Category Archives: Blog

The Semiotics of Silence: Tactical Pauses in Storytelling

Virginia Storytelling Alliance Posted on by

A practical look at silence as a storyteller’s secret tool. Sometimes, storytellers treat silence like something to fix. We hurry through it, patch it, smooth it over. We feel it before the audience does, so we jump in with the next line before the last one has a chance to land. But if you think back on the moments in a story that had the most impact, chances are the teller didn’t rush. They let the room breathe for a … Continue reading →

Riddle Logic for Better Storytelling

Virginia Storytelling Alliance Posted on by

Setup, Misdirection, Reveal: Using Ancient Riddles to Craft Stronger Story Beats. Why Riddles Still Matter to Storytellers Every storyteller knows that small, exact moment where timing can make or break a story. A pause before a punchline, a breath held before a shift in tone, a detail saved until the right second. It’s not trickery, it’s pacing. It’s rhythm. It’s generosity, really, because you’re giving the listener the most satisfying version of the story you can. Long before we had … Continue reading →

How to Hire a Storyteller for Your Event

Virginia Storytelling Alliance Posted on by

Wayne Jordan, VASA Board of Directors If you’ve never hired a storyteller before, you’re not alone. Most event planners I speak with say something like, “We know stories are effective, but we’re not sure where to start.” That’s what this guide is for. Storytelling can turn a pleasant event into something folks talk about later. The right teller keeps an audience awake after lunch, brings strangers together at a festival, or calms a nervous crowd at a fundraiser. Once you … Continue reading →

Virginia Storytelling

Virginia Storytelling Alliance Posted on by

A welcome message from Virginia Storytelling Alliance (VASA) Board of Directors Member Wayne Jordan. Video Transcript Hey there, thanks for stopping by. I’m VASA board member Wayne Jordan, and I’d like to speak with you for a couple of minutes about storytelling. Not my storytelling, but your storytelling. American Poet Laureate Maya Angelou once said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Now, it’s not the story itself that’s agonizing. It’s holding it in that’s … Continue reading →