Aspects of a Frozen Storyteller
Aspects of a Frozen Storyteller
By Valerie Allen
Background
After reading one of the most inspiring opening lines from *Between the Listening and the Telling:
How Stories Can Save Us* by Mark Yaconelli, "If people are going to be transformed, it has to
come from love, from speaking to one another about the truth of what we have lived" (xv), I
immediately had a lightbulb moment about the aspiring storytellers I have met who are skeptical
and reluctant to share their stories out loud in writing.
I soon realized that, while my memoir is indeed a nonfiction narrative and I have come to terms
with writing about it freely, others are fearful, and thousands more are unsure how to create a
home within themselves and with others to share their stories aloud. Thus, seeing things from a
unique perspective, I began exploring a new concept: Aspects of a Frozen Storyteller.
Project Goals
I assert that a frozen storyteller with psychological complications far exceeds mere lack of
motivation, distraction, or writing anxiety. While I agree that an aspiring frozen storyteller may
experience “the inability to begin or continue writing for reasons other than a lack of basic skill or
commitment,” Thus, I argue that frozen storytellers are skeptical of and reluctant to share their
stories aloud, choosing not to start or continue writing.
The frozen storyteller does not necessarily struggle with a lack of motivation or wrestle with writing
anxiety. Instead, the frozen storyteller consciously locks away their emotions and is unwilling to
write aloud due to factors such as anxiety, guilt, low self-esteem, mistrust, and shame. However,
by utilizing proper psychological techniques, I have discovered how frozen storytellers can
confront their emotions and feelings head-on and express them in writing.
Methodology
This research methodology employs a quantitative case study, incorporating qualitative
autoethnographic interviews and survey results regarding specific data points and my personal
experiences. It aims to inspire aspiring storytellers to acknowledge their inner emotions and
feelings, motivating them to become dynamic storytellers.
Research Approach: The interview and survey results indicate that many aspiring storytellers
feel frozen—skeptical, and reluctant to share their stories out loud due to fear and otherwise. They
miss the opportunity to become inspired and unfrozen nonfiction storytellers adhering to a safer
route—fiction—because writing fiction feels more comfortable for them.
Tools: I argue that the frozen storyteller intentionally locks away their emotions and is reluctant
to write aloud because of anxiety, guilt, low self-esteem, mistrust, shame, and other issues.
Nevertheless, by using effective psychological techniques, I discovered that frozen storytellers
could confront their emotions directly and express them through writing.
Materials: Aspects of a Frozen Storyteller focuses on four distinct phases that relate to a frozen
storyteller becoming unfrozen by tapping into their: 1. Experiences—recollection of memories; 2.
Processing—emotions and feelings; 3. Melting—coming to terms with experiences, emotions,
and feelings; 4. Transformation—claiming self-stories with oneself.
Process: In addition to incorporating vignettes from my upcoming memoir, I extracted
autoethnographic examples from my self-published book, I AM INSPIRED: The Beginning, to
further illustrate the distinct phases I went through while writing it.
Implementation: As a thawed-out frozen storyteller who navigates distinct phases related to my
experiences—processing my emotions and feelings, melting them away, and transforming into a
better version of myself afterward—I affirm that they are effective.
Results
The interview and survey results indicate that many aspiring storytellers feel frozen—skeptical,
and reluctant to share their stories out loud due to fear and otherwise. They miss the opportunity
to become inspired and unfrozen nonfiction storytellers adhering to a safer route—fiction—
because writing fiction feels more comfortable for them.
Analysis
Pennebaker and Chung continue to declare that writing forces people to stop and re-evaluate
their life circumstances. The mere act of writing also demands a certain degree of structure as
well as the basic labeling or acknowledging of their emotions and feelings (p. 38).
Psychologist Peter Rober states, “From a monological perspective, storytelling involves the
transmission of information: the storyteller is seen as owning his or her story as an inner
representation of a personal experience and willingly sharing it with others so that they also come
to own the story” (p. 3).
Conclusion
We can understand the inner psychological feelings of embarrassment, deep guilt, and humiliation
as connected to how the thousands and I felt as frozen storytellers. Our emotional thinking often
leads us astray since we base our views and draw conclusions about situations, ourselves, and
others on those feelings before writing aloud. I struggled to grasp the idea of becoming an aspiring
storyteller.
The melting phase enabled me to confront my inner emotions and express my experiences
through writing. I had navigated similar phases before and did so again while drafting my memoir:
experiences, processing, melting, and transformation are interwoven into the inner workings of
my thesis pages—powerful tools that guide aspiring storytellers through feelings.
Valerie Allen
Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation
College: College of Liberal Arts
Major: English Writing Studies (M.A.)
Faculty Research Mentor: Maria (Mia) Zamora
Abstract:
“Aspects of a Frozen Storyteller" is a creative project described in a thesis paper that explores a unique concept where frozen storytellers are skeptical and hesitant to share their stories aloud, often reluctant to start or continue writing. The project aims to emphasize that frozen storytellers do not necessarily face a lack of motivation or experience writing anxiety. Instead, they intentionally lock away their emotions and hesitate to write aloud due to feelings of anxiety, low self-esteem, mistrust, and various other factors.Drawing from my background as a self-published nonfiction author and my passion for writing, “Aspects of a Frozen Storyteller" introduces psychological techniques I developed as a frozen storyteller while confronting and articulating my emotions through writing. My thesis paper centers on four distinct phases interwoven with excerpts from my memoir, related to the journey of frozen storytellers becoming unfrozen: Experiences—recollection of memories; Processing—exploring emotions and feelings; Melting—coming to terms with experiences and emotions; and Transformation—claiming personal self-stories.At the creative conference, I will present the process behind the project, including conceptual development, the challenges faced by frozen storytellers, and healthy phases to gently guide them in effectively processing their emotions while navigating their challenges and writing with ease. This presentation aims to spark a conversation about the aspects of a frozen storyteller and the effective phases discovered that have supported me throughout my nonfiction writing journey. My goal is to encourage, inspire and empower aspiring storytellers to become unfrozen and share their true stories aloud.