Workshop 4

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Pin the Tail on the Narrative:

An Exploration of Personal Story Creation*

Instructor: Andy Offutt Irwin

In this workshop, we will do exercises to explore ourselves as characters. Then we will work on character-driven story creation.

We will explore this theatrical truth: As soon as a told-about-person leaves our lips (whether that character is a true-life person or fictional) that person becomes a character. If we, as storytellers, are doing our job, the listener “sees” the character.

We will explore the idea of a narrative arc through the four elements of The Hero’s Journey: 1) Quest, 2) Obstacle, 3) Resolution, and 4) New Wisdom. And we will explore ways to believe in our own characters so they can come to life to the listener. (This comes through our use of “wit,” even if it is not a humorous story.)

You’ll have a goofy-good time! (Note: *Aren’t you impressed that Andy used a colon in the title? That gives this workshop academic-y gravitas.)