At Tall Tales, we train, educate and coach storytellers to narrate stories before an audience. We also coach people in writing skills, and impart knowledge for writers of all domains of content creation from bloggers and essayists to screenwriters and novel writers.
My role as the co-director of Tall Tales is three fold:
1. Conducting Workshops — In the process of honing my skill as a writer, I fell in love with what a story is and its structure. In our writing and story workshop, we demystify the writing process and how a person can go about crafting a story. From editing and re-writing to breaking down every individual part of a story and looking at it under a microscope, our workshops are welcoming spaces that encourage young writers and motivate seasoned writers too. Since I started working with Tall Tales, I broke down our flagship 2-day workshop into smaller units that focus on one aspect of stories and writing. As a relief from the stress of the pandemic, I started a Late Night Writing Circle for people to come and talk about their problems with writing and offer simple solutions they can take back and implement. See here for upcoming workshops and updates.
2. Curating the Stories — Our live shows are called True Stories Told Live, where people from all walks of life are welcome to tell their story. Once we have accepted the story or idea, we sit down with the potential storyteller to hone the writing, craft the story, and transform it into a piece that can be told in front of an audience. Because these are true stories, the storyteller must go on a journey of self-discovery and self-contemplation. As a coach, my role is to poke and prod the storyteller with questions which help them through this journey. This requires patience and ends up being highly cathartic. I personally prefer working with a storyteller for at least a month, getting the story right, but in some cases it has gone up to six months too. During this time, I also coach them on how to deliver the story, from pauses to eye contact and all the other details to bring out the finesse of an oral story well told.
Since I joined Tall Tales, aside from Mumbai, I’ve taken the show to Bangalore and Pune and, since the pandemic, shifted it to an online format — which can be viewed globally. If you have a story to share, let’s talk.
3. Telling True Stories — As a teenager, I’d fantasised being a rockstar. Performing a guitar solo one day and driving the crowd wild. When my attempts to play a guitar failed, I shelved that dream. Telling my first story at the Tall Tales platform, going up on-stage, looking out at the faceless crowd under the glare of the spotlight rekindled it. I realised, I didn’t need a guitar, I could strum my words, and the laughter and claps from the audience became my addiction. Since my first story, there hasn’t been a show I haven’t been a part of. I’ve told 9 stories so far and a few more wait in my notebook for the next show.
See more about Tall Tales here.
From our storytelling shows to our workshops, we at Tall Tales foster a community of writers and storytellers, encouraging voices from all over India and beyond to be heard.
Akshay Gajria 