Narration
“…Narration is an important aspect of any story, because it really can change everything…”
My long lost cousin described my voice like honey and that she’d like to bathe in it. I’m not sure she really thought this through, considering how sticky that might be, but I knew what she meant and took it as a compliment. I’d like to think that the quality, or ‘flavour’ of my voice is sweet, though!
My voice has been described as gentle, soothing, smooth, confident and engaging. Others have pointed out there is kindness and compassion too, although that’s probably my personality peeking through.
I really could read anything out aloud and enjoy experimenting with it; serious or comical, romantic or raw, with or without an accent.
Bear in mind though, my specialities include my native British, learned Australian and a sort of South African slash New Zealand twang – still working on separating these two..!
When I was young, I remember watching my Mum as she shared a good anecdote with guests at parties. She’d be captivating, telling jokes and describing adventures, having everyone hanging onto her every word. She was, and is, so good at telling a story, and has a wicked sense of humour. She’s very animated and expressionate, and always knows the perfect timing for a punchline.
Although my own sense of humour can be silly and slapstick, I too can tell a good story, and absolutely love to narrate. Unlike my Mum though, I am not as keen on being seen, and the quality always changes depending on the audience.
Those closest to me, will tell you that I love to enrich a story with detail; to immerse the listener in my experience so they too, can almost relive the moment with me. Sometimes, my friends tell me, I can describe a little too much in detail.
On the other hand, I only delve into more detail if I trust the person I’m talking to, and I feel comfortable. If I sense any kind of feigned or waning interest, I’ll clam up – or worse – censor a story, whilst telling it. If I really believe you’re listening and enjoying it, I’ll grow in confidence and tell you more!
Besides telling first hand experiential stories, there’s nothing better than reading.
“…simple subtleties such as intonation, emphasis, tone, pace and rhythm make a huge difference to a listener’s experience…”
Ever since my middle school teacher asked me to sit in her chair, and read to my classmates, whilst they sat on the rug to listen, it’s become second nature for me to read aloud.
I enjoyed the way I could be the conduit through which a story was experienced and perceived in someone’s imagination. Without knowing the words to label each aspect, I knew instinctively that simple subtleties such as intonation, emphasis, tone, pace and rhythm make a huge difference to a listener’s experience, and could ultimately interfere with, or enrich a narrative.
I love the feeling of being able to introduce colour or depth to a listener’s world.
It’s not just appropriate sound that one has to consider as a story-teller. There’s also the need for bringing life to the protagonists. How can one tell a story where there are characters speaking, and not try to imagine being that character; speaking or singing those words – or even making the characters’ aptly described expressions? It seems to me, to be unfair on the author if you don’t at least try!
I recall being sat in class as a teenager, taking turns to read a page of a shared book out aloud. It didn’t matter that I’d never been to Cincinnati, nor really knew what the accent would be. When I read from books such as Beloved by Toni Morrison, I would speak as though I were an actor in a play, changing my voice and accent to suit the scene described by the author. I somehow felt that the South Carolina accent was best suited to this narrative – and it worked! My classmates loved it.