Smithing
February 28, 2007 - 5:33pm — ecooley
In fifth grade I had a teacher by the name of Mr. Brumbaugh, actually his name is Sam Brumbaugh but he will always be Mister to me. He was well known through the school. He was a good teacher and he was the disciplinarian. Sore backsides came from Mister Brumbaugh’s classroom. Mr. Brumbaugh was also known for another skill. His Blachsmithing.
If there was ever a trade I wanted to learn it would be Blacksmithing. I like the way blacksmiths create objects from iron or steel by "forging" the metal; i.e., by using hand tools to hammer, bend, cut and otherwise shape it in its non-liquid form. Blacksmiths create light fixtures, tools, decorative and religious items, cooking utensils and so much more. Skilled craftsmen can create beautiful items with few wasted movements.
In many ways a person who tells a story is similar to the blacksmith. They take some raw material, and they work the material. They hammer, bend, and cut the story until it is brought to life for the listener. Like a skilled Blacksmith the skilled storyteller can create stories for specific purposes.
It is because of this close similarity to blacksmithing that for the new site, we are proposing to call people who tell stories, Storysmiths and not storytellers. Those who share stories do so with a purpose and skillfully shape the story to create a response from the listener.
So fellow storysmiths, head to the forge and start shaping your stories for the new site, which should roll out on March 2, 2007.