Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks – Book Summary
Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks is a practical guide to storytelling for everyday people. Whether you’re preparing for a big speech or just want to connect better in daily conversations, this book teaches you how to find and share meaningful personal stories. Dicks combines years of experience as a storyteller with simple techniques anyone can follow.
Who May Benefit from the Book
- Aspiring public speakers wanting to build stronger connections through storytelling
- Business professionals aiming to communicate ideas more effectively
- Educators and trainers who want to keep learners engaged
- Writers seeking authentic and emotional narratives
- Anyone hoping to share personal experiences in a compelling way
Top 3 Key Insights
- Every great story centers on a transformative five-second moment.
- You are the hero of your own story — tell it from your perspective.
- If your story wouldn’t keep a friend’s attention at dinner, revise it.
4 More Lessons and Takeaways
- Start with the end: Before you tell a story, know the key moment. Work backward from that emotional climax.
- Skip the performance: Avoid unnecessary theatrics. Authentic storytelling is more powerful than acting or exaggeration.
- Daily storytelling practice matters: Matthew recommends a method called “Homework for Life” — a simple way to find daily story-worthy moments.
- Avoid fluff and fancy words: Keep your language simple. Fancy words don’t impress; clarity does.
The Book in 1 Sentence
A compelling story doesn’t require a dramatic life — it just needs an honest five-second moment of transformation told with heart.
The Book Summary in 1 Minute
Matthew Dicks believes that everyone has valuable stories, and with the right tools, anyone can learn to tell them well. He emphasizes the importance of identifying small yet transformative moments. Dicks discourages performative storytelling and instead encourages authentic, emotionally grounded narratives. He offers practical exercises like “Homework for Life” to help people uncover storyworthy events in everyday life. With real examples and step-by-step strategies, this book helps readers create strong openings, emotional endings, and engaging narratives in between.
The Book Summary in 7 Minutes
The heart of storytelling lies not in big events but in small, meaningful transformations. Storyworthy focuses on helping readers discover and shape those moments into stories that move people.
Why Transformation Matters
Every story must have change. According to Dicks, a story without transformation is just an anecdote. The audience needs to witness you, the storyteller, becoming someone new — even in a small way. The shift could be in emotion, belief, or behavior.
H4: The Five-Second Rule
Dicks insists that every powerful story revolves around a five-second moment — a short slice of life that shifts your perspective or identity.
Examples:
- Realizing you love someone
- Feeling rejected by someone you trusted
- Choosing forgiveness over anger
These are relatable. Not everyone crashes through a windshield, but everyone has felt disappointment, fear, joy, or pride.
Authenticity Beats Performance
Dicks discourages dramatic storytelling tactics.
Avoid these:
- Sound effects (“Boom!” or “Wham!”)
- Unnecessary dialogue at the start
- Overdone poetic phrases
Instead, focus on clarity. Share your story as you would at dinner with a friend. Ask yourself: Would this story keep my friend engaged during a meal?
“Homework for Life”
One of the most powerful techniques in the book is “Homework for Life.”
What is it?
Every night, write down the most storyworthy moment of your day — just one or two sentences. Over time, you’ll build a database of personal moments you can turn into stories.
Benefits:
- Builds awareness
- Helps you find depth in daily life
- Creates an archive of potential stories
“The best stories are found in the cracks of your life.” — Matthew Dicks
You Are the Main Character
Always tell the story from your perspective. Don’t make someone else the hero. People connect with you — your feelings, flaws, and fears. Even if you’re sharing someone else’s experience, filter it through your personal lens.
Example: Dicks worked with Holocaust survivors’ children. Instead of narrating their parents’ history directly, they shared how those histories shaped their own lives. This made the stories more relatable and powerful.
Structure Your Story Right
A good story should feel spontaneous but follow a clear structure:
| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Beginning | Set the scene; introduce stakes |
| Middle | Build tension; share relevant moments |
| Climax | Reveal the five-second transformation |
| End | Reflect or show the impact of that moment |
Dicks suggests starting your story only once. Many people restart their story multiple times — which confuses and bores the audience. Begin strong and stay the course.
Where to Begin? Know Your Ending
Once you know your five-second moment, structure the story backward. What led to it? What built up to that emotional shift?
This helps eliminate irrelevant details. Many storytellers include too much backstory. Cut everything that doesn’t drive toward your transformation.
H3: Common Mistakes and Fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Starting with dialogue | Start with setup before jumping in |
| Overly dramatic delivery | Be authentic, not theatrical |
| Including unrelated details | Only keep what supports the transformation |
| Making others the main focus | Tell it from your point of view |
About the Author
Matthew Dicks is a bestselling novelist, teacher, and award-winning storyteller. He is a 58-time Moth StorySLAM winner and 9-time GrandSLAM champion. Dicks teaches storytelling workshops worldwide and co-hosts the podcast Speak Up Storytelling. His novels include Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, Something Missing, and Twenty-one Truths About Love. Beyond writing and speaking, he works as an elementary school teacher in Connecticut.
How to Get the Best of the Book
Practice “Homework for Life” daily. Then, choose one moment each week to develop into a story using Dicks’s structure. Tell it to a friend or write it down. The more you practice, the more natural storytelling will feel.
Storyworthy Quotes
“Telling stories about your life lets people know they’re not alone; and it lets some of the people closest to you — like family and loved ones — see your life apart from the context of family”
Conclusion
Storyworthy reminds us that powerful stories aren’t born from grand adventures but from small, honest moments. With a few tools and regular practice, anyone can learn to tell stories that truly connect. Let your experiences speak — you may be more storyworthy than you think.