Storytelling events are growing in popularity across the country.

The competitive storytelling slam has arisen and spread in the past 15 years or so.

Ryan LaPerle of Cambridge told his story during a Story Slam hosted by a group called Massmouth.

Massmouth hosts four or five slams a month throughout Boston, culminating in a final competition that routinely draws more than 400 people.

New York-based The Moth hosts events around the country, such as this one in Cambridge in December.

The Moth started in 1997 and now has a public radio show “The Moth Radio Hour” airing on 200 stations nationwide.

The Moth hosts slams in 11 cities at 14 venues. In 2007, it put on 62 shows; this year the total hit 221.