What makes for a good story?

Web of Stories offers you the chance to tell your story in your own words. Here are a few tips that may be of help before you begin.

If you are having trouble thinking of a subject for your story, why not take yourself back to a memory or event that had an important impact on you, whether positive or negative?

The best stories are usually drawn from past experience or include, to some extent, your past memories; therefore setting the scene is crucial for a good story. Who? What? Why? Where? When? How your story came about? You may want to include information such as who else was there and how they influenced the situation prior to your story's event, hence having an impact on the course of your story. But most importantly, pay particular attention to describing what actually happened and how it happened including any feelings you had either physical, emotional or mental leading to it having such a big impact on your life.

Prepare your story so you have an idea of what you want to include and what you don’t want to include

Everyone gets nervous in front of a camera and forgets their lines, however a good way to avoid this is to write some bullet points about what you would like to say beforehand. It's a great way to structure your story so you are sure to include everything you want to include, whilst also keeping the story in the correct order!

Practise telling your story to a friend or relative

Sometimes you might be unsure whether your story will be of interest to others. Why not practise telling your story to someone before you record? That way they can give you suggestions on how to improve it. But remember, something you may think is of no interest to anyone could be very interesting to someone else!

Be adventurous with your story-telling

Do not be afraid to use vivid and exaggerated language and gestures. This can help convey the story better and leave your listener in anticipation of your next word. If you love your story, then chances are your listener will too. Why not even get into character and change your voice and gestures when you are describing another person?

Make sure you find a good place to record your story

With the technology used at Web of Stories it is possible to record your story in the comfort of your own home using just a webcam and the microphone on your computer. Newer computers and laptops even have built-in webcams for added convenience. Therefore, why not choose a background that matches your personality? For example, record your story whilst sitting on your favourite armchair, or at your desk where you do most of your work.

Furthermore, when recording any type of visual and audio story there is likely to be a certain degree of background disturbance, thus compromising the quality of the video. In order to avoid this be conscious of your surroundings. It is a good idea to keep a 60-90 cm distance between yourself and the camera. Adequate lighting and background noise can make a huge difference, so if possible film indoors and have a bright lamp on in the background so your listener can hear and see you clearly.

Divide your story up into smaller stories

Why not divide your story into multiple shorter stories? There are no limits to how many stories you can record and share. Our technology allows you to record stories up to 10 minutes long, tagging and titling it under a subject of your choice. What's more, if you're not entirely happy with your first attempt you can always re-record until you are completely happy, editing both the beginning and end of the video to remove any unnecessary pauses.

You are now on track to record a great story!

Recording your story should not be stressful, it should be fun. So, relax, sit back, and be proud to tell your story for others to view and share all around the world!

Good luck and happy recording!

The Web of Stories Team