I'm putting the trick to be a better storyteller to test - You be the judge...

 

In my last post I'd covered the trick to be a better storyteller based on my experience of writing 'Adventures of Ella Elephant'. 

I'm putting the ‘trick’ to test now. 

The random subject I have chosen is a coconut tree. 

And here goes the story: for a preschool audience.

...

Once upon a time, in a beautiful village there was a coconut tree. 

It was the tallest coconut tree in the land with a long, strong, brown trunk and a beautiful crown of long, green leaves.

The leaves used to shine a bright dark green in the morning sunshine and covered big bunches of coconuts.

Everybody loved the coconut tree. 

The squirrels loved to run up and down the trunk. The monkeys loved climbing it and sitting on the crown.

The woodpecker loved to peck away at the wood. 

The kingfisher, crows, sparrows and evening birds loved to sit under the leafy crown.

And the coconut tree loved all of this.

One evening a woodcutter came by and saw the tall, strong coconut tree.

"Mmmmm, I must cut this tree down" he said loudly, tapping the trunk of the tree.

"But it's evening now... I shall cut it tomorrow morning." Saying this he laydown under the coconut tree and fell asleep. 

The evening birds heard what the woodcutter said and quickly told everyone else.

All the birds and animals were so worried and sad. 

They could not allow someone to cut the coconut tree. But what were they to do now? 

"I know" said the woodpecker. "We could hide the axe."

"Yes!" said the monkeys smiling. "We could all pull the axe away and hide it..."

So, all the birds and animals went over quietly to where the woodcutter was sleeping.

They pulled the axe away slowly, without making any noise and dragged it far away from the woodcutter.

"Let's drop it in the well" said one of the monkeys and everybody said yes!

So, they all dragged the axe to the well and dropped it in happily. “Hurray!”

The next morning the woodcutter woke up and searched everywhere for his axe. But he couldn't find it.

"I cannot cut down the tree without my axe... and I don't know where it is..." he said looking very unhappy.

He then looked up at the coconut tree sadly. "Bye tree, I am not going to cut you down," he said and went away.

All the birds and animals were very happy seeing this.

The squirrels and monkeys ran happily up and down the tree and all the birds flew about happily, circling the tree.

They were all happy that they stood together and saved the coconut tree.

Seeing all this, the coconut tree was also very happy. 

He had so many friends who loved him and whom he loved too. 

...

There you go. 

It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be a rewarding experience for your audience.

And anyone can do it - check out the five-point process here.