Salem Story Series

Every well-crafted story (for this format) has…

1. A beginning, a middle, and an ending. It sounds simple, but it’s important to think through the full scope of your story. How does it begin? What’s happening in the middle? How will you stick the landing?
2. A repeating hook. The audience is going to want to track what you’re saying, so make it easy on them: give them a repeating phrase or concept every so often to latch onto.
   • “I once had a dog named Sam, and everyone asked me: isn’t that a weird name for a dog? Ha, probably, I’d think to myself. But what, exactly, is a name if it isn’t something weird, in its own way? After all, Shakespeare famously wrote, ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.’ I bet Shakespeare’s audience never thought this much about how to name a dog, but I digress. Weird names are sort of a theme for me: my parents’ names are Hildegard and Purple — yes, true story — and I’ve often wondered if that’s where I get the weird name thing from.”
     • This example is perhaps a little egregious, but you get the point. Repeat that hook.
3. A strong point of view (POV) that connects to the theme. What are you trying to say? Humans are pattern-seekers by nature, so the themes are intentionally broad to allow you to put together a story that has natural connecting fibers. Help your audience by making sure you know your own POV.
4. Some sort of je ne sais quoi. Your story should give the audience a reason to lean in. What are the stakes? Is there a moment when you’ve “seen the light” or felt utterly defeated? This will likely be part of that “aha!” moment when you realize how your story connects to the theme, but make sure you let it ring out on stage!

For this format, remember the following:

1. No notes! The audience wants your raw reaction and is VERY forgiving of mistakes. As long as you have a good beginning, an awareness of the middle, and an idea for how to end it, you’ll be much better off leaving the notes at home.
2. No hate speech. You can absolutely refer to words and phrases if they are part of your experience, but the willful use of things you wouldn’t say in a job interview in a way that perpetuates hate will not be tolerated. Save those agendas for Facebook rants or your therapist.
3. This is not your stand-up set, your poetry slam, or your open mic night. Props are totally cool, but we’re not here for a run-of-the-mill open mic night. We want your stories, in the format outlined above. If you make the audience laugh because you’re a naturally funny person, then heck yea, bring on the chortles. If you use all 5 minutes to rip one-liners, your friendly MC will cut the mic.
4. Avoid political ranting. Politics are in EVERYTHING, so it’s absurd to say that you shouldn’t touch on them at all (especially if it’s relevant to your story), but remember: this stage is not a platform for your political beliefs, so if it feels like you’re using the theme to share anything other than how your story relates to it, this probably isn’t the right venue.