How to Be a Storycatcher: The Art of Listening Deeply, Asking Wisely, and Writing Other People’s Stories
How to Be a Storycatcher: The Art of Listening Deeply, Asking Wisely, and Writing Other People’s Stories
by Sam Choo
Everyone has a story worth telling. Most go unheard.
In this groundbreaking guide, memoir writer Sam Choo invites you to step into the role of a storycatcher — someone who listens with presence, asks questions that matter, and shapes raw memories into narratives that shine. Drawing on practices from oral historians, ghostwriters, and global storytelling projects, this book shows you how to honor voices that might otherwise be lost.
You’ll discover how to:
- Listen beyond words to catch the truth beneath the surface.
- Ask questions that open doors without forcing.
- Protect privacy while preserving authenticity.
- Turn messy notes into vivid, readable stories.
- Build a meaningful practice — even a career — around catching and preserving stories.
Blending practical tools, inspiring examples, and reflections on the ethics of carrying another’s voice, How to Be a Storycatcher is both a handbook and a manifesto. It reminds us that every voice matters — and that by catching stories, we leave a legacy of dignity, memory, and connection in a noisy world.
