By the power of Grayskull!
Tips, tricks, inspiration, and encouragement for storytellers of all stripes
Greetings from Sarasota—
I’m surely dating myself here, but my brother and I had quite the collection of He-Man figurines when we were kids.
For those not in the know, when Prince Adam needed to perform some heroics, he would pull out his sword, thrust it skyward, and proclaim, “By the power of Grayskull!”
He would emerge from the subsequent lightning and special effects as He-Man.
The power of his sword-based incantation would even transform his cowardly pet tiger, Cringer, into the courageous and deadly Battle Cat.
You’d think such a powerful sword would have a kick-ass name, like Excaliber or Ashbringer or Mjolnir (ok that’s a hammer, but still). But no. It’s just called The Power Sword. But I guess on-the-nose is par for the course… He-Man? Battle Cat? Skeletor? Yeah, we got it, Mattel.
But here’s the thing about He-Man’s lazily named sword… it was his totem.
Writers and storytellers should embrace the power of totems. Even in normal day-to-day life, totems are objects of power that lift routine into ritual.
My desk is covered in totems.
Every morning, I set my mug of coffee down on a coaster that was a gift from a student; it’s stone and has a Gaelic infinity symbol.
There’s a piece of driftwood and a large shell, both of which I pulled from the Pacific while visiting the Oregon coast with my beloved Rebecca.
A prosperity stone that was a parting gift from a former colleague.
Finisher medals from 10K’s and half-marathons and you better believe from my one full marathon.
Baseballs—one an errant foul ball that almost clobbered me as I was standing in a concessions line, the other the very ball I threw out as a first pitch at old Busch Stadium.
A small, engraved wooden box with treasures inside: a miniature Gandalf that my aunt gave me when I was a kid, a perfectly spherical worry stone that Rebecca gave me early in our relationship, a stopper from a bottle of exquisite bourbon that I drank with a friend during vacation, and two poker chips. One is an oversized, metal, commemorative chip from a retired Green Beret who came to me for guidance on how to write his heartbreaking, redemptive story, and the other is a clay Vegas chip gifted to me by an actor friend during a late-night game, not long before he passed away from a heart attack at the unfair age of fifty.
Even something as simple and subjective as a children’s coloring placemat from an Italian joint. Crayons have massacred the cartoon figures. But I have it secured to my whiteboard with a magnet, because during the holidays last year my awesome little niece Lucybear and I colored it together as the family broke bread before enjoying the Lights in Bloom at the nearby botanical gardens.
To you… it’s bad art. To me… it’s proof I’m a cool uncle. And heck, it just makes me smile.
All of these totems throb with unseen power. I’m not sure what would happen if I lifted Lucybear’s artwork to the sky and bellowed, “By the power of eggplant parmesan!” But the power throbs all the same.
If you’re ever at a loss for the start to a story, or you need prompting for a bit of memoir, or you just want to remind yourself that you are indeed connected to other people, take a glance around your office. Your bedroom. Dig through that box in the attic. You’ve surrounded yourself with totems.
Take one in hand, lift it high, and let the power flow.
Check out the TedX video below. I had the great honor of being one of the storyteller’s coaches as she prepped.
Her story revolves around a totem. A small thing. But an everything.
The Page&Stage Podcast—in case you missed it last week!
In this episode, I’m joined by playwright Jackie Goldfinger, actor L. James, and director Sue Wolf. We explore the multifaceted world of theater, focusing on the importance of storytelling, the challenges of playwriting, and the unique experiences of military veterans in the arts. We discuss the development of the one-person show BACKWARDS, FORWARDS, BACK, highlighting the role of virtual reality in modern storytelling and the impact of PTSD on both characters and audiences. Our conversation emphasizes the need for trust between directors and actors, the significance of compelling characters, and vital support organizations for veterans.
You can listen on the Substack App, Apple, or Spotify.
Or, if you want to put faces with voices, you can watch the video version of this podcast over on YouTube.
And if you’re enjoying or finding value in the Page&Stage Podcast, please leave a review. They truly help! Just click the purple button below to open Apple Podcasts and scroll down to Ratings and Reviews.
Be sure to comment or hit me up with any questions/complaints, thanks as always for reading, and have a great weekend—
Jason “Coolest Uncle Ever?” Cannon
He-man was mythology for many of us 80s kids.