Interviewing Others: Map to Marvelous Memories

Every one has a fascinating story to tell. Having someone share his or her everyday adventures can be as tricky as expecting to find buried treasure while holding the map upside-down. Knowing the right way to hold the map— and conducting an interview— determines what gems you find.

So far I have had the fortune to interview over 50 people—perhaps closer to 75—including 24 national storytellers/key people in the American Storytelling Movement. Yet, I would like to honor three people who wouldn’t normally call themselves storytellers: Raymond Rahn, Marcus Mortensen (pictured above with me), and Beryl Andrews-Endow. They have best directed me for conducting marvelous interviews.

Interview Map at-a-Glance:
1. Share goals/expectations with each other before the interview.
2. Involve the interviewee in the process from beginning to end.
3. Invite the interviewee to transform the experience into something personal.
4. Include spouse or other family members in the same room during the interview whenever possible.
5. Smile, smile, smile.
6. Become friends.
7. Listen.

What I learned from Raymond:
Share goals/expectations with each other before the interview. Raymond wanted to preserve memories for his family. It was too broad to cover his entire life so we narrowed it down to his childhood days. He gave me a copy of questions that he would like to cover. Could he have written down these answers? Of course, but by having someone record his answers, we could understand the meaning and the inflections he placed on each word. Pauses say many things during an interview, too.

Raymond knew that my goals were to bring out his hidden memories beyond the normal list of “this was my favorite game” or “this was my favorite toy”. With his permission, I wished to share his stories beyond the family setting and onto the stage.

Involve the interviewee in the process from beginning to end. Raymond was with me in such things as determining questions, interviewing, arranging follow-up interviews, and correcting transcripts. This was not “my” project. This was “our” project.

Invite the interviewee to transform the experience into something personal. I created stories that could be told both in the oral and the written format. Raymond took the stories and put his twist to them. Later, he gave copies to his family. The interview was really a stepping-stone to his ultimate goal. Since I have interviewed him, he has passed on as well as his wife, Joyce. I honor their memories when I tell their stories.

What I learned from Marcus:
Include the spouse or other family members in the same room during the interview whenever possible. His wife, Jeri, never heard him tell most of the World War II stories during our interview. She pulled me aside one day and thanked me for allowing her to be there. I was thrilled to have her in the room since sometimes Jeri would make comments, usually of the teasing nature. Marc would defend himself with a smile. This helped me piece dialogue when crafting the stories. Knowing how they interacted broadened my view of them.

Smile, smile, smile. Respond with your eyes, your face, and even your body. The more I smiled, the more animated Marc became. The more animated he became, the more stories he told. If you sit there as if a statue, then the interviewee will wonder if you are truly listening. During most interviews, I lean forward or at least mimic the stance of the interviewee. For example, if the interviewee crosses their legs, then I cross my legs. I can’t copy everything, as one of my hands must take a few notes while the recorder is on. I do the best I can.

What I learned from Beryl:
Become friends. I didn’t have a car so Beryl had to give me a ride to her home. This was my first time meeting her. We had about 10 minutes in the car to “just talk”. It was easy to become comfortable so by the time the interview officially started, we were friends.

Listen. Sometimes an interview is pure listening. I hardly had to ask a question for Beryl. Not everyone is so open. There are times that I would bring up a topic to hear more details. Otherwise, the interview may go off focus. And yet, if there is too much focus, then you could lose other wonderful stories.

If you’d like other tips on interviewing I have learned or if you have tips, then please let me know. You can post your questions and comments to this blog or you can email me at rachel@storytellingadventures.com.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman
Professional Storyteller
Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance
(801) 870-5799
rachel@storytellingadventures.com
http://www.rachelhedman.com/
http://www.yesalliance.com/

Grammys: Is Storytelling Category Possible?

Storytelling is not officially recognized by the Grammys, though the question is being asked more often of creating a separate category since national storyteller Bill Harley received the 2007 Grammy of Best Spoken Word Album For Children (consisting of predominantly spoken word vs. music or song) for “Blah Blah Blah: Stories About Clams, Swamp Monsters, Pirates & Dogs”.

National storyteller John McCutcheon was also nominated for the same category for his “Christmas in the Trenches”.

At the February 2007 meeting, Cathy Fink and Charlie Pilzer, Airshow Mastering and Grammy nominee, promoted the creation of a storytelling category to the Grammy committee. They wish for storytellers to help in this possibly 3-5 year process, depending on the support. Fink remarked, “Creating new categories is very difficult, but not impossible. The biggest challenge is to prove that a new category would be well served. Would the storytelling community get more active?”

Debbie Block of Round River Records said, “There are so many tellers in this community who are putting out wonderful work, it would be great to have the opportunity to be recognized in a wider community of artists.” Block urges storytellers to reflect on the opportunity and submit ideas to Fink and Pilzer (emails found at end).

Fink and Pilzer agreed that placing Harley’s “Blah Blah Blah” against McCutcheon’s “Christmas in the Trenches” was an unfair comparison as one was primarily a full-length spoken word while the other was about 10 minutes of spoken word. Fink noted that a similar situation occurred with Tom Chapin’s readings of stories that consisted of five minutes of spoken word plus music.

From Fink’s suggestion to make the storytelling community “more active”, I propose the following ideas:

1. Create Two Sets of Membership Standards with National Storytelling Network

2. Share Submissions from Other Storytelling Awards with the Grammys

3. Promote Professionalism on Local and National Levels

4. Educate Storytellers on How to Use Technology for Recording Purposes

Create Two Sets of Membership Standards with National Storytelling Network
The January/February 2007 “Storytelling Magazine” published by the National Storytelling Network (NSN) had a fitting theme of “In Pursuit of Excellence.” Several articles expressed the need of standards among storytellers while some articles showed signs of fear of having standards at all.

With two opposite views, it would seem best to have two sets of membership standards with the National Storytelling Network.

For those wishing to be more career-oriented with storytelling, certain guidelines could be followed to be in “good standing”. It would not go as far as licenses found in occupations like doctors and lawyers. Rather, there would be an application process beyond the regular contact information asked currently to be part of NSN. Submitting annually such items as an artist statement/vision, references, listing of repertoire, résumé, and education background should not intimidate professional storytellers, as these are common things asked for when applying for grants.

Once a committee reviews all information, then the storyteller could receive some sort of certificate indicating “good standing”. Storytellers could share their status with potential sponsors/patrons.

Storytellers who wish not to be judged by such standards (or even story appreciators) could decline the application process and be a regular member of NSN.

Share Submissions from Other Storytelling Awards with the Grammys
Many storytelling materials including CDs, DVDs, and books are already being submitted to Storytelling World Awards, Parents’ Choice Awards, and “Circle of Excellence” as part of the NSN Oracle Awards. The list could go on. With the right rapport, the Grammys could receive duplicate submissions from the other awards.

Promote Professionalism on Local and National Levels
Sometimes I am shocked at how many storytellers do not even give an invoice for a sponsor/patron. Having an invoice alone would boost how the general public views storytelling.

Librarians talk to librarians and educators talk to educators and so on. When someone is professional, then the visibility of the art increases. Imagine what could happen if storytellers promoted standards within their local guilds and friends?

I would recommend having the following items given in a file/folder for sponsors:

1. Storytelling Résumé
2. Introduction Card (for emcee/sponsor to read to avoid terrible introductions)
3. One-Page Quote from Others
4. Contract/Service Agreement/Invoice
5. Questionnaire (to understand event and audience)
6. Photo
7. Extra Business Cards

Educate Storytellers on How to Use Technology for Recording Purposes
There are so many free ways to use technology and many storytellers do not know the possibilities.

Did you think that YouTube and MySpace are for teenagers? Guess again. Storytellers need to be familiar with such things as blogs, podcasts, mp3 players/recorders, and iTales. Some ways to educate storytellers the lingo and use would be having workshops within guilds, the National Storytelling Conference, and through teleconferences.

Teasers and trailers of storytelling CDs and DVDs could be posted on websites as well as other online places such as YouTube and iTales. As a recording receives more hits, it will eventually catch the attention of the Grammys.

Regardless of what happens with the creation of the storytelling category, Grammy-winner Harley has this to say, “I spent the morning after the Grammies telling stories in a second grade class. Most of them had no idea what a Grammy was, and couldn’t have cared less.”

If you have ideas in regards to this amazing opportunity, then urgently email Cathy Fink at cfink@mindspring.com and Charlie Pilzer at charliepilzer@earthlink.net.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman
Professional Storyteller
Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance
(801) 870-5799
rachel@storytellingadventures.com
http://www.rachelhedman.com/
http://www.yesalliance.com/