I found and absolutely brilliant article about storytelling aimed at novice storytellers today, the article was well written and gives lots of tips on how to develop storytelling skills.
The article listed characteristics of a good story as follows:
* A single theme, clearly defined
* A well developed plot
* Style: vivid word pictures, pleasing sounds and rhythm
* Characterization
* Faithful to source
* Dramatic appeal
* Appropriateness to listeners
If you are beginner storyteller looking for material and resources to help develop your storytelling skill, I strongly suggest you read the full article, be found here
Mullah Nasrudin (also spelt Nasr ud din, Nasreddin, Nasrudin, Nazrudin, and Nazrudeen) needs no introduction to those who already knows this wise fool, for those hearing about him for the first time here is a short introduction.
Nazrudin was a Muslim cleric; he lived over 600 years ago, he was considered a philosopher, wise man, a teacher and an utter fool at times.
Nasrudin stories appear all over the Middle East and central Asia especially in Persian, Arab, Azeri, Pashto, Urdu, Hindi, Bosnian and Turkish folk stories. Nasrudin was supposed to have dies in Turkey (There is a Nazrudin grave in Turkey among other places).
Wisdom (sometimes foolishness) of Nasrudin is enjoyed today as a story, jokes and Anecdotes and in therapy.
To give the newcomers to Nazrudin a taste of some of the Mullah’s antics consider the story below:
One night, Nazrudin was on his hands and knees searching for his key in a well light area. Some of his neighbors came to see why Nazrudin was on his hands and knees.
“What are you looking for, Nazrudin?” enquired one of the neighbors. “My door key.” Came the reply.
The helpful neighbors drop to their hands and knees and joined Nasrudin in his search for the lost key.
After a long unsuccessful search, one of the neighbors asks: “We’ve looked everywhere. Are you sure you dropped it here?”
Nazrudin answers: “Of course I didn’t drop it here, I dropped it outside my door.”
“Then, why are you looking for it here!”
“Because there’s more light here,” responded Nazrudin.
Thank your for visiting Temi’s storytelling website. I hope to turn the site to a useful resource for storytelling in general and oral storytelling in particular. One of the ways I hope to make this site different from other oral storytelling sites is by actually making oral stories available for download in MP3 and other web audio file formats.
I hope to persuade some of the storytellers I know to record stories and make it available for download from this site. I will also like to hear from storytellers who would like to make audio files of their story available for download from this site or on their website.