“I laughed, gasped, took notes, and carried this book around like a dear friend.” — Sarah McCoy, New York Times–bestselling author
Whether we realize it or not, we are always telling stories. On a first date or job interview, in a sales presentation or therapy appointment, with family or friends, we are constantly narrating events and interpreting emotions and actions. In so doing, we make choices about what to emphasize and what to leave out. We frame and explain in order to amuse, rationalize, or just plain vent. The author, acclaimed for his storytelling on stages, the radio, and in novels including Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, is also an award-winning teacher. His wonderfully straightforward and engaging tips and techniques for constructing, telling, and polishing any story show that anyone can learn to be an appealing storyteller; that everyone has something story worthy to express; and, perhaps most importantly, that the act of creating and telling a tale is a powerful way of understanding and enhancing one’s own life.
Praise for Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling
“With candor, humility, and bust-a-gut humor, Matthew Dicks shares his storytelling secrets and leads you up the stairs to tell yours. He already knows that they’re gems.”
— Nichole Bernier, author of The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.
“Holy moly! Mathew Dicks is right — every one of us has a story to tell. And whether onstage or on the page, this master of the craft pulls us into his world, entertaining and inspiring with every word.”
— Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen
“I laughed, gasped, took notes, and carried this book around like a dear friend — because that’s exactly what a storyworthy book should be. As a novelist, I’ve studied my craft in countless ways, but never before have I seen its marrow revealed with such honest, approachable charisma. Matthew Dicks has written a perceptive companion for every person who has a story to tell — and don’t we all?”
— Sarah McCoy, internationally and New York Times–bestselling author of Marilla of Green Gables and The Baker’s Daughter
“In Storyworthy, Matthew Dicks gives us all the tools we’ll need to become an effective storyteller, and he does so with wit, wisdom, and self-effacing charm. What’s more, he reminds us that through storytelling — and our willingness to be honest and vulnerable when sharing the different moments that have helped shape our lives — we invite the great possibility of deeper connection with others, and with ourselves. This book serves as a guidebook and a muse, rooted in the belief that our individual stories, when shared with heart, end up walking us down the pathway to true belonging. Storyworthy acts as a bright light along that journey.”
— Scott Stabile, author of Big Love: The Power of Living with a Wide-Open Heart
“Matthew Dicks is dazzling as a storyteller and equally brilliant in his ability to deconstruct this skill and make it accessible to others. His workshop was a veritable epiphany — it has been formative in my own professional career and in helping shape the work of my students. Trust me: whatever Matt has to say about storytelling, you want to hear. In my role at Yale, I oversee courses that involve more than one hundred faculty members. I can say without a doubt that Matt is one of the finest teachers I’ve ever seen.”
— David A. Ross, MD, PhD, director, Yale Psychiatry Residency Training Program
“As a trial lawyer who’s been telling stories to juries my entire professional life, I took Matthew Dicks’s class out of curiosity. But until I stepped foot in Matt’s classroom, I didn’t realize how much there was to learn about the art of storytelling. And I certainly never expected to take the stage myself. Matt changed that. He is a master storyteller and an incredible teacher. Most importantly, he is an artist who paints his verbal canvases with moments that change how his listeners see the world. Matt taught me about the hidden arc and architecture that lie behind every well-told story: the stakes that invest an audience in a tale, the ‘Breadcrumbs’ that give listeners hints of what lies ahead, the ‘Hourglasses’ that speed or slow the pace, and the unexpected twists and humorous turns that provide surprise, humor, and creative tension, all culminating in the ‘moment’ — the kernel of truth — at the story’s heart. Since taking Matt’s class, I’ve incorporated his techniques into innumerable courtroom presentations — and told several stories before live audiences — all thanks to Matt.”
— Ron Apter, trial lawyer
“When I gave Matthew Dicks a recurring spot on my podcast, I billed him as ‘the most interesting man in the world.’ He really has lived quite a life. But what’s truly interesting is not necessarily what he’s experienced but how he makes you, the audience, experience it through him.”
— Mike Pesca, NPR contributor and host of Slate magazine’s daily podcast, The Gist
“Learning from Matthew Dicks has truly been life changing both for me as a public storyteller and for my high school students. Matt’s practical advice and techniques can be applied immediately, and that’s what Matt encourages and inspires you to do. Start crafting your best stories right now: learn a little about yourself in the process and begin living a life of yes.”
— Jennifer Bonaldo, English teacher, Amity High School, Bethany, Connecticut
“I’ve been fortunate enough to see Matthew Dicks tell a variety of stories, and each time he not only has the audience in his palm but also somehow makes it appear effortless. When I attended his storytelling workshop, he broke things down in a fun, interesting, easy-to-understand way, and I found I almost couldn’t take notes fast enough. Now that isn’t a problem. His new book, Storyworthy, has everything from the workshop and so much more. Presented in the same easy-to-understand style as the workshop, the book offers countless tips, exercises, and examples to get you on your way to better stories. Anyone who wants to take the stage, become a better writer, or simply tell better stories at Thanksgiving will benefit from Storyworthy.”
— Jeff Vibes, filmmaker
“I had the opportunity to take Matthew Dicks’s workshop for beginners and then his advanced workshop. They were truly life changing. From Matt’s instructions, I have been able to sculpt true stories that I have shared with an audience of five hundred people. I am not a professional entertainer. But because of Matt’s insightful direction, editing, and support, I now have the confidence and ability to turn my life experiences into stories that entertain and impact many people. Thank you, Matt. One doesn’t always have the opportunity to live a dream.”
— Lee Pollock, president, The Pollock Company, Hartford, Connecticut
“Matthew Dicks is not only a master storyteller; he is a master teacher. His clear and detailed instructions allow him to brilliantly give his techniques and tricks of the storytelling trade to his students. I personally benefited immensely from Matt’s workshop, and I continue to use his techniques both in my professional work as a rabbi and teacher and onstage at Moth StorySLAMs.”
— Rabbi Ira Ebbin, Congregation Ohav Sholom in Merrick, New York, and Moth StorySLAM winner
Whether we realize it or not, we are always telling stories. On a first date or job interview, at a sales presentation or therapy appointment, with family or friends, we are constantly narrating events and interpreting emotions and actions. In this compelling book, storyteller extraordinaire Matthew Dicks presents wonderfully straightforward and engaging tips and techniques for constructing, telling, and polishing stories that will hold the attention of your audience (no matter how big or small). He shows that anyone can learn to be an appealing storyteller, that everyone has something “storyworthy” to express, and, perhaps most important, that the act of creating and telling a tale is a powerful way of understanding and enhancing your own life.
Matthew Dicks is a bestselling novelist, thirty-six-time Moth StorySLAM champion, and five-time GrandSLAM champion. In addition to his widespread teaching, writing, and performing, he cofounded (with his wife) Speak Up, which produces sold-out storytelling performances throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York at least once a month. He lives in Newington, Connecticut.
— Dov Peretz Elkins
“Reading Storyworthy, you learn a lot about Matthew’s life and who he is. He tells the stories that shaped his life as well as very simple moments that stuck out to him for one reason for another….I owe so much of who I am now to Matthew Dicks.”
– Odyssey Online
“This book is more than just a guide to how to tell better stories. It’s a guide of how to live better, more connected lives.”
– Gabrielle Rose Elkas
“In Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling, storyteller extraordinaire Matthew Dicks presents wonderfully straightforward and engaging tips and techniques for constructing, telling, and polishing stories that will hold the attention of your audience (no matter how big or small). He shows that anyone can learn to be an appealing storyteller, that everyone has something “storyworthy” to express, and, perhaps most important, that the act of creating and telling a tale is a powerful way of understanding and enhancing your own life.”
– Lit Chat
“Leave it to Dicks to help us find the ones that are “storyworthy” and share them through our own storytelling powers.”
– NonFiction 4 Life
“Whether you want to be a better storyteller just for the fun of it or because you want to ace job interviews, relate to your partner or family with greater depth, or you want to go onstage at a Moth event, Storyworthy will support you one hundred percent.”
– New Spirit Journal