NEW PODCAST: The Stories We Tell and Their Impact
Click here for Mitch Ditkoff's 5/25 appearance on VoiceAmerica -- Wanda Wallace's Out of the Comfort Zone interview. All about the power of storytelling.
Storytelling at Work
Storytelling for the Revolution
MitchDitkoff.com
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May 24, 2018THE AUTHOR OF THIS BLOG, on Radio: Fri, May 25th, 2:00 pm ET
Idea Champions' co-Founder, Mitch Ditkoff, will be interviewed, live, on May 25th, 2:00 pm, EST on Wanda Wallace's VoiceAmerica radio show. Topic? The power of storytelling. Click here to tune in on May 25th. If you miss it, a podcast will be available.
Mitch Ditkoff
Storytelling for the Revolution
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May 18, 2018It's Never Too Late to Tell Your True Stories -- Even at 93
Fantastic! Love this! Tom Sitter, 93, recalling a moment in Catholic school on Valentine's Day. Funny. Authentic. Memorable. Tom is a natural!
Big shout out to Val Vadeonboncoeur for the heads up
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May 16, 2018CHRIS LEARNS A LESSON: A Story from Ms. Najma's 2nd Grade Class
Last week, at Al Siraat, a very forward-thinking Islamic School outside of Melbourne, Australia I had a most memorable experience.
The audience was not my typical client, but a classroom of seven-year olds. And why I was there was because of one simple reason. Their teacher, the very creative and dedicated, Ms. Najma, had read my book on storytelling a few days before and, inspired by the techniques, decided to apply one of them in her class -- a way to motivate her students to write, illustrate, and publish their own book.
Since I was already at Al Siraat for two weeks, it was only a short walk to Ms. Najma's class, where her 20 students were waiting for me, eyes wide open, waiting to meet a "real author." I asked them questions. They answered. They asked me questions. I answered. Then, formalities out of the way, I had the good fortune to be on the receiving end of them taking turns reading me their story and telling me about their process of writing it. Total fun... and such a good learning experience for ALL of us. Click the link below to read their masterpiece, "CHRIS LEARNS A LESSON".
More about Al Siraat
MitchDitkoff.com
My next book
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May 11, 2018One More Really Big Reason to Read Stories to Children
Excellent article from Psychology Today on why it's good to read stories to children.
MitchDitkoff.com
Storytelling at Work
Storytelling for the Revolution
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May 07, 2018How to Build Trust
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May 04, 2018Why Are Stories Imporant for Children?
Here's why
And also for adults
MitchDitkoff.com
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May 03, 2018The Origins of Harry Potter
I have a question for you: Do you know who once said the following statement? "By every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew." Any guesses?
Those were the words of J.K. Rowling -- the woman who authored the Harry Potter series of books which have now been translated into 73 languages and have earned more than $20 billion dollars in book sales, movies rights, and sponsorships.
She's rich and famous now, but success did not come easy. It took her her many years to become successful.
Soon after she conceived the idea for Harry Potter, she began writing, but was immediately pulled away from her work by the death of her mother -- an event that triggered a deep depression in her -- a phenomenon which made it impossible for her to write. Hoping to dig herself out of her depression, she took a job teaching English in Portugal for a year -- where she hoped to finish her book.
Good idea. But the outcomes weren't exactly like she planned. Not only did she fail making any progress on her book, she ended up in a failed marriage and now had to raise her baby daughter by herself. When she returned to England a year later, she had nothing. No job. No place to live. No book. All she had, beside her young daughter, was two things: some meager unemployment benefits and a huge desire to write. Which is exactly what she did whenever her daughter was asleep. In her kitchen. In cafes. Anyplace where she could sit down and put pen to paper.
When Rowling finished the first three chapters of her book, she sent them off to a publisher. They rejected it. Then she sent her manuscript to another publisher. They also rejected it.
After sending her manuscript to 12 different publishers and getting rejected every time, Rowling began losing confidence. Finally, the editor at Bloomsbury Publishing sat down to read what she'd sent, along with his 8 year-old daughter. The little girl loved the opening chapters so much she begged her father to read the whole thing. Indeed, it was the child's enthusiasm that convinced the editor to publish Harry Potter. But even though he did, he was not exactly encouraging: "Get a day job," he told Rowling, "because you will never make any money writing children's books."
Interesting advice, given the fact that J.K. Rowling is now the first female to become a billionaire author.
Here's the bottom line: J.K. Rowling went from being a jobless single mother living off unemployment benefits to one of the best selling authors of all time. But her success did not happen overnight. She worked hard at her craft, over a long period of time, and was rejected again and again before anyone noticed her.
You may not be trying to become a billionaire, but on some level, you are trying to succeed. Just like J.K Rowling, life isn't always easy for you. Making a living isn't always easy. Finding your way in the world isn't easy. Nor is it easy raising a family or moving or starting a business or writing your book.
Each one of us face challenges. Sometimes, it feels like no matter how much effort we make it will never come out the way we want it to. But it can. And, if we stay with it, it will.
Whatever hopes or dreams you have, I invite you to keep them alive. Whatever effort is needed, I invite you to make it. Whatever rejections come your way, I invite you to keep pressing on.
Other famous book rejections
Storytelling for the Revolution
Storytelling at Work
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:58 PM | Comments (0)