Book Erica Richmond for Speaking Engagements
Author Visits
Writing Workshops
Storytelling Talks
Looking for a speaker who can inspire meaningful conversations about storytelling, creativity, and the courage to share our experiences?
Erica Richmond is an author, college instructor, writing coach, and speaker who helps people discover the power of their own stories.
Through engaging talks, interactive workshops, and author visits, she invites audiences to see storytelling not just as a creative act—but as a powerful way to understand our lives and connect with others.
Erica regularly speaks to schools, writing groups, libraries, conferences, and community organizations, offering presentations that combine storytelling, writing craft, and emotional resilience.
Speaking Topics
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Why Your Story Matters: The Power of Personal Storytelling
Many people believe their stories are too small or ordinary to matter. In this inspiring talk, Erica explores how personal stories shape our lives and connect us to others.
Participants discover how storytelling builds empathy, connection, and understanding while gaining confidence in the value of their own experiences.
Best for:
Libraries • community groups • women’s groups • conferences • service organizations -
The Courage to Write: Moving Past Fear & Self-Doubt
Fear, perfectionism, and self-doubt stop many writers before they begin.
In this honest and motivating talk, Erica explores the emotional side of writing and what it truly takes to put words on the page. Drawing from her own writing journey and years of teaching writers, she shares insights that help participants move past internal barriers and rediscover the courage to write honestly.
Best for:
Writing groups • teens • creative communities • workshops • literary events -
Breaking the Essay: Creative Non-Fiction that Breaks the Rules
Not all essays look the same.
In this craft-focused presentation, Erica introduces writers to innovative forms of creative nonfiction, including visual essays and hermit crab essays. Participants discover how unconventional structures can unlock powerful personal storytelling and inspire new creative possibilities.
Best for:
Writing groups • literary festivals • MFA programs • writing conferences -
Big Feelings Big Stories: A 'Pixie Series' Author Visit
In this engaging school presentation, Erica introduces students to the characters from her Pixie Series, stories that explore emotions such as anxiety, self-doubt, and relationships.
Through an interactive reading and conversation, students discover how stories can help us understand our feelings and communicate our experiences. Erica also shares how writers turn ideas into books, inspiring young readers to value their own creativity and imagination.
Best for:
Elementary schools • libraries • literacy festivals
Basille, Keith Wightman Public School
“We have students practice finger spaces between their words, encourage them to use punctuation, and model correct grammar. However, we often fail to explain "why" we write. Erica visited my classroom and opened my students eyes to the fact that writing is something that real life adults do. Moreover, she showed how writing has a special power: although it often can't change how things are on the outside, it can change how we feel on the inside (and this makes all the difference). Her book, "Pixie and the Bees," breaks down the vital topic of mental health down to building blocks that children as young as 5 can understand. Mental health is something that has never been more present in public education. Erica's underlying message, "my words matter," give students the tools to face and better understand the world around them.”
Erica Richmond is a Canadian author, college instructor, writing coach, and speaker. She teaches communications at the college level and has spent years guiding writers of all ages in developing confidence, craft, and emotional safety in their work.
She is the founder of Open Sky Stories, where she leads writing workshops, retreats, and webinars designed to help people reconnect with their creativity and tell meaningful stories.
Erica is the author of multiple books, including the Pixie Series, children’s books used in schools, therapy offices, and mental health organizations to help young readers explore big feelings such as anxiety, self-doubt, and relationships.
Her creative nonfiction essays from her forthcoming manuscript Yelling at Dead People have been shortlisted for literary prizes and accepted for publication in literary journals.
Her work and ideas about storytelling have also been featured in dozens of podcast interviews and live radio conversations, including CBC Radio. Visit her media page to view them all.
Through her talks, Erica invites audiences to see storytelling not just as a creative act, but as a powerful way to understand our experiences, connect with others, and develop the courage to share our stories.
About Erica Richmond
What Event Organizers Can Expect
When you invite Erica Richmond to speak, you can expect a presentation that is engaging, thoughtful, and tailored to your audience.
Erica’s sessions blend storytelling, teaching experience, and practical insights about writing and creativity. Whether speaking to students, writers, or community groups, she creates an environment where participants feel encouraged to reflect, share ideas, and connect through stories.
Event organizers appreciate Erica’s ability to:
engage audiences of different ages and experience levels
create thoughtful conversations around storytelling and creativity
balance inspiration with practical insight
adapt presentations for schools, conferences, workshops, and virtual events
Author Visits for Schools
Erica Richmond offers engaging author visits for elementary schools and libraries, featuring readings from her Pixie Series and conversations about storytelling, creativity, and understanding big feelings.
School presentations may include:
interactive book readings
conversations about emotions and storytelling
behind-the-scenes insights into how books are written and published
simple creative writing activities for students
Her books are used in schools, therapy offices, and mental health organizations, helping young readers talk about feelings such as anxiety, self-doubt, and relationships.
Invite Erica to Speak
If you are planning an event and looking for a speaker on storytelling, writing courage, creative nonfiction, or emotional resilience, Erica would love to connect.
In addition to her speaking and teaching work, Erica Richmond is a frequent guest on podcasts, radio programs, and literary media, where she shares insights about storytelling, writing courage, emotional resilience, and the creative process.
She has been interviewed on dozens of podcasts and live radio programs, including CBC Radio, discussing topics such as personal storytelling, writing through grief, creative nonfiction, and the power of stories to connect us.
Browse Erica’s media interviews, podcast appearances, and press features.
Media & Interviews
Erica Richmond is a Canadian author, speaker, and writing coach whose work explores storytelling, mental health, grief, parenting, and creative expression. She is available for podcast interviews, media features, speaking engagements, and writing workshops focused on storytelling, emotional wellbeing, and writing from a place of safety.