Do you like to hear stories told live? We do!
Or do you have a story to tell and would like help
crafting it to submit for our story concerts, we now host
free spoken word storycrafting workshops or work privately
with individual tellers via zoom. Contact us for info.
Flathead Story Concerts curators & hosts:
Barbara & Glenn Schiffman
Email us at story23fvcc@gmail.com
or FOLLOW below to get notices of dates
and Flathead Valley locations for 2025 events!
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Inspired by The Moth Radio Hour and PBS-TV's "Stories From the Stage,"
Flathead Story Concerts share pre-selected and inspiring true experience essays,
short stories or excerpts from novels or memoirs from multiple tellers.
These are curated and themed spoken word events;
not open-mic storytelling.
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NEW: Spoken Word Storycrafting Workshops -- in-person
Check out our "Drop-in" free 2-hour sessions in
October & November 2024 at the Whitefish Community Center.
Get details at our EVENTS postings or email us at
story23fvcc@gmail.com
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Latest Flathead Story Concerts in Kalispell :
Tuesday 9/17 at Sacred Waters Brewing
- 6:00-7:30pm (doors open at 5:30)
Free community event
-- ages 16+ recommended
Flathead Story Concerts Sponsors include:
• Authors of the Flathead ~ writers helping writers, free weekly seminars ~ www.authorsoftheflathead.org
• The Bookshelf ~ new books by MT authors + used books in downtown Kalispell ~ www.bookshelfmt.business.site
• Sacred Waters Brewing ~ craft beers, great food & more ~ www.sacredwatersbrewing.com
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For details on submitting YOUR story
(6-8 minutes total tell-time; 900-1200 written words)
for potential participation in upcoming Story Concerts,
READ OUR SUBMISSION GUIDELINES below,
or email us at: story23fvcc@gmail.com
Also read our blog post (below) about what we
mean by "true stories" for Flathead Story Concerts.
Nov
11
Mon, Nov 11 2024, 3:30 pm
Whitefish Community Center
Nov
25
Mon, Nov 25 2024, 3:30 pm
Whitefish Community Center
We believe everyone has a story -- true or fictional
-- and we want to hear YOURS!
NEW: STORYCRAFTING WORKSHOPS (Whitefish MT)
To help potential FSC tellers create and prepare stories for us,
we are hosting in-person Spoken Word Storycrafting workshops
in September, October & November 2024 at the
Whitefish Community Center.
See our event postings for details - email or call for more info.
These 2-hour standalone workshops share tips on story structure
and presentation skills as well as providing support and
coaching for preparing spoken word stories.
Attend one or more or all -- free admission!
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>> THEMES FOR 2025 STORY CONCERTS:
We are currently considering themes for 2025 FSCs.
Some of the ones we like are:
* Starting Over (when, where, how, why...)
* Coming to the Flathead (by birth or by choice...)
* Parents & Teachers (what I learned from them about life)
* Hard to Believe (astounding but true experiences)
If you have a story that fits any of these themes, we'd love to review it!
If you have a story about something else, submit it for review anyway --
If we love it, we can invite it as a "Wild Card"!
++++++
You don't need to be a published or aspiring WRITER to participate.
Some of the best stories we've heard are from ordinary folks with
"universal" or extraordinary experiences or tales to share!
Our Story Concerts are also an effective and fun way
for writers who do book signings or readings to practice
verbally sharing your short stories or book excerpts.
++++
HOW TO SUBMIT:
To be a Teller in one of our Flathead Story Concerts,
submit your true story or short fiction / memoir excerpt in writing
(900-1200 written words = 6-8 minutes tell-time).
Include your full name, phone and email
plus word count and telling-time minutes
at the top of your written submission's first page.
There is no charge to submit your story or excerpt.
Submit completed stories only (not stories in-progress
or in need of major editing for time and clarity)
by email to us at story23fvcc@gmail.com
+++++
STORY TYPES WE REVIEW & CONSIDER:
* True personal experience essays (YOURS = 1st person)
* Short or Flash Fiction (900-1200 words)
* Novel excerpts (unpublished = OK)
* Memoir excerpts (a portion of YOUR story)
WHAT WE ACCEPT & DO NOT ACCEPT IN CONTENT:
We seek true or fictional stories that can inspire and entertain all ages.
They can be serious or humorous, but should be
memorable and (generally) uplifting.
Our events are "family friendly" -- but our stories are
not "anecdotes" or kid-lit tales. They need to have universal appeal
and a message with a clear beginning, middle and conclusion.
True stories should have an opening "hook" and
lead to a conclusion that shares what you learned from
this experience as well as your story's "takeaway"
meaning for Listeners.
Exceptions: "Colorful language" is acceptable (within reason),
but we will not consider adult-only (pornographic, abusive or violent)
material or overtly offensive language. All stories
must also be religion-political-gender issue neutral!
+ ++ + +
HOW LONG SHOULD STORIES BE:
Tell-Time = 6-8 minutes avg. per Teller
This equals approx. 900-1200 written words.
RE TIMING for live telling: Practice your story out loud
and TIME IT before submitting to us.
If it is too short or too long we will not consider it
without revisions or editing by you.
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SUBMIT VIA EMAIL -- AS ATTACHMENTS:
Formats accepted: Word doc/docx files or PDFs only.
Any other formats will not be reviewed.
SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE:
WORD COUNT + STORY TELL-TIME MINUTES,
YOUR FULL NAME, EMAIL, PHONE
(in email text & also on attachment)
EMAIL SUBJECT LINE = "Story Concert submission"
After we get your submission --
We'll email-reply that we've received it (via story23fvcc@gmail.com).
If you do not get a notice of receipt from us within a week,
please SUBMIT again or phone us to make sure we got it
(some emails go to spam; always good to check receipt).
If your story has potential for a 2024 event, we will notify you
by phone or email -- make sure we have your name and contact info!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
If your story is selected for potential participation, we will reach you to schedule a
verbal "audition" by Zoom. If you're then invited to share it in an upcoming Story Concert,
we will expect you to promote your event to friends, family and local groups you're part of.
+++++
WILL YOU NEED TO MEMORIZE YOUR STORY?
NO. Unlike other spoken word events -- i.e. The Moth, Tell Us Something-Missoula
or Pivot Spokane -- we DO NOT require you to memorize your story
or tell it live without notes.
But you must be familiar enough with telling it out loud
to do so comfortably within our 6-8 minute timeframe.
We will provide editing suggestions &/or presentation coaching to invited Tellers if/as needed.
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QUESTIONS: Call Barbara Schiffman at 747-238-0038.
Leave your full name + phone# -- say you're calling about Story Concerts - thanks!
Your stories
It has been such a treat getting to work with you on this storytelling project (9/17/24 FSC). I learned a lot, and had a great time in the process. The story concert was well organized and curated, and I was so honored to share the mic with the other storytellers.
Read more"I cannot say enough about how much the storyteling class affected me, nor can I ever thank you enough for your guidance and encouragement."
Read moreThank you so much for holding the story concert last night! What an exciting concept that took boldness to present to a valley hungry for what they didn’t know they were hungry for! My mother and I enjoyed it very much.
Read more"I'm so grateful that you have re-awakened the storyteller in me. I'm very excited about the Story Concerts to come and participating. I feel like a six year old on the night before Christmas."
Read more"I’ve received so much positive feedback from people about the entire presentation of tellers! Big hit. I had 13 guests there. I love how many new connections I made with you two and the other students too."
Read moreRe your 8/15 Story Concet: Success! Good job. 💫 Always enjoy Glenn’s Native American stories. A very interesting perspective being on the outside yet very in!
Read more