International Day for Sharing Life Stories

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January 1, 2008
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Sharing Stories:

How To Organize A Story Circle

Story circles use the age-old tradition of storytelling as a way to bring people together and build relationships. The goal of organizing a story circle is to provide a place where people from all backgrounds can come together and share their personal, reflective stories as well as explore a range of issues and life experiences.

The story circle is a place where each story is honored and appreciated. The following suggestions for creating a space in which each person can share stories from hte heart are based on Center for Digital Storytelling’s fifteen years of helping people tell stories.

• Welcome your participants to the Story Circle. Invite them to eat refreshments, tell them where the bathroom is located, and any other logistical issues that folks should know about.

• Briefly explain the purpose of the event and that it is one of many events happening worldwide to celebrate the International Day for Sharing Life Stories.

• Have participants briefly introduce themselves to the group.

• Explain and develop “ground rules” for the Story Circle – that is, a group of agreements that the group makes on how the Story Circle will operate. Creating ground rules will ensure that everybody holds the same understanding about how to respond to each story in a way that honors the storytellers experience.

• Establish a time limit for each story. Although the time limit is certainly adjustable depending to how many participants one has, we typically recommend spending ten to twenty minutes on each participant’s story, including time for feedback. Story circles typically take no more than 2 hours.

• You may want to designate a “timekeeper” to make sure the time guidelines are being followed and to offer participants “two minute warnings” and “30 seconds warnings” for when their time is coming to a close. Encourage folks with additional questions and comments to approach the storyteller following the Story Circle.

• Offer participants a prompt (see our list of sample prompts) and a short amount of preparation time to write and/or ponder the prompt. We usually ask people to think about a prompt for 3 or 4 minutes, and to write to a prompt for 5 to 8 minutes.

• Go around the circle and have participants share their story on the particular prompt. While following your time guidelines, also try to allow participants to complete their stories before opening it up to the group to receive feedback (comments or questions) from other participants.

• Ask participants for their feedback on the Story Circle process. What did they enjoy about it? What, if anything, did they find frustrating? In what ways do they think the Story Circle process or storytelling in general could be better used in society?

• Collect contact information for participants and thank them for their participation.

BEFORE THE STORY CIRCLE:

• Determine who you want to invite to your story circle. Do you want to partner with another organization? If so, how will you determine who is invited or participates? Do you want to limit the number of participants, require an RSVP, or have an open invitation to the public?

In order to provide ample time for each participant, we usually find it best to limit story circles to no more than 10 people, but if you anticipate that your number of participants will exceed this, you can always plan on dividing the larger group into small circles.

• Find a space for your event. Make sure that is easily accessible to your participants and provides your Story Circle with the level of privacy and intimacy you want. If you anticipate having multiple circles, can your venue accomodate this? Does it have multiple rooms?

• Determine the time of your event. What times generally work best for your participant group? Does that time work with the venue?

• Do you want to partner with an outside group, such as a local radio station or other media organization, to document the Story Circle? Do you or your organization want to take photographs of the event for your own archives?

• If your event is open to the public, how do you want to publicize the event? If you are interested in generating press coverage for your event, craft a press release for the event and send it to your local media outlets at least two weeks before the event and a follow-up reminder two days before the event.

• Determine what prompt question or theme, if any, you want to ask the group at the Story Circle. For a list of sample prompts, please visit our prompt suggestions here.

• Identify somebody you can count on for encouraging participation and helping keep people with their allotted time. Invite that person to lead the story circle.

• Create a welcoming environment. Make sure the seating is comfortable and arranged effectively. Arrange for snacks and drinks for before and after the Story Circle. Make sure the room is at a comfortable temperature.

AFTER THE STORY CIRCLE:

• Send “thank you” notes to event participants, especially facilitators, the venue and any other people who helped make the event happen.

• Send photos and a description of how your event went to CDS (laura@storycenter.org) so we can include them on our International Day site and archives.

• Consider hosting another storytelling event in your community!

ACTIVITY KITS

HOST ORGANIZATIONS

* Center for Digital Storytelling

* Museu da Pessoa

NAVIGATION