How to Tell a Story With Hands

Hand gestures can help tell your story.

Since the beginning of time, people have used nonverbal communication as a means to tell stories, whether those stories are fictional, nonfictional or somewhere in between (for example, the fish that got away). Use of ones hands, or hand gestures, to tell a story is an ancient art. Hand gestures have many meanings, from a "thumbs up" to an "OK." Used with precision, hand gestures can accent a speech or inspire a crowd.

Instructions

1. Review your text to see if there are touch points that can be accented by hand gestures. For example, if you talk about reaching for the stars, consider reaching into the sky to underscore your metaphor. Similar hand gestures can add more meaning to your text.

2. Match your gestures to the tone of your speech. Pep rally? Then consider large, sweeping, exciting gestures, like pumping your fist. Serious speech? Use more subdued and intimate hand gestures, such as clasped fingers to connote a relationship or coming together of ideas. Important point? Point directly at the audience or at the lectern.

3. Take into account the size of your audience. The more people watching you, the bigger the gestures you'll want to make, to ensure you're telling your story to the entire audience.

4. Remember to move your hands. Crossed arms, hands in pockets, and hands behind your back can be off-putting to an audience. They suggest defensiveness, laziness and boredom. Always have your hands in motion, whether they are small or large gestures, to help you shape and tell your story.