Everyone has a story. That’s at the heart of Tenx9, which brings storytelling to an event near you – and this year returns to the Fleadh.
Founded in Belfast in 2011 by Paul Doran and Pádraig Ó Tuama, Tenx9 is an event where nine people have up to ten minutes each to tell a true story from their own life.
They could be ordinary stories, extraordinary stories, stories that delight, entertain, educate, stories that make you laugh, think, hope and cry. But they must be told in that strict time limit.
Tenx9 is about the raw material from our lives. It’s not fiction. It’s about real stories. And at this year’s Fleadh it takes place at The Phoenix Bar on Thursday 24 August at 7.30pm.
Whether you’re telling a story or simply listening at the Fleadh event, here are some tips we’ll all find useful in preparing to share our story:
1 make sure you’re telling a true story;
2 you don’t have to write your story – you can tell it, sing it, or dance it;
3 get help in editing;
4 cut out scene or theme-setting introductions;
5 if you’re mentioning a person, and that person might be embarrassed to be identified, use a pseudonym;
6 you don’t have to give every single detail;
7 a good opening line is a great start;
8 the content mustn’t be offensive, hateful, overly crude or objectifying;
9 a good ending is important, too.
10 ten minutes is about 1400 words – maybe two and a bit pages.
