I overheard someone discussing Aladdin with their kid. "See, the moral is that you shouldn't steal."

Like... really? THAT'S what you took away from that movie?...

(This is why we don't spell out morals for tales, people.)

I am a storyteller and author. I'm an extremely visual person, I see stories in color and detail in my head. I can't draw or paint for shit (yes I practiced). However, I have been lucky and privileged to meet amazing artists along the way. Getting to know each other, admiring each other's art, having long conversations and playful exchanges, sharing enthusiasm, creating together, has enriched my life and my stories immensely.

AI. Will. Never do that.

#StorytellingPSA

AI as a research tool for storytelling is useless.

You ask it for folktales, it makes stories up. You ask it for sources for those tales, it makes books up. You ask for real books, it gives you books that don't contain the story you want.
It also misattributes made-up stories to existing cultures. Often indigenous ones.

I have had several conversations with actual storytellers using ChatGPT to find "authentic" myths and folktales. It scares me.

#StorytellingPSA

If you source the folktales in your book as "Aboriginal", "Native American" or - my personal favorite - "African", you immediately tell me that you have done zero research on any of them.

Do better.

Time to share this again, since the live action #SnowWhite movie is making the media rounds:

Hispanic Snow Whites do exist.

https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2022/01/hispanic-snow-whites-do-exist.html

Research PSA:

ChatGPT is not Google, people.
Even Google is not Google.

I am finding relevant hits for my searches on the 8th page of Google Books. And then along comes someone like "ChatGPT told me about this folktale..."

Doesn't exist.

#FolktaleMoment of the day:

Reading a legend about how emperor Franz Joseph's wife was a witch who used to turn him into a horse and ride him every night.

As a reminder that traditional storytellers often used everyday spoken language, here is what the wise advisor says when the Emperor confides in him about the matter:

"F*** hell, Joe..."

:D

Proving the point of the previous toot, here is last year's list I made, about women in folktales who slay monsters.
Because THEY EXIST. Lots of them.
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2023/03/folktales-about-women-who-slay-monsters.html?m=0

Something about the hype around #Damsel just rubs me the wrong way. The whole "this is no fairy tale" spin is annoying. Have you ever read more than two fairy tales in your life? I can list you hundreds of traditional stories where women kill monsters and save themselves. Seriously.

Quit shitting on folklore without knowing it.

Also, I recently heard the term "add a sword feminism" and it is very accurate.

It is always kinda funny when people try to relate to me as a storyteller by bashing Disney, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings,
D&D, etc.

Like, bless your heart, just because I tell folktales and legends, I don't have to hate pop culture. Also, I'm a huge nerd. Wrong tree, darling.

Nobody warned me that once I become a parent all the stories in my Christmas repertoire are going to make me cry.

What the heck.

Hi, I'm a storyteller and here is today's #StorytellingPSA:

No, there is no "original" primary source on Greek mythology that has Persephone walking into the Underworld willingly. Sorry, Tumblr.

Hi, I'm a storyteller and here is today's #StorytellingPSA

This one differs by culture, but: in many parts of Europe, one of the sites of traditional fairy tale telling was military service. Many tales you see in children's books now were told, in one version or another, by soldiers to each other after curfew.

So, technically, it is very much authentic to have characters in a fairy tale swear with abandon.

Just sayin'. Go ahead, try it.

Quote of the day from Hungarian master storyteller Berecz András:

"The audience's sigh comes from a deeper place than their applause."

I just read Jane Yolen in one of her books refer to carrying on traditional stories as "mouth-to-ear resuscitation"...

#StorytellingPSA
Hi, I'm a professional storyteller, and here's today's PSA:

If you are doing Father's Day or Mother's Day gigs, you have to pay attention to representation in your stories.

Not all kids are going to have moms or dads. Some will have more than one. Some will have adoptive parents, some will be raised by grandparents or relatives or fosters.

All kinds of parental figures are equally important. It is your responsibility to pay attention to what you say on stage.

Happy #PrideMonth!

Remember, in the folktale tradition of your own culture you *are* the folk. No one can stop you from telling queer folktales

Hi, I'm a professional storyteller, and here's today's PSA:

Unless the storyteller complains, your kids didn't do anything wrong. We are fine with wriggling, giggling, lying down, and whispering. If you tell them off after the performance, you kill the magic right there.

Kids wiggle. They ask questions, and comment on the stories. It's part of storytelling. Don't discipline them unless I ask for help.