I know a lot of people who are very good story tellers. Some are better at oral stories and some are better at writing stories. My uncle is one who is good at telling stories. He can make some everyday thing sound so funny and interesting. That is what a good story teller needs. To be able to make the most boring things sound interesting and to be entertaining.

Mya December 19, 2014 · 4:13 pm

– I am a terrible story teller, I spend more of my time laughing at the story than I do actually telling it.
– Yes, my grandpa. He always makes sure you understand what he is talking about and can make you laugh even if the story doesn’t really call for laughter.
– I think to have a good story you should always have an element of suspense and of course tons of laughter
– Yes, it will help you socially connect with people and meet new friends. It can also entertain you for a very long time.

Angel December 25, 2014 · 6:40 am

Muchas Gracias por la inspiración!
Feliz 2015!

Thank you for your inspiration!
Happy 2015!

Matthew January 5, 2015 · 8:17 am

When it comes to storytelling, I am very good at it. I am a good story teller because I know when to emphasize words to make the story interesting. The more intriguing the story, the more fun it is to tell it. I don’t know any good storytellers. Story’s aren’t told as much as more when we get older. Most storytellers are enthusiastic, funny, and have an interesting voice. An interesting story will have a hook, a detailed middle, and an ending that satisfies you. If the story has no plot, it’s not as intriguing. Telling a story is a good skill because it’s important to public speak and get used to it. Public speaking is probably something you’re going to have to do whether you’re in school or the work place. I don’t know any good stories at my age, but I remember being told story’s when I was younger.

ClarkHHHS January 5, 2015 · 9:56 am

I am not a good storyteller; I am actually a terrible storyteller. I think that I am a bad storyteller because half the time I forget the story or get excited half way through the story. My friend Brock is a good storyteller. They tell the story very smoothly. I think that to be a good storyteller, you have to have confidence and be smooth. I do think that being able to tell a story is an important skill because people enjoy a good story.

Hunter HHHS January 5, 2015 · 10:11 am

I’m a amazing story teller because I’m good at making things up in a slit second and I make the story flow together. I use my hands a lot just to help paint a picture and make the story seem that much more real. I love to use every in detail parts to really tie the story together. When I get in the zone when I’m telling my stories nobody is safe.

Sam HHHS January 5, 2015 · 10:12 am

I don’t think that I am a good storyteller. I usually go out of detail and I always lose my place. I do know a really good storyteller and that is my best friend. She always gives the best details and everything that she remembers. She always tells who did it and why and she really gets into it.

Paige HHHS January 5, 2015 · 10:12 am

I think a good storyteller has a lot of enthusiasm while telling a story and thinks out what they are going to say before they start telling the story. A good story I think must have a lot of irony to it or some element of surprise, otherwise people won’t be interested. Bad storytellers drag on unimportant details and take really long to tell an uninteresting story. Being a good storyteller can actually be a good quality to have.

Kenzie B January 5, 2015 · 10:13 am

I’M A GOOD STORYTELLER BECAUSE I MAKE MY STORIES VERY DESCRIPTIVE AND BELIEVABLE. EVERYBODY THAT I’VE TOLD A STORY TOO HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTED AND HAS LOVED THEM. MY GRANDPA IS A GOOD STORYTELLER BECAUSE THE STORIES HE TELLS ARE LIKE SOMETHING I’VE NEVER HEARD BEFORE. THEY’RE SO FUNNY AND SERIOUS AT THE SAME TIME. WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD STORY IS A SOLID PLOT, CLIMAX, AND RESOLUTION. IF ALL OF THOSE FACTORS ARE MASTERED THEN THE STORY WILL COME OUT GOOD EVERY TIME. I BELIEVE THAT TELLING A STORY IS A VERY IMPORTANT SKILL BECAUSE IT REFLECTS YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND IF YOU HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS THEN YOU CAN TALK YOUR WAY THROUGH LIFE MORE THAN LIKELY BECOMING VERY SUCCESSFUL.

Dakota HHHS January 5, 2015 · 10:13 am

Depending on the environment I can be a good story teller, but generally I am the one with great stories, but I am not the best at sharing them. My friend Tyler Adam is a great story teller. He is a very charismatic fella, and has a great sense of humor. A good story teller, a great plot and a comical ending make a good story. Knowing how to tell stories well is very important. Employers like to hire people that they like. Once upon a time a very small cat ate a very large dog…. the end.

mya January 5, 2015 · 4:09 pm

NO, i am not. I tend to turn little parts of the ultimate story into a story themselves.
It is a very important to tell a story, it is like passing on a legacy once you tell story the people you tell it to will tell it to others and if you can’t tell it right then your story can get all twisted and you can miss the moral of the story.

Tayah HHHS January 6, 2015 · 7:52 am

I’m a good storyteller because I remember a lot of details about most stories. My Mom and Dad are also good storytellers because they change their voices to match the feeling of the story and they make it very realistic. Details and emotion are a couple elements that make a good story. Knowing how to tell a story is an important skill because you may need that skill in your career. I really like to tell any story that involves running or one of my cross country memories.

Kendra HHHS January 6, 2015 · 7:55 am

I think I am a good story teller. When I tell my little cousin stories to get him to go to sleep he loves them. Good storytellers keep you interested in the story. Details about the story keep it interesting. Knowing how to tell stories can be a good thing because if you see someone steal something, and you know information about it, you can help out the people who are asking you. I don’t have a favorite story I like to tell.

Savannah HHHS January 6, 2015 · 7:59 am

I don’t think I am a good storyteller. The elements that make a good storyteller are creativity, tone of voice, motions, and facial expressions. Whenever I tell a story I’m not really that creative and don’t really get into it that much.I don’t think any of those elements apply to me. I agree that knowing how to tell a story is an important skill because not everyone has that skill so it makes you unique and creative.

Caleb HHHS January 6, 2015 · 8:00 am

I do not know if I am good at telling stories but my friends always tease me telling me I am a story teller, because I always have some story to tell them about. Although I have no idea if the stories are any good. It could be important, but I do not think it could get you a job or anything like that.

Bryce HHHS January 6, 2015 · 8:01 am

I am not a good storyteller, every time I try telling one I can’t stop laughing and it screws with the flow of the story. I know a very good storyteller, Kyle Spink can tell a story very well and he can imitate people to a T. You have to tell a story to a level of intensity that the story is on. How you tell a story can determine what you take out of it.

Tyler A HHHS January 6, 2015 · 8:02 am

Storytelling is a lost art. it is something that can easily interest a large group of people. I consider myself to be a good storyteller, a good storyteller usually has a lot of stories that range in category and are very detailed. I will usually tell a story five or six times before i retire it, but every time i tell it i try and change a couple small things so that the first time i tell it and the last time i tell it, it is almost a totally different story.

Madison HHHS January 6, 2015 · 8:10 am

I don’t think I am a perfect storyteller; I pause and think about what I’m going to say next in the middle of the story. When people tell me story, I don’t think about if they are being a good storyteller or not, I just listen to the story. Elements that make a good story are a plot, a good or unexpected ending, and an interesting story. I think that knowing how to tell a story could come in handy; although, I don’t think it is the most important skill to acquire.

Zach – HHHS January 6, 2015 · 8:24 am

I consider myself to be a good story teller. It is mainly because of the use of detail within the stories that can make them seem really good. I really good story teller that I can think of is one of my teachers, Mr. Bulgrien. He is a really funny guy and can tells a bunch of stories about his days in college. They are good because they are very funny. What makes an excellent story is the amount of detail. If you don’t have enough, you can’t picture what is going on. However, if you give too much, you can’t distiguish the difference between details that are important to the story and details that don’t serve any purpose. Being able to tell a story is an good skill to have because it allows you to be able to talk in front of people. I don’t really like to tell one story in particular.

Nate January 9, 2015 · 2:04 pm

I think that the quality of being able to tell a story fluently so the audience understands the purpose is a great trait to consist of. To be a good story teller, I believe that you have to know the story like its the back of your hand. This will allow you to tell the story without any hesitation or pause. Also, the storytellers voice has to be convincing so that the audience feels the scene the storyteller is trying to get across or convey. I know a good storyteller, and I believe he is good at the act because he can really convey emotions with his facial expressions. Storytelling can come in handy if you just need a new conversion, or if your trying to impress someone, or even if your just telling a story to entertain a crowd. So if you think you perfected the act of storytelling, think again.

Dani January 11, 2015 · 10:45 pm

I think that I’m an okay story teller, and I know a few other REALLY good story tellers. In my opinion, a good story needs strong characters that capture your attention, and a plot line that has people laughing or even crying.

Zyra January 4, 2016 · 9:07 am

yep. i could expressed all the expressions correctly. i think what make them good is because they tell it properly. to make a good story, the storyteller should be good to relay the story and use the words properly.