3 Ways to Start Your Story Strong Storytelling's an important...
Andrew Gould@AndrewWriteCopy
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Apr 11, 2025
~2 min read
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3 Ways to Start Your Story Strong
Storytelling's an important aspect of direct response marketing.
It's a powerful tool to build a relationship with your audience and stand out from your competitors.
So here are the 3 most effective ways to start your stories.
// THREAD //
Storytelling's an important aspect of direct response marketing.
It's a powerful tool to build a relationship with your audience and stand out from your competitors.
So here are the 3 most effective ways to start your stories.
// THREAD //
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1) Time and Place
A simple, reliable method where all you need do is state the time and place of the story.
E.g.:
"I was five years old running around my parent's garden."
And:
"About six months ago I was sat in a McDonald's just outside of Nottingham."
It works because...
A simple, reliable method where all you need do is state the time and place of the story.
E.g.:
"I was five years old running around my parent's garden."
And:
"About six months ago I was sat in a McDonald's just outside of Nottingham."
It works because...
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The time and place immediately set the scene.
They let the reader know this is a story.
And they create anticipation for what you're about to say.
Just make sure you're specific enough that it paints a picture for your readers.
They let the reader know this is a story.
And they create anticipation for what you're about to say.
Just make sure you're specific enough that it paints a picture for your readers.
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2) Dialog
Self-explanatory, open your story with dialog.
For example:
"You've done it again?"
And:
"I'm leaving you."
This works because...
Self-explanatory, open your story with dialog.
For example:
"You've done it again?"
And:
"I'm leaving you."
This works because...
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It's unusual.
It creates curiosity.
The reader wants to know the context and what's going to happen next.
And done well it sets up a conflict for the story to resolve.
Though to be effective the dialog wants to be dramatic.
So don't start with something like:
"Hello."
It creates curiosity.
The reader wants to know the context and what's going to happen next.
And done well it sets up a conflict for the story to resolve.
Though to be effective the dialog wants to be dramatic.
So don't start with something like:
"Hello."
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3) In Media Res
Ignore the fancy Latin term.
This simply means to start in the middle of the action.
For example:
"I came to, saw the bone sticking out of my leg, and passed out again."
And:
"I looked in the mirror and started to cry."
This works because...
Ignore the fancy Latin term.
This simply means to start in the middle of the action.
For example:
"I came to, saw the bone sticking out of my leg, and passed out again."
And:
"I looked in the mirror and started to cry."
This works because...
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There's no warm-up, no waiting for it to get to the action.
You're plunged straight into the thick of it.
It works best with strong imagery highlighting some sort of disaster.
And if needed, you can then go back to the start of the story to provide context.
To sum up...
You're plunged straight into the thick of it.
It works best with strong imagery highlighting some sort of disaster.
And if needed, you can then go back to the start of the story to provide context.
To sum up...
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The three best ways to start a story:
- State the time and place.
- Open with dramatic dialog.
- Cut straight to the action.
- State the time and place.
- Open with dramatic dialog.
- Cut straight to the action.
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Andrew Gould@AndrewWriteCopy
3 Ways to Start Your Story Strong
Storytelling's an important aspect of direct response marketing.
It's a powerful tool to build a relationship with your audience and stand out from your competitors.
So here are the 3 most effective ways to start your stories.
// THREAD //
Storytelling's an important aspect of direct response marketing.
It's a powerful tool to build a relationship with your audience and stand out from your competitors.
So here are the 3 most effective ways to start your stories.
// THREAD //
