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2017 Best of Olympia: StoryOly

Writer's Pick: Best Camp Fire (with alcohol)

The art of storytelling is alive in Olympia. Photo courtesy Rhythm & Rye

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"Everyone," said author John Knowles, "has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him." In other words, we each have one or more jaw-dropping stories to tell. Remember that time you embarrassed yourself in front of a celebrity, or let "the one who got away" get away? Maybe you ate the world's platonic ideal of a chocolate chip cookie. Okay, some stories are more interesting than others, but any yarn can be intensified with forethought, practice and raconteurial technique.

Some storytellers fall back on fiction, meaning exaggeration or outright lying. That's verboten at StoryOly, a monthly program described by its founders, Elizabeth Lord and Amy Shephard, as Olympia's premiere "story-slam" event. Both are talented actors who nevertheless confine StoryOly to anecdotes about events that really happened to the storytellers themselves, exactly as described. If you, the aspiring StoryOly contestant, can't fudge the truth, how do you boost your chances of winning and thereby qualifying for 2016-2017's "grand-slam" finals Sept. 18?

Take it from this writer, a 2016 finalist: It begins with tough choices. Is this a story you get through at parties, or do listeners tend to cut you off?  Not every yarn is ripe for the telling. Narrow your possibilities to stories you'd find interesting if they were told to you by someone you don't know. Then deconstruct your chosen story to form an outline of key events. That way you'll be clear and coherent for your eight-minute window before StoryOly's welcoming audience. Don't be afraid to crack jokes; if nothing else, the sound of laughter will loosen you up. While the rules specifically forbid memorization (or notes), it's a good idea to compose two or three key sentences beforehand. That'll cut down on "um"s, "like"s and random vulgarities; even better, it provides audience-impressing climaxes for each "paragraph" or story beat in your outline. Finally, never jump off a cliff without knowing how and where you intend to land. You needn't announce, "The moral of my story is." We'll know the moral when we hear it, especially if it's one of your preplanned sentences. Off you go! What you're hoping for is a moment of stunned silence before anyone applauds. It's the pause that says, "Pow! Way to go, champ. Nailed it."

Or you could break all the rules and free-form-jazz it. We've seen that work just as well, assuming a storyteller has sufficient charisma. The theme for this Tuesday's program is "Freedom." Remember that time you were the dumper (or epic dumpee) who put an awful relationship out of its misery? Maybe you ditched school or (shrug, no judgment) Rikers Island. We know a room full of hooch-happy listeners who'd love to hear how your story ends. They'll be gathered around the metaphorical campfire at Rhythm & Rye. The floor is yours.

StoryOly, 6-8 p.m., third Tuesday of each month, Rhythm & Rye, 311 Capitol Way N., $5-$10 suggested donation, 360.705.0760

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