‘Strange Travel Suggestions’ and the Art of Telling a Good Tale

Travel Blog  •  Jim Benning  •  03.31.08 | 12:38 PM ET

imageTravel stories are usually told in writing, or on film, or over a meal. But Jeff Greenwald is the rare travel writer who has turned his tales into a one-man stage show. It’s called “Strange Travel Suggestions,” and I caught it at last year’s Book Passage travel writing conference. I found it funny, fast-moving and surprisingly compelling. Judging by the enthusiastic response from others in the audience, I wasn’t the only one. In the show, Greenwald celebrates adventures in far-flung places. Even better, with audience input, he captures that addictive (and often elusive) sense about travel that anything can happen around your next turn.

So I was happy to see him give away a few of his story-telling secrets in Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle.

Among the highlights, Greenwald says:

“The secret of a good story, of any story, can be summed up in three words: beginning, middle, end. A story, as opposed to an anecdote, has a dramatic arc: There’s a set-up, a situation and a resolution.

“The more satisfying the resolution, the better the story. It’s kind of like telling a joke, in that timing is almost as important as content.”

Greenwald also notes the importance of details, humor and, yes, sometimes exaggeration.

He’ll be performing the show regularly in San Francisco through much of April. A CD of the show is also available.

Greenwald has written about Burma for World Hum.

Tags: North America, United States, California, San Francisco, Life of a Travel Writer


1 Comment for ‘Strange Travel Suggestions’ and the Art of Telling a Good Tale

Marilyn Terrell 04.01.08 | 12:45 AM ET

I love Jeff’s story about bringing coral reefs back from the dead in Indonesia:
http://www.perceptivetravel.com/issues/0306/greenwald.html

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