Rachel Hedman's Blog

Receive tips and games on storytelling through free monthly e-newsletter--posted by Rachel Hedman

Receive tips, games, and thoughts on storytelling through my free monthly e-newsletter "The Rachel Response: Storytelling Adventures"!

On October 1, 2009, the first issue will go out.

You can go to my homepage of http://www.rachelhedman.com to sign-up.

My monthly newsletters will share:

* "From the Stage"

--Find out what the… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on September 23, 2009 at 5:45pm — 1 Comment

Storyteller.net's Review of "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" Storytelling DVD

Feel free to read the review by Storyteller.net for my "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" DVD here.

Do you already have your copy?

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Utah Storytelling Guild President-Elect

Tel: (801) 870-5799

Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL:… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on July 18, 2009 at 2:43pm — No Comments

"Storytelling Lessons for Kids: 5 Ways to Go Beyond What Piano Can Give Them"--posted by Rachel Hedman

Thanks to my nephew, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law for allowing permission to post the pictures.

Throughout all ages of time, parents have encouraged and sometimes "forced" their children to receive piano lessons.

I was one of those kids who took piano lessons.

Currently, I do not have a piano in my home, which I plan to rectify soon. A home is not complete without a piano.

In the meantime,… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on June 3, 2009 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Storytelling: The Forgotten Art in BSA & What Mothers Have Known for Ages

Thanks to Patrice Killpack for allowing me to post our picture. Patrice is a cool mom with four kids (two of them boys) and another little one on the way. The quotes and stories from the other mothers were also appreciated.

"Storytelling is as basic to a… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on May 11, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Help reach 100,000+ on Facebook--BSA Storytelling Supporters

Artwork drawn and posted with permission by Jerry "BP" Riggs

We need you as we create a buzz for creation of the Boy Scouts of America Storytelling Merit Badge.

When you add 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 and on and on, then we could reach 100,000+ people to support it. Send a message to all of your friends, family, and acquaintances about two different sites:

1. BSA Storytelling Supporters on… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on April 30, 2009 at 10:00pm — No Comments

Have you heard about BSA Storytelling Supporters?

You may have already heard about the new BSA Storytelling Supporters social networking site at http://bsastorytelling.ning.com.

Many of you have wondered about the latest news on the creation of the storytelling merit badge.

By joining this site, you will have the latest information on this endeavor. Getting the merit badge is only the beginning. Then there would be the announcements… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on April 28, 2009 at 12:15am — No Comments

"Marketing Storytelling Fools: 3 More Tricks We Play on Ourselves When We Don't Ask--Part 2"--posted by Rachel Hedman

Note: Part 1 focused on questions to ask the sponsor. Part 2 are internal questions for the storyteller. You may ask, "Why is not Part 2 then Part 1?" I believe most storytellers either want to ignore or to forget these internal questions because they are hard to answer. Some storytellers who have told for two or more decades still… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on April 21, 2009 at 8:45pm — No Comments

"Marketing Storytelling Fools: 8 Tricks We Play on Ourselves When We Don't Ask--Part 1"--posted by Rachel Hedman

Whether you bring people to your events or whether you are the performing artist, there are certain questions we are afraid to ask--or forget to ask--that could have brought a more professional and exciting atmosphere to the whole event.

One thing is certain: We look like fools when we don't ask.

There are the normal questions that storytellers ask of sponsors such as the expected composition of the audience, the theme, or… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on April 1, 2009 at 2:48pm — No Comments

"Today's Bards & Seanachies: Irish Wisdom in Storytelling Techniques"--posted by Rachel Hedman

Having the "gift of gab" by kissing the Blarney stone is not enough to be a storyteller. An Irish proverb says, "Time is a great storyteller."

The number of stories you know, the principles learned within them, and the time it takes to apply the principles can measure intelligence.

Whether… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on March 18, 2009 at 5:22am — No Comments

"Storytelling Ethics & Bok's Model: Freedom with Structure"--posted by Rachel Hedman

Note: The Ethics course was required with my Communications degree at Brigham Young University. After consulting with Professor Kevin Stoker in 2000, I was allowed to write my… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on March 12, 2009 at 8:14pm — No Comments

"Storytelling: A Word Hard to Define"--posted by Rachel Hedman

The following article is a merge of research as well as my views on defining storytelling. It represents a small portion of my Brigham Young University Honors Thesis of "Transformation of the Storyteller's Identity and Role through the American Storytelling Movement" in 2000. See list of storytellers interviewed at the bottom of the… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on March 12, 2009 at 8:09pm — No Comments

"Freedom-Based Mentoring: How to Transform Resistance to Acceptance"--posted by Rachel Hedman

This is the full article I wrote, though a condensed version was published in the January/February 2008 Storytelling Magazine, with the theme "It Is The Right Time for Mentoring".

Out of over 13 years, eight of… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on March 12, 2009 at 8:00pm — No Comments

FFHL Blog--"Word Wrestling: Narrative Production vs. Storytelling"--posted by Rachel Hedman

I labeled "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" as a "narrative production" since August 2008 and it seemed like a hands-down win.

Then today Elizabeth Ellis, national storyteller and one of my… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on January 8, 2009 at 12:30am — 4 Comments

"The Story Box: World Celebrates One Story at a Time"--posted by Rachel Hedman (thanks to Kevin Cordi)

Thanks goes to Kevin Cordi (pictured far left) for granting… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on January 4, 2009 at 12:00am — No Comments

"Personal Stories Matter: Connecting with Others"--posted by Rachel Hedman

This was a paper I wrote on July 6, 2006, which was before the "Voice--A Storyteller's Lifestyle" blog was created.

Many people deny that they have personal stories that would be of value for others to hear. As a… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on December 17, 2008 at 3:54am — No Comments

"Asking for Directions: 3 Maps for the Storyteller"--posted by Rachel Hedman

We, as storytellers, may not always ask for directions in the stories we create. The images of the stories' settings and perhaps the characters allude us though we have the map of the story as an outline.

The stories I share seem bare-bone until I immerse into the world itself in which the action takes place.

One of the reasons… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on December 6, 2008 at 12:30am — No Comments

FFHL Blog--"Latin Tales with the Right Aroma: Pantheon Books"--posted by Rachel Hedman

I can never seem to leave a bookstore empty-handed. The trip to Barnes & Noble was no different.

The book that caught my eye was "Latin American Folktales: stories from Hispanic and Indian traditions"… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on November 28, 2008 at 8:07pm — No Comments

FFHL Blog--"Trek (7 of 7): Which Title Inspires You?"--posted by Rachel Hedman

If ever you want to expand your mind, then there is someone you must talk with: Dr. Marsha D. Broadway.

This is seven of seven posts relating to my info-gathering trek to BYU on October 21, 2008.

When I wrote my… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on November 28, 2008 at 1:30am — No Comments

FFHL Blog--"Trek (6 of 7): 'Battling Out' Story Project Priorities"--posted by Rachel Hedman

I must decide which priorities are most important for the premiere.

This is six of seven posts relating to my info-gathering trek to BYU on October 21, 2008.

Ideally all of the following options would be available, but I may need to drop one or… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on November 24, 2008 at 4:30pm — No Comments

FFHL Blog--"Trek (5 of 7): 'Oh Glorious' Paperwork for Theatre"--posted by Rachel Hedman

Whether or not the university is conservative or has religious connections, there is a guarantee there… Continue

Added by Rachel Hedman on November 22, 2008 at 2:30pm — No Comments

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