Want Me to Speak at an Event?

I regularly teach on the craft of storytelling and am happy to consider speaking requests. Fill out the form at the bottom of this page, and I’m happy to chat about fees & scheduling. Here are a few of the topics I’ve spoken on previously:

Being Faithful in Small Words
Aspiring writers dream of seeing their stories published. But before we can be faithful in large words, we need to first practice faithfulness where we are right now. In this session, Josiah casts a vision for what it looks like to value faithfulness over success, and not waiting to start serving others with our words.

How to Support Your Young Writer (Even If You Don’t Write)

Parents of aspiring young writers want to support their child in their passion–but can easily feel lost about how to best do so. Especially when their child doesn’t want to share their writing with them and is using terms parents have never heard of before. In this session, Josiah draws from a decade of experience working with teen writers to help parents learn how to best support their aspiring novelist.

How to Craft a Fantastic Story Idea [For Teens]

Many teens fall in love with writing when they can choose their own story ideas and write about concepts that matter to them. In this workshop, Josiah helps teens learn how to come up with a story idea that excites them and lays a solid foundation for their novel.

How to Create a Simple, Robust Revision Plan
After the first draft, you have hundreds of problems you need to solve. Now what? In this session, Josiah walks writers through how to turn a disorganized list of problems into a step-by-step revision plan to transform your novel without all the headaches and tears.

The 4 Steps to Crafting a Deeply Moving Theme
Crafting a deep theme may seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. In this session, Josiah gives writers a roadmap they can use to write a story that moves readers because of how authentically and honestly it portrays reality.

The Lessons Scripture Teaches Us about Powerful Story Structure
God is the Master Storyteller. And the Great Redemption Narrative is the most powerful story of all time. So why don’t we study it more as a model of effective plotting? In this session, Josiah explains how to take your ideas and arrange them into a stunning plot.

Characters Need Relationships with Readers Too
Exceptional stories—whether written in a book or shared during a conversation—engage and influence the audience’s emotions. But how do you help readers form a bond with your characters? Josiah spends this session explaining various methods for achieving maximum emotional impact.

Speaking Samples

I’ve taught in both online and in-person environments. Here’s an example of my speaking, from an online training I taught for the Young Writer’s Workshop in January 2024.

About Josiah DeGraaf