Once stories have begun, they need shaping. Story Gardeners listen for the heart of what someone is trying to say and help bring it into focus. They may offer light editing of words, suggest a clearer structure, or ask questions that reveal hidden details. They help turn a jumble of ideas into something that feels like a whole.
In the context of Living Stories, this might mean helping a class choose which drawings to scan, which lines to record, or how to divide a longer tale into simple scenes. For Living Guides, it might mean sitting with someone who has practical knowledge and helping them organise it into a sequence of steps, examples and reflections.
The aim is not to take control, but to gently coax the story toward the form that suits it best.