A story, told well, stays forever in the hearts and minds of the listeners. There are plentiful factors that can be instrumental in drawing the attention and interest of listeners towards the narrator, voice being the most crucial.

Voice is the first thing that makes a story come alive. The way you modulate your voice portrays your emotions and this then generates a reactive emotion in your audience. It’s this reactive emotion that draws them into the story. They remain encapsulated in the story, enchanted by the sound of your voice.

Use voice modulation to-
● Convey the right emotion.
● Make characters come alive.
● Help differentiate between characters.
● Engage the audience.

Practice speaking clearly. Make sure you are audible. It’s also important to pay attention to your voice tone and volume to portray the right emotion. For example, you may use a loud volume and speak in an authoritative tone when portraying a character who is dominating or dictatorial. In contrast, you can speak softly and gently, in a low volume, to portray the character of a little bird or a butterfly. Similarly, vary your pace to keep your audience engaged. Tell the story at a pace you are comfortable with. Nevertheless, at times, increase or drop the speed to ensure that your audience stays with the story.

Lastly, taking suitable pauses while telling the story can help you intensify a moment or enhance suspense for your listeners.

// This piece has been penned by popular storyteller Nupur Agarwal who was our Featured Author of the Month in April 2022 //