What is Story Works?

What is Story Works?

I am an advocate of the power of stories and storytelling. They can aid our wellbeing, growth and resilience. They enable us to sustain our ability to make our world, personally and collectively, a happier, more just and healthy place. Story Works is unashamedly radical and positive and seeks to aid the exploration of complex, difficult and challenging realities of the times in which we live and share with every part of nature.

To make a small contribution to the resurgence in storytelling Story Works will publish books of stories of different genre all written to be told out loud. At the moment these are written by me, Chris Nickolay, but as the project grows there will be collaborations with other communities and authors. Story Works will offer storytelling training and organise storytelling sessions.

Once upon a time there was…………

What story might you tell? What stories can you discover and learn?

PUBLICATIONS

Stories that help - courage and hope in a difficult world Here there are two prices a core price of £6.99 and a supporters price of £9.99 both plus UK p&p £1.25. The book is also available from David’s Bookshop in Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3DE - this is sold at the supporters price.

This is a book of fifty short stories. They are all written to be read out loud. This is part of my advocacy of the value of story telling in aiding individual and community well being - hearing, telling stories can nurture resilience, learning, remembering and power. Of course you can just read them to yourself. I also offer this work because I think that working for a better world needs flourishing imaginations. These are a tiny encouragement towards that.

Some of the stories are gentle, others are tougher. Some of them are very old, others are new. The stories are in four suites: Earth, Love, Resistance and Peace. I have been told by readers that they have both laughed and cried at different points in their reading.

I hope to gradually add other independent bookshops over time. I am still learning the skills of managing a website so the Store page is a little clunky still - soon it won’t be.

EVENTS

Events will include book fairs, arts and music festivals, bookshop events, storytelling trainings and storytelling sessions. I will post details here as they are arranged. It is likely that trainings and story sessions will begin in 2025 as my priority in Story Works is the writing, publication and advocacy of books. At present there are five books at various stages. Watch this space!

Thursday December 12th 7.30p.m I’m doing an open mic spot at the All Good Bookshop, Turnpike Lane, London N8 0EP tickets from control@allgoodbookshop.co.uk

Friday November 29th I am going to be at the Letchworth Settlement in Nevells Road, SG6 4UB for their Christmas Fair from 2p.m - 7p.m

Saturday October 12th I am going to be at the London Anarchist Bookfair at Rich Mix centre E1 6LA from opening at 11a.m to close at 5p.m. I am giving a talk and readings at the Common Press Bookshop E2 6DG at 4p.m

Saturday October 19th I am going to be at Peterborough Radical Bookfair in the George Alcock Centre, PE2 8QS from 11a.m to 5p.m.

If you have suggestions about venues for a Stories That Help reading and conversation or would like to book one please get in touch using the contact information above. If you would like information about storytelling training please ask. Thanks.