SPEAKING
Helping possibility become reality.
Through stories, ideas, and conversation that help audiences see themselves, their work, and the world with fresh understanding.
SPEAKING
Helping possibility become reality.
Through stories, ideas, and conversation that help audiences see themselves, their work, and the world with fresh understanding.
Why Audiences Invite Clay
Clay Stafford has spent a lifetime exploring one enduring question:
What allows potential to become reality?
That question has shaped a lifetime of work across publishing, filmmaking, education, leadership, history, and the creative arts, offering a perspective on how people and ideas grow into their fullest potential.
Each experience has deepened his understanding of how meaningful work is created, how obstacles become opportunities for growth, and how lasting influence is built over time.
His presentations draw those experiences together, not as stories about a career, but as practical insights audiences can immediately apply to their own work, leadership, creativity, and lives.
Experience That Informs Every Presentation
The ideas Clay Stafford shares have been shaped through decades of work across publishing, filmmaking, education, creative leadership, and mentoring writers and creative professionals.
Founder, American Blackguard Entertainment
Founder, Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference
Founder, Killer Nashville University
Publisher, Killer Nashville Magazine
Writer, filmmaker, educator, and creative leader
Creative collaborator across publishing, film, and television
Mentor and instructor to more than one million writers and creative professionals worldwide
Appearances
Audiences Served
- Writers’ Conferences & Literary Festivals
- Colleges & Universities (Creative Writing, Film, English, Communications, Psychology, Business)
- Professional Development Retreats
- Creative Entrepreneurs & Business Leaders
- Corporate Teams (Storytelling for Brand, Purpose, and Leadership)
- Keynote & Panel Events (In-Person, Virtual, or Hybrid)
Speaking Formats
- 10–60 Minute Keynotes
- Half-Day Workshops
- Full-Day Seminars
- Fireside Conversations & Panel Discussions
- Virtual Masterclasses & Keynotes
Signature Presentations
Storytelling for Leaders: Crafting Narratives That Inspire Action
Learn how great fiction’s principles can motivate teams, drive innovation, and lead with authenticity.
Layered Writing: How to Keep Readers Turning Pages
Learn how to skillfully layer mystery, thriller, suspense, action, romance, and horror to craft stories that captivate readers from the first page to the last.
Beyond the Book Deal: How to Think Like a Career Author
Resilience and Reinvention: Lessons from a Creative Career
Discover how creative thinking and strategic adaptation can help individuals and companies thrive in an ever-changing business environment.
Write Your Future: Building a Career from Your Passion
Clay Stafford shares how students can turn their creative passions into sustainable, meaningful careers through strategic action and creative courage.
Success Story: Building a Life That Lasts
What Audiences Say
Feedback from conference organizers, educators, and participants who have experienced Clay Stafford’s presentations firsthand.
See Clay in Action
Watch Clay in two different settings—a keynote presentation and a television interview.
Media Praise
Selected recognition from national media outlets, industry publications, and professional organizations for Clay Stafford’s work in storytelling, publishing, and creative leadership.
Booking Inquiries:
Tricia Hedman
Ollie Media
tricia [at] olliemedia (dot) com
Based in Nashville, TN | Available Worldwide
Invite Clay to Speak
Every audience brings its own questions, challenges, and possibilities.
Whether speaking to writers, educators, business leaders, students, or creative professionals, my goal is always the same: to leave people with a deeper understanding, a renewed sense of possibility, and ideas they can carry long after the presentation has ended.
If you’re looking for a speaker who believes a single conversation can change the way people see themselves, their work, and the world around them, I’d be honored to join you.
Based in Nashville, Tennessee • Available Worldwide