Storytelling comes in all forms. The radio show “This American Life” lets you listen to nicely crafted narrative. Our first exposure to storytelling comes as kids listening to the grown-ups read stories or relate oral histories. Blogger Jeremy Rue writes that the radio show demonstrates an incredible gift for storytelling.

They have perfected the narrative of a story unlike anything else I’ve seen. Each of their stories enraptures the mind and single-handedly turns my commute to one of experiencing a riveting feature film.

Poynter also lauds “This American Life” from WBEZ in Chicago and quotes Alex Blumberg, a producer for the radio show, on how to develop narrative non-fiction. A key element is finding the right voices – some are soloists, some add to the chorus. Aptly orchestrated they create the music for the narrative.

Ask people to tell their stories, ask about key moments, and get out of the way. Moments are the key in radio, Blumberg said. He said he asks people, “Was there a moment when…” Or he simply says, “Tell me the story of when…” That puts people in the position of telling their own stories rather than answering a reporter’s questions.