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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, flash fiction, novel or memoir excerpts &/or poems from multiple tellers.
These are curated and themed spoken word events; not open-mic storytelling.
We offer these Spoken-Word events as community events -- co-hosted at Sacred Waters Brewing
or other locations in Flathead Valley
Email us at story23fvcc@gmail.com to get notices about 2023-24 story concerts!
OUR NEXT Story Concert will be at Sacred Waters
with 6-to-8 local Tellers - on SUNDAY October 15th
EVENT TIME HAS CHANGED:
Event is now from 2-4pm (formerly from 5-7pm)
>> doors open at 1:30pm, space is limited
October Themes = "Fish Out of Water"
&/or "Roots & Wings"
Flathead Story Concerts curators & hosts:
Barbara & Glenn Schiffman **
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Flathead Story Concerts Sponsors also include:
• Authors of the Flathead ~ writers helping writers, free weekly seminars~ www.authorsoftheflathead.org
• The Bookshelf ~ new books by MT authors & used books of all types in downtown Kalispell ~ www.bookshelfmt.business.site
• My Glacier Village ~ connecting, inspiring & supporting aging seniors in our community ~ www.myglacier.helpfulvillage.com
• Sacred Waters Brewing Company ~ craft beers, great food, music & more ~ www.sacredwatersbrewing.com
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For details on submitting YOUR story or poems (6-8 minutes total tell-time)
for consideration for future Story Concerts,
PLEASE READ OUR SUBMISSION GUIDELINES below
or email us at: story23fvcc@gmail.com
-- and read our new blog post (below) about what we
mean by "true stories" for Flathead Story Concerts.
Oct
15
Sun, Oct 15 2023, 2:00 pm
Sacred Waters Brewing Company
SEEKING STORIES FOR 2024 EVENTS
Do you have an inspiring story to share?
Are you ready to tell it LIVE to Flathead friends & story fans?
We believe everyone has a story -- true or fictional -- and we want to hear YOURS!
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 flash fiction,
book excerpts or poems.
++++
Our 10/15 story submissions are now closed - but if you have a story
to submit for 2024, please contact us at
story23fvcc@gmail.com for future event details.
HOW TO SUBMIT:
To be a Teller in one of our upcoming Story Concerts,
first submit your true story, short or flash fiction or poems
in writing (900-1200 written words = 6-8 minutes tell-time).
Please include word count and tell-time minutes
at the top of your written submission's first page.
There is no charge to submit your story or poems.
We offer this as a free community event and opportunity for storytellers
- FYI, all FSC curators, hosts, venues & tellers are volunteers.
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Submit completed stories only (not stories in-progress)
by email to story23fvcc@gmail.com
2024 Story Themes + event dates/locations to come
-- check back here or email us for details at:
story23fvcc@gmail.com
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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)
* Poems (3-5, to be read as a group)
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 or poems 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.
FOR POETRY: a group of poems tellable by you in 6-8 minutes.
At least one must fit our event theme.
RE TIMING: Please practice your story or poems out loud
and TIME THEM before submitting to us. If they are too short
or too long we will not consider them 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:
Please type "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 "story 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. We will also need you to attend a dress rehearsal and group sound check at the venue
during the week before the event; if you can't attend, we will rehearse you separately.
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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
before the event to do so comfortably
within our 6-8 minute per story timeframe.
We will provide editing suggestions &/or presentation coaching to selected Tellers if/as needed
-- but we do not currently offer a group class on storytelling. We may do so again in the future.
If you need training, let us know and we can suggest or provide other resources for you.
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QUESTIONS: Call Barbara Schiffman at 747-238-0038.
If you get her voicemail, leave your full name and phone
-- say you're calling regarding Story Concerts - thanks!
Your stories
Re 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 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’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 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 cannot say enough about how much the storyteling class affected me, nor can I ever thank you enough for your guidance and encouragement."
Read more