Telling stories on Skype

Remember how wild the idea of a videophone was thirty years ago? We're there! I've been using Skype, the video calling program, for a few years. This afternoon I coached another storyteller by Skype. It worked pretty well. A couple of years ago I gave a puppet workshop by Skype. It was okay, not great. There was a time lag and I couldn't see the kids very well. 

A friend suggested this morning that I could tell stories individually over Skype as a way to connect with kids who might only have listened to my stories on CD or on my website. We're going to try it out with her nephew and niece, who have all three of my CDs and want more. 

I don't think I'll tell stories by Skype from my office, where the walls are blood-red. It's okay for coaching, where I'm not the focus, but for storytelling, it's a little startling.

The wall paint is enamel, so it reflects the overhead light. 

For Skypetelling, I'd have to pay attention to what I'm wearing--no pajamas, for example. I'd need to check what's in the background. Too much clutter can be distracting. I might suggest to the cat that he go outside, so he's not a distraction. Or he could be part of the show?

And what if the quality of the Skype call is bad? I've had to hang up and try again with Skype calls. 

Any opinions on this idea?