HINTS ON CHOOSING A SELECTION

1. Pick something you like that you think the audience will like. Remember myths, fairy tales, and stories from your childhood or school.

2. It is easier to begin thinking about stories you already know. Look at the selections in the classroom, on the website and in your own bookshelves at home. Have you read anything that REALLY grabbed your attention (couldn't put it down - or always enjoyed re-reading it)? Then try the IMC.

3. Remember: What you will be interpreting in 3-5 minutes will be one smaller incident from a book or story - not even a chapter. You must pick a particular part or story and then tell us where in the story you are beginning you interpretation (introduction).

4. Decide on your selection AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so that you can cut it, time it, and begin it rehearse it. REHEARSE as much as possible.

5. Pick the ACTION part of your story. Try to find a part with DIALOG. We love to hear exiting things in people's own words - it makes us feel like we are there.

6. Cut out the following: Long descriptive passages, unnecessary description or characters, the "He said", "She said".

7. Read your cut version out loud to see if it makes sense - as if it was a complete story in itself. Does it fit in the 3-5 minute time? Does it have a sense of ENDING where you stop? Could someone hear it and think it was a whole story itself?