Last Tuesday morning, National Storyteller Kim Weitkamp got together with eight other tellers to discuss different aspects of our craft for over an hour. The best part about it? We didn't need to leave home - or even wear pants!
That's right; we were all sitting in front of our computers and using Google+ Hangout. You can have up to ten people in a Hangout Session, all sharing video and voice, over the Internet. It's totally FREE, and easy to use. (You can do the same thing with Skype, but it costs extra.)
In a live group discussion, when one person speaks, the others generally turn to look at that person. In a Google+ Hangout, when one person speaks, the system automatically places that person's face in the larger box above the smaller thumbnail videos of each of the other participants. It's very cool! This face-to-face, online interaction was a great way for us all to get to know each other and share ideas!
Our lovely Cassie Cushing (freshly transplanted to Berkley, California) related that
Sean Buvala had also used Google+ Hangout to include her in one of his recent Group Coaching Sessions. Yes, being there LIVE is always better, but this is a very close second to the real thing!
Here are the basics: You can have a maximum of nine participants, plus yourself. Each participant needs a Webcam. Everyone needs to have a Google+ Account. This is easy, as any one person who has it can “include or add” anyone else. That person will then need to have a Gmail account and setup Google+. Gather each person’s Gmail and include each one in your Circle. Set a day and time, give a name to your Hangout, and then send an “invite” to each person. Each person views their notification/invitation and “joins” the hangout. It’s that simple.
Just one more thing, if you’re not wearing pants, don’t stand up!
- National Storytelling Network? You should be.
