What does networking have to do with tips about storytelling? EVERYTHING!
Regardless of whether you intend to be a "professional" storyteller, or just a casual teller, you must network. Why? Networking is all about "making connections." The World will not beat a path to your door simply because you tell stories. Even if you are a great teller, people must know who you are.
The best way to make that happen is to network with other tellers. Connecting to other tellers through as many different networks as you can is the best way to "put yourself out there." This was quite evident at last week's NSN Conference.
One thing (and one person) leads to another.
Cassie Cushing joined NSN and began networking on Facebook with as many folks as she could. When she moved to California, she already had connections in the storytelling community there, and eventually performed with a top teller there, Tim Ereneta.
She applied for and received a Next Generation grant to attend the Richmond conference. There, she worked the crowd and met more and more people. She put herself out there. At the conference, she was chosen to participate in one presenter's Face Painting presentation. In addition, she was fortunate enough to be chosen out of the hat to receive some coaching in one of the workshops with Leeny Del Seamonds. When I talked with Leeny about Cassie, she said, "She's going to be great!" At the same time, she has an article in Storytelling Magazine, and a blog post on the NSN website.
The storytelling world is getting to know her. Storytelling is a business (whether you get paid or not). And in business, "It's not what you know, it's who you know!"