*FAQ*

Why 5 Minute Story Project?

I’ve always been interested in the stories we tell – how we tell them, why we tell them, who we tell them to. In my work as a theater artist and crisis counselor, I’ve been privileged to be audience to many incredible stories. I wanted to provide opportunities for people to share their stories, a space to collect all these stories and make accessible these narratives for other story-lovers.  Thus, 5 Minute Story Project was born. When we share our stories, true or imagined, we find a way to connect to one another in new and meaningful ways.

Stories where someone’s eyes light up in the telling, whether from deep emotion or impassioned enthusiasm or a combination of the two are riveting. Poignant memory of a loved one? Sadness about a missed opportunity? Jazzed about what you had for breakfast yesterday? Tell about it – I would love to listen.

Where do the stories on 5 Minute Story Project come from?

All over the place, which is awesome. The stories transcribed on 5 Minute Story Project are all told to me verbally, either in-person, over video chat, or over the phone. Some narrators I know personally (friends and family), some I meet when I’m out in the community, and others reach out after reading the blog. All participants agree to have their story posted on the blog and provide the titles for their pieces.

Who can tell a story for 5 Minute Story Project?

Anyone! The only criteria is that the story needs to be told out loud, as opposed to written down. For more information about sharing a story you have, see “I Have a Story to Share!” For ideas on stories you could share, see “Story Ideas.”

Why are the stories anonymous?

Although all stories are unique and come from a personal place, there is an important underlying universality to the experiences we have. There is something intriguing to me about all of these lovely stories sharing a space without labeling where or who the stories come from. By having the stories on here live on their own without a specific framework of who the teller is, it reminds us that amazing, funny, poignant, and interesting stories constantly surround us.

If a narrator of a story on the blog wants to let others know it is the story is theirs, that’s great – that’s totally up to the narrator of what type of ownership they’d like to have of their posted story.

Why 5 minutes?

5 minutes is where we start from, and narrators see where they go from there. It’s not an exact science – some stories end up being a bit shorter or a bit longer. Most of the stories can be read in the time it takes to pop a bag of popcorn. And then – hey! You’ve read a new story and have a delicious bowl of popcorn to eat. Excellent.