music

The Music Industry’s $50-Billion/Year Storytelling Fumble

  For decades, FM radio stations served as the primary outlet for major record labels to promote their artists. Radio…

3 weeks ago

M&Ms, Rock Stars, and Divas

  What of M&Ms, rock stars, and divas? The rock band Van Halen had an infamous clause in their contract…

8 months ago

‘Twas the Month Before Christmas

  Here's a little holiday fun. Thanks for reading my storytelling posts. Have a safe, happy, and prosperous season. ’Twas…

12 months ago

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

When the urge to gripe arises, consider that no matter what dark clouds may loom on the horizon, you threaded…

12 months ago

Jazz and Musical Storytelling

What is musical storytelling? Many of our favorite storytellers rely on music to help them deliver their messages with impact.…

1 year ago

Survive and Thrive in the Land of Clocks & Calendars

Is your digital calendar robbing you of the time you need to be productive? Maybe the problem isn't your calendar.…

1 year ago

Jazz and the Dangerous Magic of Creative Flow

Perhaps you’ve experienced flow writing. You sit down, watch your fingers tap away at the keyboard, and wonder, Where did…

1 year ago

What is “Dynamic Speaking?”

We often hear about "dynamic speaking," but what does that mean? The dictionary defines "dynamics" as "the forces or properties…

2 years ago

Shared Stories and The Next Generation

Hooray for Hollywood! Well … maybe; maybe not. Movies about rock stars’ journeys and superheroes (Is there really a difference?)…

2 years ago

Hobbyist or Professional? Be the Best in the World.

Hobbyist or professional? True professionals dedicate their lives to being the best in the world at whatever they do—not some…

2 years ago

Reading Aloud Doesn’t Have to Be Boring

Keep your lis­ten­ers’ at­ten­tion while read­ing aloud. The host an­nounces the next au­thor. She walks to the lectern, of­fers a…

3 years ago

The Virtuoso, the Teacher, & the Centipede

One Sunday morning not long after I had been introduced to sailing, I was enjoying a cup of coffee in…

3 years ago

Storytelling Tips: The Rush of Discovery

Storytelling tips: You’re walking along and you happen to look down. “Hey, that’s not a scrap of paper; that’s a…

3 years ago

Phil Woods: Is Your Work Beneath You?

I was frustrated the other day, thinking about how I need a better computer. Some of my software is out…

3 years ago

Be an Effective Storyteller. Try Story <i>Listening</i>

Storytelling is a powerful tool, but no one ever talks about story listening. Have you ever been with a friend,…

3 years ago

Problem-Solving & Storytelling: Understand <i>Their</i> Story

Use storytelling for problem-solving. Think about the various stories involved in a conflict and plot a course for resolution. Seen…

4 years ago

Tempest in the Lizard Kingdom: A True Christmas Tale

In 1989, as a 25-year-old sailing solo on a 26-foot sailboat, I spent a surreal Christmas weathering a North Atlantic…

4 years ago

Potent Verbs Spice Up Your Storytelling

Verbs are the engines that move your writing, your speaking, your readers, and your audiences but many authors ands presenters don’t…

4 years ago

If I Can Do It, You Can Do It Stories: Speaking Mistakes

If I can do it, you can do it! Well … maybe. Is your story about your extraordinary personal journey?…

4 years ago

Storytelling and The Avant Garde

An accomplished jazz musician, educator, and friend pointed out that too many virtuosic young players blow a lot of noisy…

5 years ago

The Time and Tempo of Storytelling

Great storytellers are masters of time and tempo. What is this mysterious thing called “time?” Does it flow at the…

5 years ago

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