Share stories with live audiences by taking the Epic Storytelling Author Course
But for those just starting out, live storytelling often feels new, unnerving, and challenging – especially for those more comfortable with putting words on a page.
Here at Epic, we encourage you not to let lack of confidence or experience stop you. And so we offer this course to prepare you for the fun of sharing your work with live audiences of all ages.
Benefit from Our Years of Success
The course is designed by Chip Colquhoun, a prolific children’s author who has been sharing stories for young audiences professionally since 2007.
Not only is he an Oxford Owl storyteller, a regular face at Glastonbury Festival, the storyteller-of-choice for Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, writer of European Lifelong Learning’s guidance on using storytelling in classrooms, and author of over a dozen books illustrated by the incredible Korky Paul, but he’s a keen researcher of the science behind what makes stories work.
Because of this, you’ll find this course helps you to…
realise and uncover your natural gift for storytelling…
overcome the anxiety that arises from selfawareness – by exploring how storytelling is not a performance…
identify the best routes to gain audiences for your storytelling and talks…
…and much, much more.
Course Structure
The course is delivered in person, and is a two-day residential course. Because of this, we currently only run it three times a year, in different corners of the UK, and places are limited.
The course is 100% participatory – no lectures or tests, just interactive seminars and workshops. We record video and audio in the sessions so you can look back on them later, but note: these recordings are never used for promotional purposes, are not shared outside of your group, and only you get access to recordings of your storytelling practices.
Each course follows this programme…
Day 1
- Morning Session 1: Your Natural Storytelling Talent
- Morning Session 2: The Storyteller’s Secret Weapon
- Afternoon Session 1: Finding Your VOICE
- Afternoon Session 2: Is Rehearsal Possible?
- Evening Session: Opening Story Circle
Day 2
- Morning Session 3: Finding Your Audiences
- Morning Session 4: Running Workshops
- Afternoon Session 3: Is Rehearsal Necessary?
- Afternoon Session 4: Closing Story Circle
Day 1
- Morning Session 1: Your Natural Storytelling Talent
Day 2
- Morning Session 3: Finding Your Audiences
- Morning Session 2: The Storyteller’s Secret Weapon
- Morning Session 4: Running Workshops
- Afternoon Session 1: Finding Your VOICE
- Afternoon Session 3: Is Rehearsal Necessary?
- Afternoon Session 2: Is Rehearsal Possible?
- Afternoon Session 4: Closing Story Circle
- Evening Session: Opening Story Circle
You will enjoy a year’s access to a video library containing the recordings of your group sessions, the recordings of your individual practices, and bonus videos of Chip demonstrating various storytelling techniques with live audiences.
Soon after your time on the course, you will receive your personal Storyteller’s Roadmap, containing Chip’s personal thoughts on your development across the weekend, and further guidance on how to find paying audiences.
How To Book
The course opens twice a year, and runs in three areas across the UK: County Durham, Cambridgeshire, and Hampshire. At present, we are only running courses across weekends. If you would prefer a weekday residential, please contact us.
All prices include lunch on both days, and an evening meal on Day 1. There is both a residential price and a self-accommodating price.
Note: We have a limited number of discounted spaces for writers on Universal Credit. If you select one of these options, you will be asked to provide your latest payment statement as proof of claim. Failure to provide this proof within 7 days will result in you losing your place with no refund – this is because the place will be held for you during those 7 days, which may prevent others accessing the course.
Standard spaces are refundable up to 30 days prior to the start of the course.
You can only book for the next term. Add your selected timeslot and price to your shopping cart. If we have sold out of slots for when you’re available, note the start date of that course in your diary – then check this webpage again on that date to see the availability for the following term.
Start Dates
Our terms for 2024 will be…
27 Apr – 19 May (Roadmaps by 25 May)
16 Nov – 1 Dec (Roadmaps by 7 Dec)
Our next course begins on 27 April.