Masterclass on storytelling with story guru Matthew Dicks

"What makes a story truly resonate with an audience, how to identify and highlight the pivotal moments that create emotional impact, the architecture of compelling stories..."

Nov 08, 2024

NYC tonight (11/8)! Tickets here.

Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wow! Join me for the debut of this George Carlin-meets-Alan Watts immersive journey through the pages of the notebook I keep during shrm journeys. Imagine if m*shrooms could give a TED Talk. It’ll be smart, trippy, funny, and deep – plus there will be photos, video clips, music, and more. Come and get some satisfaction.

Storytelling

This is a great podcast ep if you wanna learn more about storytelling: Matthew Dicks: How to Tell a Story so That Everyone Listens (The Knowledge Project Ep. #202).

Tons of gems.

You’ll learn what makes a story truly resonate with an audience, how to identify and highlight the pivotal moments that create emotional impact, the architecture of compelling stories, how to structure narratives for maximum engagement, and how to use techniques like suspense, stakes, and humor to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. This conversation covers broad frameworks, like how to structure a great story—and details, like when you should talk quietly to refocus the audience.

Relevant time stamps:

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:08 What makes a good story
00:04:37 Stories vs anecdotes
00:06:09 A Story: The Spoon of Power
00:15:22 The art of story architecture
00:19:08 Create compelling stories
00:34:10 Common mistakes & how to fix them
00:52:41 Strategic listening
01:01:12 Can you lie in stories?
01:02:50 ‘And’ stories vs. ‘but / therefore’ stories
01:07:45 Finding engaging stories in every day life
01:17:45 Structuring a story
01:21:40 Storytelling for an unforgettable brand
01:29:00 Learn confidence
01:36:20 Writing vs telling a story
01:49:33 Teach kids to love writing
01:52:55 Define success

Dicks also has a book called Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling. Here’s an AI summary of some key takeaways from the book:

Everyone has a story to tell: Dicks emphasizes that storytelling is a universal skill, not just for professionals.
Find the core of your story: The most effective stories have a clear, central theme or message.
Make it personal: The more relatable and authentic your story, the more it will resonate with your audience.
Use humor and suspense: These elements can keep your audience engaged and interested.
Practice storytelling regularly: The more you practice, the better you'll become at crafting and telling stories.