Storytime is the best time. (Evgeny Atamanenko / Shutterstock.com)
“The girl was a bit nervous, she didn’t know what to expect. As she opened the door she was shocked to find…” Do you want to find out what lies behind this mystery door? Hearing or reading a good story not only piques our curiosity, there is actual scientific substantiation as to why it is so engaging. A good story activates our minds in such a way that the brain doesn’t make a distinction between reading about an experience and encountering it in real life – the same neurological regions are stimulated.
Storytelling is an art, a mode of communication, a method of therapy and can even be used as a way to improve job performance. With origins in almost every cultural group, the ancient form of storytelling is still relevant today as it brings people together, expands our minds and serves as an effective way to impact people. If you have a story to share or want to sit back and hear the tales of others, get to know these seven storytelling platforms that bring the art of storytelling to life.
1. THE MOTH
After starting as a group of friends who liked to gather and share spellbinding tales, The Moth has morphed into a successful radio show, podcasts and live events held across major cities throughout the United States. The storytelling organization invites writers, performers or anyone with a true story to share to submit their pitch.
SPECIAL TOUCH: If selected, The Moth will help shape the orator’s tale into an artfully crafted and engaging account that covers every topic you can imagine - combining splashes of humor, sadness and magnetism.
2. SHARE A STORY
If you are a writer or have a burning tale to tell, Share A Story might be right up your alley. The website is an open space for people to publish their written creations of 1,000 to 1,400 words. The stories tackle a variety of human experiences, and are browsable by categories that range from self and triumph to trials and inspiration.
SPECIAL TOUCH: The social initiative is international in scope and looks for people from all over the world to contribute. Currently there are writers from 22 different countries represented on Share A Story.
3. OUR BETTER WORLD
Our Better World shines the spotlight on Asia by featuring stories of nonprofits and social enterprises along with poignant accounts of everyday people overcoming great odds. Stories are shared in the form ofvideos and spread awareness about all of the unsung heroes who are inspiring change by working to improve the lives of others.
SPECIAL TOUCH: The storytelling initiative is part of the Singapore International Foundation and relies on community members to inform them of exemplary individuals and organizations that are, as their name suggests, making the world a better place.
4. FACEBOOK STORIES
Facebook Stories is a meeting place of beautiful and life-changing tales made possible with the help of the world’s largest social media platform. While Facebook is constantly evolving with new layouts and added features, its essential purpose of connecting people and sharing with others remains constant.
SPECIAL TOUCH: Users can submit any story to the site - from connecting with their future partner, finding a lost friend or rallying around an important social cause - and if selected, Facebook will publish it, or even create a beautifully produced video.
5. STORY PIRATES
Kids have a vivid imaginations, which is the exact fuel for Story Pirates. The organization brings the creative writing of elementary school children to life on stage through boisterous musical comedy sketches performed by professional actors, comedians and puppets. The troupe has a focus on education, and reaches out to schools by conducting creative writing workshops.
SPECIAL TOUCH: Story Pirates is very active and has an ever-growing treasure trove of original stories penned by kids, but they are only able to stage a handful of the stories. The good doing organization is intent on recognizing kids for their incredible contributions via Story Love, a program in which they provide positive and personalized feedback for every story created in their writing workshops.
6. INFINISCROLL
Bedtime stories just got a bit more interesting. Kids can dream up their own original story with InfiniScroll – a never-ending picture book app for youngsters. Available on iPhone, InfiniScroll is a series of beautiful drawings that change with each scroll, allowing kids to craft a new story each time, or lock and save their favorite drawings.
SPECIAL TOUCH: A tap of the finger can reveal a funky sound, or users can make stories come to life by recording their own voices and sound effects.
7. STORIFY
Storify is a platform (provided for free or premium) that allows users to weave stories from the world of social media by creating a succinct page that bundles up all of the tweets, posts and pics in one place. The goal is to make sense of what is posted on social media and allow users and brands the chance to curate the strongest voices and turn them into stories.
SPECIAL TOUCH: The tool is a helpful enhancer that makes it simple to add depth to riveting stories by easily embedding them straight into a web page.
