The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

The Storytellers Blog

Over the past couple of months, the majority of my posts have been about my mental and emotional struggles with food, depression and tiredness. Well, for the most part I’ve always tended to write about what’s playing most on my mind at the time, and without doubt these are the subjects that have been almost exclusively occupying my thoughts of late.

If I’m honest, I have a slight fear that this is going to turn into the Ramblings of the Depressed One, and I really don’t want that to happen. Unfortunately my mind keeps drawing a blank when I decide I want to write about something else.

However, last week I came up with a stonker of an idea, and spare time over the past few days has been spent developing the groundwork for a new blog.

It’s OK, you don’t have to get jealous – I’m not leaving you for another. This is an extra, an enhancement, not a replacement. In fact I hope you’ll want to join us.

The idea of The Storytellers Blog sprang to mind when I was visiting Eryl’s blog (The Kitchen Bitch Ponders) and enjoying listening to her audio recording of an old Inuit tale. I was struck by how wonderful it was to just sit back and listen; how completely different the experience is to reading.

Of course this is hardy a new concept. Audio cassettes and CDs abound, Radio 4 is made up almost entirely of voice-based content, and podcasting is rife.

But in the blogging world we read. Occasionally we post YouTube videos or photos, but mostly it’s the written word that’s King. I’ve made a handful of audio blogs here, but they were experimental and I wasn’t really sure what to do with them.

So the idea of The Storytellers Blog is to have a place which is exclusively audio based stories. Stories can be written by the narrator, or be an unusual or favourite tale, like Eryl’s one about Tuglik and her Granddaughter.

I immediately emailed Eryl to see if she was up for the idea and she seemed as excited as me about it. I set up a basic blog, we both posted stories we already had formatted and I’ve spent the weekend jigging the design and putting together tutorials and FAQs.

While Eryl and I have kick started this thing, we hope it will become a real community blog, with lots of people joining us and recording and uploading their own stories.

So go and take a look, start recording your stories and add the site to your favourites. And if you’re the kind of blogger who likes banners on your sidebar, I’ve even created one of those for you.

The Storytellers Blog

22 comments

Brave Astronaut said...

I like it! Now how do I do it? Wait, I have a phone . . . No, that won't help.

Well, let me go read the instructions and then see what I can do.

Anonymous said...

great idea.

how much is a mike?

Tom said...

Good idea, Kim. I don't know how many takes it took you, but you've got a natural knack for narration (based on The biggest bramble. Count me in...

Kim Ayres said...

Brave Astronaut - as my old physics teacher used to say, "If all else fails... read the instructions"

Michael - a couple of quid, although you might get cheaper on ebay

Tom - Just one take, but then 20 minutes of editing to remove all the mistakes...

Justin said...

Mike, You're priceless!

BStrong said...

Great work man. Sorry for falling off the grid for awhile. It's going to be like this for quite some time.

B

BStrong said...

You're getting closer to that one gazillion dollar idea that will jet you into retirement.

Unknown said...

Great idea! I'd love to join in - but only if I can remember where I put my microphone.

Brave Astronaut said...

I just bought a microphone at Target yesterday for $10.

Wait, should I read the instructions for my first story? Are we concerned with copyright? Do I need some original material? :)

Mary Witzl said...

Love that banner, Kim, and I must try and find that damn microphone! We've got one, you see, but what we do not have is Organization. Any old port in a storm is my family's philosophy... That microphone is probably sitting in some quiet corner, enjoying a nice long vacation.

Kim Ayres said...

Colonel - ha, excellent

BStrong - glad you're still alive :) Now if I could just figure out a way to monetize this idea... damn this socio-anarchic conscience of mine

Kate - maybe we need to see if we can get a group discount somewhere. Or sponsorship - we could stick a banner on the site for any company that wants to supply us with microphones.

Brave Astronaut - I don't know whether the instructions would make for an interesting story...

Mary - thank you - too much time on my hands.

MikeP said...

I would try it but I'm not sure anyone would be able to understand my Midwest accent.

savannah said...

how cool is this, sugar! i listened to your audios (tech doofus that i am) just the other day1 the biggest bramlbe was too grand a tale!

The Birdwatcher said...

Excellent site, enjoyed listening. Would like to contribute something but that would mean having to follow instruction. Oh well.

Kim Ayres said...

MikeP - are you kidding? Half the visitors to this blog are from the mid-west.

Savannah - thank you - I look forward to hearing a tale of yours and seeing if your accent is anything like the way you write.

Birdwatcher - but they are not plastered on a board next to a carparking ticket machine, so you should be all right

Binty McShae said...

Great idea - I'm sending a link to this post to a couple of mates who would love it!

Pat said...

I'll be along sometime soon but like brave astronaut I haven't a clue how to do it.

Apex Zombie said...

Wow, this sounds like a really cool idea. I think I'd like to tell a story, if that'd be okay. It'd be a Maori legend, again if that's okay. Not sure when I'd be able to record it (no mic at present), but I do have some experience with recording.

Again, really cool idea :)

Eryl Shields said...

Looks like you've really hit on something Kim. Clever you for being able to edit, I just record over and over until I think 'F... that will do'

Can't wait to hear FLG's Maori legend.

The Hangar Queen said...

Brilliant idea.Count me in.

Kim Ayres said...

Binty - excellent, thanks

Pat - if you look on the site, you'll find instructions. Send me an email and I can add you to the group, giving you permissions to upload to the site

FLG - I'd love to hear a Maori legend! Find a mic quickly :)

Eryl - it's worth downloading a copy of Audacity - it' a simple programme to use but very versatile

Hangar Queen - as I said to Pat above, send me an email and I'll add you to the group

stinkypaw said...

It's nice to put a voice to the face!

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