I talk a lot about how storytelling is a great way to persuade people––get them to buy your product, invest your start-up, or donate to your cause. But storytelling’s emotional power goes way beyond “convincing people to do things with their money.” Anytime we’re making people feel something, anytime we’re moving them, we can also play a role in the most deeply human parts of our lives.
For example, helping people grieve.
Today I’m kicking off an occasional interview series where I’ll invite colleagues to explore their thoughts on storytelling. This week, I’m thrilled to share excerpts from my interview with author, organic farmer, and associate professor at Oregon State University Maud Macrory Powell, who recently organized and hosted a storytelling event to commemorate the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death.
Maud and her siblings held the storytelling celebration on Zoom. They chose twenty storytellers in advance, and the the event lasted around two hours, plus time at the end for more conversation. When Maud and I chatted earlier this week, I asked her about the event’s logistics, what it was like to hear so many stories about her mom, and her recommendations for anyone who’d like to host something similar.
Here’s what Maud had to say. (Some excerpts have been lightly edited for length.)
**
On logistics
“What was cool was that we had people from all parts of her life. From raising kids, to her law career, through memory care. People would get an email saying, ‘The siblings want you to speak!’ We asked them to tell a story that would last three to five minutes and share something that underscored her personality or spirit. But we didn’t get too proscriptive. I was a little nervous people would decline, but no one did.”
On her inspiration
“I did a storytelling workshop a couple years back for community organizers who wanted to use storytelling in their work. A lot of the elements of it are creating a safe space, so when everyone shares a story about a specific topic, you can really build community. Especially if it’s something positive––you’re bringing that experience of connectedness into the room.”
On storytelling for remembering
“When you share a specific story, you get to show a person’s qualities in a way that is different from just listing them, just telling people about that person. And it transforms people a little, to be in that kind of space. It’s not just chit-chat. It’s more intentional. It’s generative, too––many people stayed on after the two hours and had additional stories about my mom they wanted to share.”
On what makes stories work
“It’s super intimate. It’s like you’re narrating a moment in your life. You’re not summarizing. You’re laying a scene. There’s a way to make it super visceral, if you’re able to include sensory details. There’s also that element of wisdom: how it’s affected you, what you learned. So it’s this great mixture of specificity and reflection, all at once.”
On hosting this event during the pandemic
“Especially during Covid times, there’s such a desire for connection and intimacy. Lots of people on the call didn’t even know each other. And that was cool, to be able to drop into an intimate space, even with strangers. Because you’re all getting together to talk about something really meaningful.”
On what surprised her
“Hearing stories about her career was humbling. My mom was a civil rights lawyer, but she stopped practicing when I was eighteen or so, so I didn’t know as much about it. Learning more, I was definitely like, ‘wow, I didn’t know what a powerhouse she was.’ Also, through all the stories, she was always herself. You could see these themes that would pop up again and again. Her essence was just captured in all these ways.”
On what she’d tell someone considering hosting an event like this
“As a host, you can really create transformation in people and create a memorable experience. It vivifies people to hear what someone was like in their real life. And there are a lot of opportunities for humor. It’s a way to make someone real, in their foibles, too, in their everyday. Really, we all want stories all the time. And we’re all storytellers.”
**
For some bonus content, here are a few story gems that Maud shared post-event.
May we all find someone who has exactly the same beliefs about how involved the federal government should be in the private lives of citizens. <3
A huge thanks to Maud for taking the time to talk with me and pass along her wisdom as someone who’s been thinking deeply about storytelling for a long time.
Have a great day, everyone.
-------------------
Erin Becker (she/her)
Writer | Communications Consultant | Storytelling Expert
PS: Love the newsletter? Please forward to a friend who might be interested, too!
PPS: New to the Storytelling Weekly? Subscribe here!
PPPS: Interesting in my communications consulting, speaking, or storytelling workshops? Find out more here. :)