Those first four words: Once upon a time...  are an excuse for us to dream, stretch the imagination, break the chains that bind us to our daily routine and, for a little while, believe that all is possible.

A few years ago, a strange thing happened: the story came crashing into our rational and civilized world. What was once regarded as the preserve of children started becoming increasingly popular among adults. Nowadays, it is common to be entertained by a storyteller when popping out for a few drinks with friends. What is surprising is how we are prepared to listen in silence and enjoy the show. It must be that the story reawakens old memories in us and, when the storyteller finishes, we also feel like recounting some forgotten anecdote to our friends.

We all have a potential storyteller inside of us, because telling is sharing and the human being is essentially sociable. Learning to tell stories well and catching the interest of an audience is not difficult. All you have to do is use a few basic tricks that can be learnt in many of the workshops that are given in cultural centres and associations.

We can also learn this art by simply listening to experienced storytellers and discerning the difference between those that churn out the story without the audience in mind and those that want to share something knowing that the audience might identify with what they are saying.

The most important thing is the basic material of any story: what we have inside. Our own experiences or those of others that have entertained or moved us, stories that we have read or heard that we wish to share. It is just a question of taking the plunge: anyone can be a storyteller.

It is about discovering the secret of making a story interesting and alive. In other words, about something as valiant and enriching as fearlessly opening the doors to our own imagination.

For more information about storytelling:
- Biblioteca de Guadalajara
- Kontadores Centro Joven 
- Pep Tort