Use pauses to build anticipation. When a leading child psychologist was asked what one important tip he would give parents to keep their children happy, he replied, “Give them something to anticipate every day. Children thrive on anticipation.” Actually, we all do. We love the anticipation of looking forward to something special. And, in the same way, we love a story that makes us hang on the words until we find out what happens. As storytellers, if we pause at exciting points in the story, we will hook the listeners and guarantee that they will stay with us. If we speed along too quickly without stopping for emphasis, they won’t have time to anticipate what they think may have occurred. The pauses give them time to wonder and also help to build suspense.
Transition with pauses. As a storyteller if you jump from one part of the story to another too quickly and without warning, you will leave your listeners behind or confused. When this happens, they will oftentimes “tune out” and you have lost them for the rest of your story. A well-placed pause will help you and them prepare for the next part of your story, whether it is a change of scene, of character(s), or mood.
Pause for a show of confidence and a natural style. The confident pause is an earmark of the accomplished storyteller. The courage to stop the flow of words is an act of trust in the power of your presence, your nonverbal communication, and your relationship to your listeners. Being able to slow down and pause will give your delivery a natural and relaxed quality, which, in turn, relaxes the listeners and takes away the attention on the storyteller, placing it where it should be — on the story.
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