10 Lessons to Become a Master Storyteller
09 Aug 2026 #writingThis 2-hour interview made me reconsider what a good story is.
I don’t know how, but I ended up watching an interview with Matthew Dicks on storytelling.
Here’s what I learned:
#1. A story is about change over time. It’s about a transformation or realization. I believed this, then something happened, and now I believe this.
Unlike an anecdote, a story is something you will remember for days, months, or even years.
“A story are the best meals of your life.”
#2. Make them care. Nobody wants to listen what you have to say unless you give them a reason to listen.
#3. Don’t describe. Descriptions consume readers’ bandwidth. Instead, leverage people’s imagination by choosing words they can already see. People care about what you felt, what you said, and what you did.
#4. When public speaking, don’t memorize. Remember a story by thinking in terms of scenes.
In a good story, scenes are connected to each other. You can’t remove anything from the story.
“The best performer know what they’re going to say, but not exactly how”
#5. To make your stories interesting, use: stakes, suspense, surprise, and humor.
#6. Different versions of stakes in a story:
- Elephant: What get people’s attention initially.
- Backpack: Hopes and dreams you’re loaded with along the way.
- Breadcrumbs: Clues or hints along the way.
- Hourglasses: Once you have your audience, make them wait.
- Crystal balls: Out-loud predictions.
- Humor: To make your audience feel at ease, make them laugh in the first 30-60 seconds of your keynote.
#7. Don’t waste your openings by overexplaining. Use location, action, or wonder. Start in the middle of action. Remember BABC.
#8. To have an arc, make your beginnings opposite to your endings.
#9. To make a good trailer or teaser, make sure people understand the problem the character is facing but don’t solve the problem or let us know if the problem is going to be solved.
#10. How to improve at storytelling:
- Strategically listen. Don’t just be a consumer. Instead notice why something works.
- Understand what a story is. Once you do that, you’ll realize they’re everywhere.
- Ask what you can say to keep the person listening. Get through the boring parts by making it suspenseful or funny.