Raconteurs (Storytellers)

[GeddyRulz]

I make no secret of the fact that I'd like to published someday, but I just recently realized what I'd really like to do: become a "raconteur" or "storyteller," like Jean Shepherd, Spalding Gray, Daniel Pinkwater, or Garrison Keillor. Stay with me.

 

I first saw Spalding Gray in performance over twenty years ago, and almost immediately I said "That's what I'd love to do!" The unique brand of "storytelling" he'd developed was part writing, part performance art, part confessional, part therapy, and part "sit-down" comedy. What fun! That must be satisfying on so many levels. I've got almost all his books.

 

Jean Shepherd is probably best known to you as the voice of "adult Ralphie" in the movie A Christmas Story. He was a writer, storyteller, and broadcaster, and the movie was based on his own semi-autobiographical stories. He was very popular in his day, with his own nightly 45-minute show on WOR in New York City, telling his stories.

 

Daniel Pinkwater is mostly a children's author but sometimes writes books for adults, too. What I enjoy, though, is his "commentaries" on NPR, which often have a semi-autobiographical story behind them. Sometimes very funny, sometimes serious and moving, but never disappointing. Pinkwater is a very fat man who had an interesting childhood in Chicago and now lives south of me in Upstate New York.

 

Garrison Keillor, of course, is the writer/creator of A Prairie Home Companion, both the books and the public radio series. He tells stories about small-town Minnesota life, something he's been around all his life. Despite being the most popular of the raconteurs I've mentioned, Keillor is actually the one I know the least. I'm not a fan, but perhaps that's because I haven't read his books or heard his radio show.

 

This is what I'd love to do. I love to write, I love telling (and exaggerating) semi-autobiographical tales, and I have a background in radio. So to write personal stories and then (perhaps) read them on the radio or read them in live performance would be right up my alley! But... how does one just "become" a raconteur??

 

Anyway. What do you all think? First, are any of you a fan of any of the storytellers I've spoken about, or another storyteller I haven't mentioned??

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

Steady as she Goes is my favorite.

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Dec 14 2009, 05:52 PM)

Steady as she Goes is my favorite.

[Merely Space]

Love Spalding Gray. Wish I could find Swimming to Cambodia on dvd.

[JohnnyBlaze]

GeddyRulz, I haven't read anything by any of those folks you mentioned. I only know some of them by name. But "storytelling" reminds me of someone whose writings have affected me on multiple levels, Hunter S. Thompson.

 

I imagine you'll find a lot of us on here that enjoy writing (myself included) and storytelling to some degree (myself included again). You should post some of your shorter stories that you've already written and we'll tell you what we think.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (JohnnyBlaze @ Dec 18 2009, 12:23 AM)

I imagine you'll find a lot of us on here that enjoy writing (myself included) and storytelling to some degree (myself included again).  You should post some of your shorter stories that you've already written and we'll tell you what we think.

Thanks, dude! That OP of mine is less than a week old, but already my plan of attack has somewhat changed. (One doesn't just become a raconteur overnight!) Right now, I'm thinking of submitting some "personal essays" to magazines which take such submissions, sometimes as part of annual contests with cash prizes in addition to publication of your work. I can easily crank out some good "personal essays," which is pretty much what I usually write, and through the Net I've found dozens of good suggestions on where to send my stuff.

 

I've only been talking about getting published for nearly thirty years; time to actually get moving towards that goal! It now sounds more easily attainable than I first thought.

Edited December 18, 2009 by GeddyRulz

[JimboGames]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Dec 13 2009, 11:28 PM)

Garrison Keillor, of course, is the writer/creator of A Prairie Home Companion, both the books and the public radio series. He tells stories about small-town Minnesota life, something he's been around all his life. Despite being the most popular of the raconteurs I've mentioned, Keillor is actually the one I know the least. I'm not a fan, but perhaps that's because I haven't read his books or heard his radio show.

Garrison Keillor is indeed a wonderful storyteller. Quite witty as well.

 

Some of my favorite quotes:

 

"It was luxuries like air conditioning that brought down the Roman Empire. With air conditioning their windows were shut, they couldn't hear the barbarians coming. "

 

"It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars."

 

"A girl in a bikini is like having a loaded pistol on your coffee table - There's nothing wrong with them, but it's hard to stop thinking about it."

 

"A compassionate conservative is someone who electrocutes juveniles but lets them have a last 'make a wish' ."

 

"Even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle people. "

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (JimboGames @ Dec 18 2009, 10:09 AM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Dec 13 2009, 11:28 PM) Garrison Keillor, of course, is the writer/creator of A Prairie Home Companion, both the books and the public radio series.  He tells stories about small-town Minnesota life, something he's been around all his life.  Despite being the most popular of the raconteurs I've mentioned, Keillor is actually the one I know the least.  I'm not a fan, but perhaps that's because I haven't read his books or heard his radio show. Garrison Keillor is indeed a wonderful storyteller. Quite witty as well.   Some of my favorite quotes:   "It was luxuries like air conditioning that brought down the Roman Empire. With air conditioning their windows were shut, they couldn't hear the barbarians coming. "   "It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars."   "A girl in a bikini is like having a loaded pistol on your coffee table - There's nothing wrong with them, but it's hard to stop thinking about it."   "A compassionate conservative is someone who electrocutes juveniles but lets them have a last 'make a wish' ."   "Even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle people. " The only time I've actually heard Garrison Keillor (and I only just recently learned it was him) was when I've listened to the short "Writer's Almanac" segments that my NPR affiliate plays each morning.