A Little Peek at Stories Told

Nothing unusual, just an ordinary day with extraordinary things. Then it started. The 5th series of Storytelling with Puck. Tara Thompson had already given us a taste. You see, five years ago, she saw something blossom but didn’t dare to take part. This year, her words inspired and grabbed every one of you by the heart. Just in case you missed it:

SHOUT! When you’ve done something as spectacular as Eleanor Goold, seriously… SHOUT! Having said that, don’t ever shout the word “the” in any context. Doug Thompson has his eye on you. So, where do you go? When you can’t say “the” and you need to blow off steam, where do you go? Ingrid Sangiwa will tell you. Maybe Tara Thompson knows. Her words started this but words aren’t always enough to point you towards job or uni. Is anything… anyone?

Sometimes, all of these questions make you feel like it’s all just pointless ups and downs. Up once, down again, up twice, down again, up thrice and catch your breath. Read every part of Jules White’s climb while you’re there. You can reflect anywhere, on top of a hill, in a temple or sat cross-legged on your bedroom floor, staring at your reflection like Tracey Tait did. You might find yourself in some kind of turmoil. Quiet like a whisper or leaving you bare like a drifter but Iulia Farcas will guide you.

You see, we learn things every day in this turbulent life but one of the biggest things we learn is that the little things are what matter, as Suzanne den Exter will tell you. The little things like the stories we tell and the techniques we can use when we tell them. Sheron Mingo Y is full of technique but her technique is filled with desire, nuance and a poetry that draws us all closer.

No matter how good our technique is, we all get stuck. Stuck in a lift where you think ChatGPT might be the only way out. Carol Long found another way. In fact, the lifts were all stopped for the attendees of the Tell It Your Way Workshop but nobody allowed that to let them get stuck in a rut. Using a few descriptions, Viv Parry transported us all to the glittering splendour of the marbled reception area. Sarah Ifidon looked for comedy in horror. Iulia Farcas took us to the ground floor of her protagonist’s soul. Laura Toop dived deep into the possibilities we have in a room of six or a lift of four.

You see, it’s all about imagination, this storytelling world. Constraints and freedom give us opportunity but our minds create. Sian Cardy’s mind created an alternative point of view from a story she had only heard once. What did she do? Maybe she was locked down. Remember that? Being locked down? Clive Bartlett certainly did, back in May 2020 and May 2021. We’re not locked down anymore though. All we need is to be with the sea, like Alivre Huitenga.

Every story we tell is different but they’re all connected. They’re connected by connection. The deeper connection that binds us and improves our mutual understanding. As Alivre says, our stories never end but we can always find ways to start again.

Read all of this year’s stories, including my own by clicking the links or finding them here.

We'll be back next week

If you can't wait until then, you can find more from Puck Creations by checking out?King Puck's Wisdom?and you can listen to every podcast released so far by visiting our?Puck Podcast?page. See you soon!