STORYWORTHY Transformations.

Over the last ten years or so, I have learnt a lot about storytelling through reading books, taking courses and trial and error through telling my own stories in my essays, keynotes and masterclasses.
I have learnt that a critical tenet of any good story is that the protagonist has to undergo some transformation. I understand that, but I have struggled to achieve it in the simple tales I tell, often overcomplicating the story unnecessarily or searching for ways to demonstrate this change through the story.
However, I recently read Matthew Dick’s book STORYWORTHY; Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling.
Matthew is a professional school teacher and fiction writer. Still, some time ago, he started telling true stories at Moth Storytelling events. He became one of their most successful storytellers, winning a record number of Storyslam competitions.
His book is full of great insights on all aspects of storytelling, covering topics such as Finding, Crafting, and Telling your Stories.
In a sea of great insights, his take on how to achieve the protagonist's transformation lifted my thinking.
His method is pretty simple. First, he points out that the lesson or insight must come at the end of any story. Once the ending is clear, all you need to do is start the story with the opposite of the ending. The transformation doesn't need to be monumental to have an impact, but the story doesn't land without it.
Beautiful in its simplicity.

You can find it here if you have never heard of the Moth.
https://lnkd.in/gps3Ex9D

My Amazon affiliate link to STORYWORTHY: https://amzn.to/3Apcqwc
It's well worth a read if you use storytelling in your work or want to improve.

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