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The Best Story Wins: How to Leverage Hollywood Storytelling in Business & Beyond
The Best Story Wins
provides fresh perspectives on the principles of Pixar-style storytelling, adapted by one of the studio's top creatives to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, marketers, and business-minded storytellers of all stripes.Pixar movies have transfixed viewers around the world and stirred a hunger in creative and corporate realms to adopt new and more impactful ways of telling stories. Former Pixar and The Simpsons Animator and Story Artist Matthew Luhn translates his two and half decades of storytelling techniques and concepts to the CEOs, advertisers, marketers, and creatives in the business world and beyond. A combination of Luhn's personal stories and storytelling insights, The Best Story Wins retells the "Hero's Journey" story building methods through the lens of the Pixar films to help business minds embrace the power of storytelling for themselves!
131 pages, ebook
Published August 7, 2018
161 people are currently reading
526 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 30, 2023
I bought this after hearing Matthew Luhn speak at a conference. Very inspiring to reflect on how certain Pixar movies came to being!
June 6, 2023
'𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅, 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒊𝒅, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍.'
People are born storytellers, did you know that? Storytelling is what defines us humans and this is one of the most wonderful human traits, in my opinion. People crave stories because they give voice to what we want and believe in.
As a writer for 𝗣𝗶𝘅𝗮𝗿 and 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀, the author had the right environment and freedom to create stories. His professional experiences and personal insights were inspiring.
He explores the most important techniques about the storytelling structure, the universal themes, the character archetypes in a story and what makes the audience FEEL and ENGAGE with a story. All of these were a reminder of the reason why I love Up, Ratatouille, Soul or Coco movies so much.
It's a short book, but filled with very good insights. Matthew Luhn reminded me how much I love storytelling and live for it. I'm always looking for stories, everywhere. And I will never get enough.
People are born storytellers, did you know that? Storytelling is what defines us humans and this is one of the most wonderful human traits, in my opinion. People crave stories because they give voice to what we want and believe in.
As a writer for 𝗣𝗶𝘅𝗮𝗿 and 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀, the author had the right environment and freedom to create stories. His professional experiences and personal insights were inspiring.
He explores the most important techniques about the storytelling structure, the universal themes, the character archetypes in a story and what makes the audience FEEL and ENGAGE with a story. All of these were a reminder of the reason why I love Up, Ratatouille, Soul or Coco movies so much.
It's a short book, but filled with very good insights. Matthew Luhn reminded me how much I love storytelling and live for it. I'm always looking for stories, everywhere. And I will never get enough.
March 5, 2022
Definitely enjoyed this, especially the personal stories he includes. I’m looking forward to hearing him speak at our convention in a few months!
October 3, 2021
Kind of like an extended Ted talk. Sort of light and fluffy with some nice anecdotes but it at times feels a little superficial and insincere. Maybe that’s me just looking at it through a cynical British Lens. Lot of Steve Jobs hero worship going on. If you’re looking for something more in depth for story telling then this book won’t before you but for beginners wanting to know the basics then it’s OK.
January 6, 2019
I think I am inspired from the book itself, it is a light read with lots of simple triggers to think and act in our personal or professional lives. I like the structure and the use of language true to its simplicity. Merging the story of his own life with the blueprints to storytelling or I would say how to make people pay attention to what you have to say (powered with some good examples).
November 9, 2023
I admit I cried a few times. ToT Too bad I didn't read this BEFORE starting a NaNoWriMo project, haha... (Nah, it's fine—I'm just writing for an audience of me, though I've tried to keep a few of these tips I'd already heard in mind for other writing projects. If only I could add my Goodreads reviews to my word count, though!)
The parts I ended up skimming are the reader's exercises. I get why they're there, but I'm more about getting the gist of the book than reading and retaining every word—which I won't: "What people retain jumps from 5 percent to 65 percent when the content is embedded in a story." (page xxiv) So even if this was the best book EVER, I would still forget most of it unless I specifically made it a point to memorise it cover-to-cover. Also, the exercises are really only useful when I'm trying to take action on the point being made; doing homework just because I'm reading isn't as useful (especially when reading at work during downtime, when I'd rather avoid the problem of creating something unrelated to work while at work that Bill Gates had in Pirates of Silicon Valley {which I haven't fact-checked}).
...which is a long way to say I didn't finish reading, but I can definitely tell this is a good and useful book for writers! (although it's surprising he started out in animation!)
(post-completion edit)
The rest of the book is the same as the start, which is to say each chapter is a thesis, followed by a supporting anecdote or two, followed by practical application in the workplace (as per the title), followed by a take-home exercise. This probably could all fit in a leaflet without the stories, but then—as per the abovementioned quote—people would only retain about 5% of what they read. As is, the stories are the meat of the book, and the best reason to read it. The exercises can go in the ~35% of what we forget, since it SHOULD be intuitive to understand how the story applies to the thesis, and how to apply it in our regular lives. I wouldn't say throw those out entirely, but keep them in mind as a shortcut of the how-to portion, or for everyone who *can't* just figure it out by themselves.
A great read, but it feels weird looking to a writer, former animator, about how to run one's business. I get that it's about applying creativity. I'm just saying it's conceptually unexpected... but then, the expected is not necessarily the best thing: page 116: Henry Ford... reportedly said, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."
The parts I ended up skimming are the reader's exercises. I get why they're there, but I'm more about getting the gist of the book than reading and retaining every word—which I won't: "What people retain jumps from 5 percent to 65 percent when the content is embedded in a story." (page xxiv) So even if this was the best book EVER, I would still forget most of it unless I specifically made it a point to memorise it cover-to-cover. Also, the exercises are really only useful when I'm trying to take action on the point being made; doing homework just because I'm reading isn't as useful (especially when reading at work during downtime, when I'd rather avoid the problem of creating something unrelated to work while at work that Bill Gates had in Pirates of Silicon Valley {which I haven't fact-checked}).
...which is a long way to say I didn't finish reading, but I can definitely tell this is a good and useful book for writers! (although it's surprising he started out in animation!)
(post-completion edit)
The rest of the book is the same as the start, which is to say each chapter is a thesis, followed by a supporting anecdote or two, followed by practical application in the workplace (as per the title), followed by a take-home exercise. This probably could all fit in a leaflet without the stories, but then—as per the abovementioned quote—people would only retain about 5% of what they read. As is, the stories are the meat of the book, and the best reason to read it. The exercises can go in the ~35% of what we forget, since it SHOULD be intuitive to understand how the story applies to the thesis, and how to apply it in our regular lives. I wouldn't say throw those out entirely, but keep them in mind as a shortcut of the how-to portion, or for everyone who *can't* just figure it out by themselves.
A great read, but it feels weird looking to a writer, former animator, about how to run one's business. I get that it's about applying creativity. I'm just saying it's conceptually unexpected... but then, the expected is not necessarily the best thing: page 116: Henry Ford... reportedly said, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."
May 30, 2024
Super Solid 4.5
As the author says several times, “The most powerful person in the world will always be the storyteller.” He’s not wrong. And this extremely practical, engaging, entertaining, and full to the brim book of real world experience will no doubt help you in your quest to tell a better story. Originally I was going to give this a 4.44 and leave it at 4 stars, but that was until I read the last chapter on becoming a better writer. As simple as it was, it provided some really outstanding ideas for honing your craft as well as practical solutions for very common obstacles in addition to the rich content, perspective, and sage advice that comprised the rest of the book. Overall, I found the author and this book to be both incredibly endearing and equally helpful. Recommended for anyone who wants to tell a better story and who wants to learn from one of the best in the game!
As the author says several times, “The most powerful person in the world will always be the storyteller.” He’s not wrong. And this extremely practical, engaging, entertaining, and full to the brim book of real world experience will no doubt help you in your quest to tell a better story. Originally I was going to give this a 4.44 and leave it at 4 stars, but that was until I read the last chapter on becoming a better writer. As simple as it was, it provided some really outstanding ideas for honing your craft as well as practical solutions for very common obstacles in addition to the rich content, perspective, and sage advice that comprised the rest of the book. Overall, I found the author and this book to be both incredibly endearing and equally helpful. Recommended for anyone who wants to tell a better story and who wants to learn from one of the best in the game!
June 28, 2025
📕 Why (Not) to read this book (Target Audience)
Great book for getting started on stories, contains all the essential parts for a quick start.
👀 How this book changed my daily live (Takeaways)
The best stories work with Attention and release (Sparkle lines)
⁉ Spoiler Alerts (Highlights)
1. The hook: what if, the Log line: Elevator Pitch
a. Hero
b. Goal
c. Obstacles
d. Transformation
2. Personal transformation: Promise of change, Character Arc
a. We look at relatable characters for adaption (social learning)
3. Connecting: Know your audience
4. Authenticity: characters should have flaws
5. Structure
a. 3 parts: setup (inciting incident), progressive complications , payoff
b. Storyspine: https://sketchplanations.com/the-stor...
6. Heroes
1. Small act of kindness make the hero likable: safe the cat
A villain can also be likeable, due to a superseding villain
Great book for getting started on stories, contains all the essential parts for a quick start.
👀 How this book changed my daily live (Takeaways)
The best stories work with Attention and release (Sparkle lines)
⁉ Spoiler Alerts (Highlights)
1. The hook: what if, the Log line: Elevator Pitch
a. Hero
b. Goal
c. Obstacles
d. Transformation
2. Personal transformation: Promise of change, Character Arc
a. We look at relatable characters for adaption (social learning)
3. Connecting: Know your audience
4. Authenticity: characters should have flaws
5. Structure
a. 3 parts: setup (inciting incident), progressive complications , payoff
b. Storyspine: https://sketchplanations.com/the-stor...
6. Heroes
1. Small act of kindness make the hero likable: safe the cat
A villain can also be likeable, due to a superseding villain
October 21, 2019
You'll be familiar with what Matt Luhn has to say in "The Best Story Wins" if you've read Creativity, Inc. He and Ed shared many of the same strategies for fostering a creative culture in your business. What Matt brings to the table are lots of personal anecdotes and other example stories that illustrate the various points of story-telling he is explaining. The content is pretty good, giving a great resource for how to put together a story in any situation you're in--both quick and thorough. Clocking in at 164 pages, I breezed through this book in two sittings!
His weakness lies in the variety of example sources. He hammers the "Steve Jobs was a great example of this" line a couple times too many, in my opinion.
But his point still stands: if you want to create connection, if you want to be memorable, if you want to persuade action out of others, story must be involved.
His weakness lies in the variety of example sources. He hammers the "Steve Jobs was a great example of this" line a couple times too many, in my opinion.
But his point still stands: if you want to create connection, if you want to be memorable, if you want to persuade action out of others, story must be involved.
January 13, 2024
A short, interesting book by Pixar-alum Matthew Luhn on how to use Storytelling for work. Luhn clearly knows his craft, he uses compelling examples from his time at Pixar and his own lifestory to convey the messages im the book. The book goes on to break up the different aspects of storytelling and explains how professionals can use the concepts of storytelling in their day to day lives, from building successful products, to even delivering pitches. I found the book to be extremely useful, and the highlight for me was its concise yet clear delivery.
November 27, 2025
Little about business but still a good read
This was not what I expected but it was still a good and quick read. The benefits are storytelling are not lost on me and I could essentially skim through that. Most of the book is about how to write good stories but there is no direct link to how I would firm or use that kind of story in my day-to-day life. That is what I was hoping for.
That said, the book is a good read and it was a good companion to Bird by Bird.
This was not what I expected but it was still a good and quick read. The benefits are storytelling are not lost on me and I could essentially skim through that. Most of the book is about how to write good stories but there is no direct link to how I would firm or use that kind of story in my day-to-day life. That is what I was hoping for.
That said, the book is a good read and it was a good companion to Bird by Bird.
January 7, 2020
Very light read, simple use of language, real life examples providing a nice guide/steps to becoming a great storyteller. Not just applicable to writers/copywriters or professionals but also highly useful for people who struggle with presenting a story (interesting or trivial) to their social circle.
June 15, 2022
Great insights
Great insights into humanity and the way we think and interact. Love his practical tips on using the art of storytelling to connect both on a personal level and in business. I listened to this with Alexa and her reading is a bit choppy and lacks inflection so that is affecting the missing 5th star in my rating.
Great insights into humanity and the way we think and interact. Love his practical tips on using the art of storytelling to connect both on a personal level and in business. I listened to this with Alexa and her reading is a bit choppy and lacks inflection so that is affecting the missing 5th star in my rating.
March 16, 2025
Fun, easy, and quick way to learn about the art of storytelling from a Pixar animator. I had the opportunity to learn from Matthew Luhn at a conference and it was nothing short of amazing. Anyone can gain knowledge from this book and it's fun to learn how some of your favorite Pixar stories took shape!
September 20, 2018
A business storytelling classic!
If you want to truly learn what it takes to tell a great story, whether it's for your company, for your nonprofit, for your institution or just for your family, read this book starting today!
If you want to truly learn what it takes to tell a great story, whether it's for your company, for your nonprofit, for your institution or just for your family, read this book starting today!
December 20, 2018
An quintessential book on constructing a influential and memorable narrative. Matthew’s Pixar experience absolutely pierces through with his methods of constructing a well told story. I’ve never read something that was so accessible. Game changer.
January 24, 2019
Enjoyed it, not sure if it the info within is immediately useful to me right now but can totally see myself re-reading this in a few years. I love telling stories and this at least has a first semester’s-worth of basic storytelling wisdom.
June 30, 2024
Short, breezy, easy read.
Some great examples from some great movies that Matthew has worked on from the Pixar slate.
Lessons may be familiar and things that you've heard before but put together nicely.
Some great examples from some great movies that Matthew has worked on from the Pixar slate.
Lessons may be familiar and things that you've heard before but put together nicely.
January 21, 2019
A breezy read on the importance of telling good stories, with lots of practical advice. The author was with Pixar for decades, and worked on The Simpsons, among other projects. Recommended.
April 13, 2019
Helped me greatly in engaging readers, listeners, and clients with my stories. Hans Scheil Author of The Complete Cardinal Guide To Retirement CardinalGuide.com
July 1, 2020
Great way to introduce yourself to storytelling following an industry leader and high skilled professional. Very smooth read.
November 8, 2021
There are a few good golden nuggets in here. I would just be more interested in an autobiography of this author's career than a watered down version of "Save the Cat"
March 17, 2022
Lots of helpful things to consider when crafting or telling a story!
December 31, 2022
I especially loved the personal stories the author tells and his perspective on how storytelling is so important I’m not only our businesses but everyday life.
June 1, 2023
Nice quick read.
June 12, 2023
I really liked this slightly different perspective on how to tell a story. Easy to read and follow.
September 23, 2023
Easy and engaging read on storytelling, has all the basics for how to tell a good story.
July 26, 2024
Great tips. I will reference back to this book and plan to use the exercises.
October 18, 2024
Charming, short read.
December 16, 2024
May read again. Good nuggets of wisdom.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews