Tell a story

Everyone's got a story. What's yours?

We're looking for stories to feature on our website, The Moth Radio Hour, and potentially The Moth stage in New York City!

Wow us with a 1-minute pitch of your story.

Start with your name, email and story title.

Try to cover the who, what, where, when & why of your spellbinding tale.

Stories must be true! No cliffhangers, please. Intrigue us, but without mystery!

Storytelling Tips
Be forewarned: Moth stories are told, not read. We love how the storyteller connects with the audience when there is no PAGE between them! Please know your story by heart but not by rote memorization. No notes, paper or cheat sheets allowed on stage. Have some stakes. Stakes are essential in live storytelling. What do you stand to gain or lose? Why is what happens in the story important to you? If you cant answer this, then think of a different story. A story without stakes is an essay and is best experienced on the page, not the stage. Start in the action. Have a great first line that sets up the stakes or grabs attention. No: So I was thinking about climbing this mountain. But then I watched a little TV and made a snack and took a nap and my mom called and vented about her psoriasis then I did a little laundry (a whites load) (I lost another sock, darn it!) and then I thought about it again and decided Id climb the mountain the next morning. Yes: The mountain loomed before me. I had my hunting knife, some trail mix and snow boots. I had to make it to the little cabin and start a fire before sundown or freeze to death for sure. Steer clear of meandering endings They kill a story! Your last line should be clear in your head before you start. Yes, bring the audience along with you as you contemplate what transpires in your story, but remember, you are driving the story, and must know the final destination. Keep your hands on the wheel! Know your story well enough so you can have fun! Watching you panic to think of the next memorized line is harrowing for the audience. Make an outline, memorize your bullet points and play with the details. Enjoy yourself. Imagine you are at a dinner party, not a deposition. No standup routines please. The Moth LOVES funny people but requires that all funny people tell funny STORIES. No rants: Take up this anger issue with your therapist, or skip therapy and shape your anger into a story with some sort of resolution. (Stories = therapy!) No essays: Your eloquent musings are beautiful and look pretty on the page but unless you can make them gripping and set up stakes, they wont work on stage.

How to tell at story slam

Conjure, channel, craft and compose your story. Practice so you can remember it without the benefits of paper. Then practice it so you can keep it down to five minutes. Tell it to your plants but know that they are a tough audience. Revise. Rework. Curse your plants for not believing in you! Revamp. Finesse. Shave off another two minutes. Try again. Voila! Forgive your plants. Indeed, they helped you see the light. Come to the Moth StorySLAM and put your name in the hat. If you are one of the lucky 10 picked, youll have five minutes to woo the audience with tales of your on-theme escapades. Unpicked? Fear not, some variation of your theme will surely rise again. All stories have multiple themes and stretching them to fit can be fun and even bring out elements you hadnt recognized before. Contestants are judged on sticking to the five-minute time frame, sticking to the theme and having a story that has a conflict and a resolution.

How does a StorySlam work? Every months event has a theme and everyone in the audience is invited to share a personal story from their lives that relates to the theme. If you have a story you want to share, leave us your name at the door. Every potential storytellers name goes into a bucket. Ten names are drawn from the bucket, and each contestant is given five minutes on the mic to tell a story and win the crowd. Judges are audience members who score the performers on a ten-point scale. The highest-scoring participant wins the Golden Ticket an invitation to our Grand Slam. At the Grand Slam, the monthly winners vie for the title of Best Storyteller in Philadelphia.

Tips for Storytellers

This event is for story TELLING. Sorry, but you cant read from your work; you must tell it. All stories must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Know your plot points! Tell your story from your point of view. Your story should be true or as true as possible. Like Emily Dickinson said about poetry: tell all the truth, but tell it slant. Stick to the 5-minute time limit! Youll be penalized in the competition if you dont. Know your first line and last line when you step on stage. Knowing what point A and point Z are will help you get through the rest if you get nervous. Raise the stakes! Sure, you know that this story happened to you, but show us why it matters both to you and to us. World Cafe Live 3025 Walnut St December 13: Anniversaries January 10: New Territory February 14: The Ex-Files March 14: Family Ties April 11: Inheritance May: See Special Events June 13: Do The Right Thing July 11: Neighbors LEtage 6th & Bainbridge December 28: Holiday Spirit January 25: Beasts February 22: Deception March 22: Almost Famous April 26: See Special Events May: See Special Events June 28: Do Overs July 26: Small World

August 8: Weird Trips September 12: Back to School October 10: Close Calls

August 23: After Hours September 27: Bad Idea October 25: Strange Encounters