Charles Parrott

When people ask me "what do you do?" and I tell them "I teach storytelling" they usually go through the following sequence of emotions:

1. First, they are impressed and think its cool

2. Then they realize they don't know what that means.

Luckily, I'm getting good at explaining what it means. It usually goes something like this:

I teach courses at Kennesaw State University focused on performance studies, including the intersections between performance and culture and I'm the director of The KSU Tellers storytelling troupe. These days I focus on solo-performance and storytelling both in theatrical and everyday contexts.

I also sideline as a public speaking, storytelling, and communication consultant for folks in sales and business.

That's all most people can manage to hear. Then the person I'm talking to usually asks "how do you get into that?" Well, I tell them, I spent five years coaching competitive speech and debate: first, at Ball State University and later at Clemson. I'm proud to say my students earned two national college championships. I have more than 10 years experience teaching and coaching public speaking and performance. I also have a PhD in Speech Communication, so that helps.

At that point they need to go back to familar ground so I usually change the subject and ask, "So, what do you do?"