Richard Scrimger has written for print media and television, but is best known for his 20+ books for adults and children. He’s won a few awards, been translated into a few more languages, and led workshops on several continents. Recent novels feature a hero who is obnoxious but strangely irresistible, another who realizes that Dad might be wrong about people who look different, and yet another who see visions. Plots involve a tattoo, an element that produces superpowers, and a painting that comes to life. As you might guess, Richard does not always know what is going on. Confusion is his natural state. He has four children and has recently moved upstairs from a couple of them. They are older than he is.
My presentations are usually on the importance of, or how to construct, stories. They tend to be interactive and feature aspects and asides from my own life and work. We start with the dark places inside us where stories are born, and twist truths into convincing narrative. We might build a composite story together, and analyze how and why it succeeds. We might try exercises on character and plot building.
My goal is to promote the sharing of stories. That is how we empower ourselves and develop a stronger and more inclusive community.
We look at the component parts of a story through a model story of mine. Participants use my model as a template to build their own stories.
