STORY LIKE YOU MEAN IT

A debut manual focuses on crafting personal stories for professional success and valuable connections.

In this business book, Rebelo introduces readers to his “PeakStory” model for constructing personal narratives that convey important information about the writers while helping them to land a job, build a network, or attract a client. The guide explains the author’s trademarked “storypathing,” a framework for linking tales to the identity the teller wants to project. Rebelo writes that “by making sense of where you’ve been and where you’re headed, you can show that you have more engagement and more value wherever you land because your story aligns with who you are.” Subsequent chapters take readers through the steps of developing their own tales following the PeakStory model. Each chapter includes a conceptual explanation—much of the model is drawn from psychology research, and a substantial bibliography is included—examples of the technique in action, often drawn from Rebelo’s students, and a guided exercise to help readers implement each step of the process. One of the volume’s strengths is its emphasis on the different contexts in which PeakStory can be applied, particularly the author’s anecdotes about teaching formerly incarcerated people to use the technique to control the tales they tell about their imprisonment and their plans for the future. Rebelo also does a good job of walking readers through the process of fashioning their stories and showing how each element of the model relates to the others. Although the book is full of the author’s specialized jargon (self-event, blue-dot moments), the terms are fairly easy for uninitiated readers to pick up on. Still, Rebelo’s rhetorical style is not for everyone. His enthusiasm is evident in the text, which often feels like a pep talk from a hard-charging coach or a dynamic motivational speaker, but readers who prefer a more straightforward narrative may find the frequent statements of encouragement and assurances of success distracting. Nonetheless, the manual presents a persuasive case for the validity of the PeakStory model and makes it easy for readers to learn.

A solid guide to storytelling with a purpose.