Gather - (Writers on Writing) by Richard Van Camp (Paperback)

About the Book

"Stories are medicine. During a time of heightened isolation, this bestselling author shares what he knows about the power of storytelling--and offers some of his own favourite stories from Elders, friends, and family. Gathering around a campfire, or the dinner table, we humans have always told stories. Through them, we define our identities and shape our understanding of the world. Master storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp writes of the power of storytelling and its potential to transform speakers and audiences alike. In Gather, Van Camp shares what elements make a compelling story and offers insights into basic storytelling techniques, such as how to read a room--even on Zoom--and how to capture the attention of listeners. And he delves further into the impact storytelling can have, helping readers understand how to create community and how to banish loneliness through their tales. A member of the Tlicho Dene First Nation, Van Camp also includes stories from Elders whose wisdom influenced him. During a time of uncertainty and disconnection, stories reach across vast distances to offer connection. Gather is a joyful reminder of this for storytellers: all of us."--

Book Synopsis

Master storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp on how to tell a good story

Gathering around a campfire, or the dinner table, we humans have always told stories. Through the stories we tell, we define our own identities and shape our understanding of the world. Master storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp writes of the power of storytelling and its potential to transform both the speaker and the audience in Gather. Describing the elements required to make a story, he offers insights into how to read a room, how to capture the attention of listeners, how to create community through storytelling, and how to banish loneliness. A member of the Tlicho Dene First Nation, Van Camp includes stories from Elders whose wisdom influenced him.

Review Quotes

"Stories and storytellers are an important part of what makes us human. Van Camp's stories, whether they feature light comedy, family discord and reconciliation or his vivid images of the legendary Wheetago monsters, revived by global warming and horrifically hungry for human flesh, are gifts to the reader."-- "Vancouver Sun"

"Van Camp is... a brilliant weaver of tales."-- "Quill & Quire"

"Van Camp writes with the same sincerity and enthusiasm characteristic of his oral storytelling, using colloquial language and self-deprecating humour that invites readers to snuggle up and get cosy while the story unfolds on the pages."-- "Winnipeg Free Press"

About the Author

Richard Van Camp is a proud Tlicho Dene from Fort Smith, NWT, and the author of over twenty books, including the Eisner-nominated graphic novel A Blanket of Butterflies. His bestselling novel The Lesser Blessed is a movie that has received critical acclaim. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta. You can visit Richard on Facebook, Twitter, and at www.richardvancamp.com.