Module 15 Exercise

Storytelling
Descriptive story telling

Use the following recipe to start telling stories that have people hooked.
1. Imagine your best memory. Go there and see what was around you. How were
you feeling? Who all people were there? What were they saying to you? What were
you saying to them?
Now apply these techniques to other stories of your life.

2. Metaphors and Simile: Based on your above-mentioned memory, think about

situations, objects, animals or literally anything which reminds you of your story.
How can you relate your events in a story to other unrelated things? Example: His
face was like a rat. When he used to speak, his words were faster than a train.

3. Mystery: Think about a shocking event (can be funny, serious, sad, exciting,
anything). What was the climax (push this to end) … start by describing the events in
chronological order by using sensory experience (exercise 1) and metaphors and
simile (exercise 2) and take the story forward. Using apt pauses in between, when
you see that tension is being built within the listeners, suddenly diffuse the silence, in
a high emotional note, with your climax.

4. Character: List all the characters in your story, give a brief background about
him/her (focus on the quality of that character which is relevant to the story and
which you want the listener to remember, example: a scar on the face, muscular guy,
funny guy, etc). Now try to mimic him/her in that quality. You don’t have to be a
perfect mimicry artist in order to do this, do it as you can.

All the best, Sher!

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