We here at Lit Drift are trying to take a look at how storytelling and literature are changing because of (and in spite of) popular culture.

But when some people talk about storytelling, they mean the oral tradition. Someone standing up in front of a group and talking, motioning with their hands, using facial expressions and sounds, dancing, laughing, relating. I’m increasingly finding myself drawn to this art of storytelling as it existed before all of our contemporary mediums…before radio, before television, before podcasts, before microfiction, before Twitter, before Facebook.

I know we’re called “Storytelling in the 21st Century,” but I guess I keep wanting to write like it’s …1899?  Maybe the 21st century of storytelling will start to look a bit like the last century when people get tired of technology and yearn for something more…human. Well, I might not be too far off since it seems that this ancient art of storytelling is in the midst of a revival.

Read more »

Pretty much everyone I know loves and has a crush on Ira Glass.  Yeah, you know him, the host of This American Life, the radio series (and now TV series) broadcast every Sunday on NPR affiliates around the country.

The show, a favorite since childhood, picks a theme each week and presents a story or many stories expounding on that theme.  Many celebrity writers have built a name by producing shorts for TAL, including David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell, but many other voices add to the mix.

People are obsessed with this guy — he’s probably the most well-loved indie guy of all time.  Somehow he’s made it trendy to be awkward. But more importantly, the show has brought back the shared experience of radio — millions of people tune in each week to hear stories.

So I was thrilled to discover Glass’s video series on storytelling tips.  Check out the four-part series below: Read more »