In 2000 I visited rural Haiti for a charity. I collected folk tales from young children, and subsequently sent them back their tales in the form of a reading book. I was overwhelmed by the skill and repertoire of the tellers I met. It struck me, as I listened to those fluent, passionate young people: this is the opposite of home. In Britain children don't know how to tell stories, yet they have plenty of books. In Haiti the children I met had few possessions, but could tell tales of kings, little pigs, hunger, transformation, survival...

Storytelling is fundamental to our humanity. We process our experiences through narrative: we're telling stories even while we sleep. The Haitian children I saw were articulating their responses to the world via the metaphor of a story. During my constant visits to UK schools over 15 years, only very occasionally did I hear tellers of equivalent eloquence and confidence.

A government report recently drew attention to the importance of the spoken word. It expressed concern regarding inarticulacy among many young children. Storytelling is an accessible, enjoyable means by which we can encourage creation of a generation of articulate, emotionally aware, confident human beings.

So it was with great pleasure that I accepted my publisher's invitation to be a judge at a young storyteller contest this year. Barefoot Books is inviting any child who is 14 or under to tell a tale inside ten minutes and to upload it on to YouTube via their website, www.barefootbooks.com. (If the teller is a young person over 14 then they can enter another equivalent contest: go to www.ysoy.org.uk).

The stories must be told rather than read. Six finalists will be selected based on online votes and ratings. The finalists will come to Barefoot's Bath offices in December, where they will tell their story to a panel of judges. The winner (and accompanying adult) will be flown to New York, where they will have the chance to perform at the world-famous FAO Schwarz toy store. There are prizes for the runners-up too, including Barefoot book and theatre ticket vouchers.

Can't think of a tale to tell? Barefoot's website has a booklist. Better still, find a storyteller. Festival at the Edge, a storytelling festival, takes place in Shropshire this weekend, and Many arts festivals have a storytelling strand: seek them out.

Daniel Morden is appearing this weekend at Festival at the Edge, Much Wenlock, Shropshire (festivalattheedge.org;01939 236626)

Tips for young tellers

- Tell a favourite story. Your enthusiasm will be infectious. Conversely, telling a story you don't enjoy is like telling a joke you don't get.

- Imagine the story before you tell it. If you can see the story in your mind's eye, so will your audience.

- Trust the story. It is tempting to make jokes at the expense of the tale, the actions of the characters or the unlikeliness of the plot. Don't! Allow the story to work its magic.

- Involve your audience. Traditional stories are structured around repeated phrases. They're equivalent to the chorus of a song. Encourage your listeners to join in with them. Storytelling is a celebration of community.

- Tell with your whole body. Can you convey what happens next via a gesture or a facial expression?

- Enjoy yourself! The more relaxed you are, the more you'll be able to interact with your audience.

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