Learn to tell your story
Mondays*, 12-1pm, Online
“Tell me a fact and I will learn.
Tell me a truth and I will believe.
Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.“
Native American Proverb
Why storytelling?
Storytelling is our most powerful tool to inspire, teach and entertain. For thousands of years, we’ve told stories to pass knowledge from person to person and from generation to generation. It’s how we make sense of our experiences and how we share our ideas with the world.
The stories we tell in our personal and professional lives define how others see us. Whether in job interviews, technical presentations, or sales pitches, storytelling allows us to make emotional connections with our audience that help us convey our message with conviction and authenticity.
Story Arc
As a member of SF Storytellers you can learn more about these 5 key storytelling elements:
1. The Opening
The opening of your story is its foundation, capturing the audience’s attention, setting the stage, and framing the message you want to deliver. A good opening is essential to captivating your audience right from the start.
2. The Conflict
The conflict is the struggle that you (or your characters) faced. It’s the problem you had to overcome, the difficulty you endured, the hill you had to climb. Whether you succeed or not, it leaves you changed in some way.
3. The Resolution
The resolution describes the transformation you see in yourself or the world around you because of your experiences. It’s the lesson you learned that you want to share, the heart of your message.
4. The Characters
The characters experience the journey of your story. Whether fictional or real, whether describing yourself or others, developing relatable characters is essential to good storytelling.
5. The Narrative
The narrative is the plot of the story that takes your characters from the opening, through the conflict, to the resolution. A good narrative is the key to telling a gripping tale.
About Toastmasters
Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.
SF Storytellers offers the same self-paced Toastmasters educational program as most other clubs, but also uniquely offers its own storytelling curriculum.
Learn how to tell your story, improve your communication skills, and lead with integrity at SF Storytellers.
Want to visit?
Due to the on-going public health crisis our group will not be meeting in-person and have switched to video calls via Zoom for the time being.
Guests are always welcome! We meet every Monday*, 12-1pm, online via Zoom.
(* except public holidays)
To join the call, sign-up on Eventbrite, or email us for more info.
How to become a member
- Attend 3 or more meetings as a guest, in order to get to know our members and understand how we operate.
- Apply for membership.
- Contact our VP of Membership for an application form.
- Current members vote on candidates for membership. Please allow up to 2 weeks for us to get back to you!
- Send your initial payment (our Treasurer will send instructions to you). The breakdown of fees and dues:
- one-time $20 new member fee (waived for reinstating or dual members)
- ongoing dues to Toastmasters International: $45 semi-annually**
- ongoing dues to San Francisco Storytellers: $6 semi-annually**
- if paying via PayPal, convenience fee of $2
**Dues are collected every 6 months. Terms run April – September and October – March. Dues are prorated from your start month.
Questions?
Email our VP of Membership at
membership@sfstorytellers.org
Meetings Every Monday*
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Now online via Zoom
officers@sfstorytellers.org
District Events
Check out https://d4tm.org/ for the latest information.
Stephen Chin was a finalist in
the 2021 Toastmasters International
World Championship of Public Speaking
Want to know more about Toastmasters International? Learn more about the organization here and their online curriculum here.
San Francisco Storytellers 