Dynamic Listening: Paths into Deeper Connections and More Powerful Stories

Listening is a dynamic mix of paying attention, clarifying, and reflecting. As storytellers, we often focus on speaking, but our listening skills are equally fundamental. To be effective storytellers, we must be effective listeners. We listen to the small voices within and the big voices without to better grasp which stories best serve a particular audience or occasion. Listening is essential for authenticity in ourselves and in our stories.

We invite you to come explore and expand your listening and storytelling skills. Whether you are a storyteller, librarian, counselor, clergy, teacher, social worker, police officer, or a story lover, then this year’s Sharing the Fire Conference has something for you!

Guiding Questions related to the Theme

• Preparing audience members to listen includes crafting the entire experience: clear marketing, the physical comfort of the performance space, our stage presence, and so much more.  What do we need to know about our audience in advance? How do we hear their verbal and nonverbal feedback as we tell?
• How do we collaborate in a way that energizes all involved?
• How do we actively listen? When listening to stories, what do you hear?  Where does it transport you?  What does it inspire in you?  How do we blend stories and voices in an authentic way? How do we present workshops that address participants and their needs? How do we listen to stories and the needs of our fellow tellers to provide meaningful feedback or coaching?
• How do we encourage more authentic listening to those who may not consider themselves storytellers? What does storytelling and story listening offer to counselors, clergy, teachers, social workers, police officers, and more?