So, you want to tell your story at FST! That’s great! We love new talent. Read through this guide first to answer any questions you may have. If we didn’t answer your question here, email us at storytelling@fstorytellers.com, and check out upcoming prompts on the Events page. 

Story Guidelines

  • FST! stories are true, first-person narratives. Other than that, stories don’t have to have a specific format. Women on our stage have made the audience laugh, cry, and cringe in a variety of formats. Diversity is what makes us interesting. 

  • That said, your story should have a point. Why are you telling us about this in relation to the prompt? Tell us the moral, what you learned, didn’t learn, or otherwise got out of your experience.

  • Stories should be somewhere in the 10-12 minute range onstage. We’ve found that stories tend to be shorter by a couple minutes in rehearsal and read-throughs at home. Why? We have an amazing audience that reacts to things. Give them a few moments to do so. Also, you’ll get into the moment and be more likely to ad lib. In written form, stories tend to be in a range from 1000-1500 words, depending on pauses in your story and how fast you talk.

  • It's up to the performer whether or not to have notes onstage, though we encourage going without notes as much as possible, as stories tend to be more engaging that way. You know your story better than anyone else. The most important thing is connecting with the audience, with or without notes. 

Procedures

  • Type up a fairly finished, single-spaced draft of your story and email it to storytelling@fstorytellers.com no later than the deadline listed on our website (there will also be reminders on the listserv/social media).  To make it easier on our Storytelling Committee, please send your story attached as a Word document. (If you’re having difficulties, your story typed directly into the body of an email can also work.)

  • We will send you an email confirming that we received your submission within 1-2 days.    

  • Our readers in the Storytelling Committee will read all submissions and offer feedback, and vote on the final lineup.  To keep feedback as unbiased as possible, storytellers' names will not be revealed to the readers.  

  • If selected to perform, you must attend rehearsal.  Exceptions will be made based on everyone's availability, but in general, rehearsal will always be on a weekend prior to the show.  So, if you know that your schedule isn't very flexible, or you know that you're going to be out of town the week of the show or something to that effect, maybe it just isn't your month.

  • It's recommended, but not mandatory, that you rehearse as you perform.  If you're planning on having a few notes onstage, bring them to rehearsal.  If you're planning on memorizing your story, try to have it mostly memorized by rehearsal.  (Note: Some performers do memorize their entire story in-between rehearsal and show time!  Everyone's process is different.)

  •  On show night, please arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes before doors open. This will give you time to check in with the Host and Point Person, and also to test the stage lights and mic.

  • Finally, give it your all and bask in the glory of a story well-told.  Welcome to FST!