We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Turner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I founded my practice in the wake of the 2016 election because people kept saying it was so surprising because we don’t hear each other across lines of difference. I thought, “Well, that’s one thing I can do. Help us to hear each other.”

Everyone needs to understand that they have a good story to tell. Storytelling is one of our most ancient forms of communication, culture, and values-transmission. It’s a sad byproduct of our broken education system and society writ large that people often say to me, “I’m not a good storyteller.” It makes me want to cry because storytelling is an inherent legacy, even if it’s something we can all work on or get better at.

I am on a mission not only to help people tell better stories, but also to hear stories better. As such, I always take a moment for a deep listening exercise during my workshops. We live in an increasingly successful distraction machine. It drives us apart from each other, into our own little siloes and bubbles. I truly hope that, by holding up the mic to all kinds of stories, we can get better at sitting with the awkward, authentic, messy truths we find in each other and in ourselves.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My first love: storytelling. I met my first love at camp. I picked up on all the stories the counselors told us and parroted them back. I got to tell “Herman the Salamander” to Doc McConnell when he came to my fourth grade classroom. See, I grew up in the foothills of Tennessee, in the shadow of what would become the International Storytelling Center.

When I went on to become a Methodist camp counselor as a young adult, I told stories like “Herman” and “The Peach” for many summers to many, many campers. My repertoire stayed in the same, easy, funny, entertaining safe zone.

I first found my way into reality storytelling in February 2010 with the birth of what is now Carapace, a monthly gathering of raconteurs and story connoisseurs; I took over producing it last year.

After the presidential election of 2016, I felt a wake-up call. I realized I’d been hiding from my calling all my life. I took a giant leap of faith and left my job with six-weeks’ notice and $4000 in the bank. I’ve never looked back. These days, I go all over, helping people tell their stories for personal, professional, organizational, and community development. And often to augment advocacy efforts. From girls who’ve been sex trafficked to realtors, people with disabilities to people building their way out being unhoused, from university students to people in leadership positions–I find that we are all beautifully unique and connected through themes, our universal struggles and triumphs. I teach a curriculum that’s embedded in revealing our authenticity and our truths, taking back the power and ownership of our stories from education, political, and entertainment industries that disenfranchise and disempower us.

What have I learned? Everyone has a good story to tell. They just don’t always feel invited or heard.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m sort of famous for my walking dates–not just romantic, but with friends and even as business meetings. I love the walk & talk for so many reasons. It’s a great way to see the world and to interact with other humans. I like to meet people on a trail where there are extended options for more adventures. For instance, I might meet someone along the BeltLine at, say, Pittsburgh Yards or Inman Park. Then we can stop somewhere for food or drink, and especially love that we can see some great local art along the way. Other trails or parks with a similar vibe / opportunity include Decatur Cemetery, South Peachtree Creek Trail, or Clyde Shepherd Center.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

I couldn’t be where I am without the mentorship of women who took the time to help me become the person I am today. Mom, yes, obvees. She’s the best. 😉
But there have been other women that the universe has blessed me with throughout my life, starting with Claudia Duffy in college. She was my supervisor as a work-study student. Claudia just took me under her wing, took an interest in me as a human, saw potential in me like I really needed.
In grad school, it was Ann Kilkelly, a feminist tap dancing theatre scholar who basically told me to stop messing around, to quit hiding behind my whole, “I’m not an artist, just an arts administrator” stance. It took me a while to finally hear her, but eventually I did.
Then there was Jo Carson, a storyteller and playwright, whom I only got to know well for a couple of years, but she likewise took an interest in me right when storytelling was starting to become a real thing for me. She would read my stories and give me advise on delivery. I’ll never forget the day when she lit right into me, “Turner, Imma need you to tell me a better story. You’re always spinning yourself as the underdog of your stories. You need to pay attention to what kind of power that has.” It was the first time I became exposed to that deep knowledge; it deeply informs the work I do today with others.
Claudia, Jo, and Ann have all received their early boarding passes and checked out of this life, but there are so many other powerful, creative women I continue to benefit from being able to know and receive mentorship from: Kathie de Nobriga, Alice Teeter, Elise Witt, Celeste Miller, Wendy Shenefelt…the list goes on and on. I’ve reached an age where I’m the next generation is starting to look to me for mentorship, and it’s incredibly humbling, but so, so important. I hope I can give back something resembling, something deserving of the legacy and wisdom that I’ve received.

Website: StoryMuse.net

Instagram: Story_Muse

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-m-turner/

Facebook: StoryMuse

Youtube: @StoryMuse

Image Credits
Photo credit of the one of me holding up the mic to the the man in the wheelchair: Jessica Whitley Photo credit of the one of the people holding up the signs with words on them: Rikki Brew, Envisioning Freedom Photography

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