Storytelling is the most powerful skill you can learn. And every...
Kieran Drew@ItsKieranDrew
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May 30, 2024
~4 min read
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Storytelling is the most powerful skill you can learn.
And every great story follows the same format.
Here’s an effective framework for you to create an incredibly compelling tale with your content:
And every great story follows the same format.
Here’s an effective framework for you to create an incredibly compelling tale with your content:
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The best businesses don’t sell products or services.
They tell stories that transform their audience. And they're loved for it.
If you’re writing online, you can do the same.
This is the StoryBrand framework 👇
They tell stories that transform their audience. And they're loved for it.
If you’re writing online, you can do the same.
This is the StoryBrand framework 👇
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Every story in a nutshell:
“A character who wants something encounters a problem before they can get it.
Then, a guide steps into their life, gives them a plan and calls them to action.
This action helps avoid failure and ends in transformative success.”
“A character who wants something encounters a problem before they can get it.
Then, a guide steps into their life, gives them a plan and calls them to action.
This action helps avoid failure and ends in transformative success.”
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The Character
This is your audience – and the most important rule of the story:
You are not the hero. Your reader is.
Instead, you’re the guide.
Yoda to Luke. Gandalf to Frodo.
Too many writers focus on themselves and never gain traction.
Don’t lose sight of this lesson.
This is your audience – and the most important rule of the story:
You are not the hero. Your reader is.
Instead, you’re the guide.
Yoda to Luke. Gandalf to Frodo.
Too many writers focus on themselves and never gain traction.
Don’t lose sight of this lesson.
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What They Want
If you want to tell a powerful story, you need to identify the ONE big ambition of your reader.
Strength comes from specificity.
We all desire 2 things:
To survive and thrive.
So, define exactly how your content helps your reader do both.
If you want to tell a powerful story, you need to identify the ONE big ambition of your reader.
Strength comes from specificity.
We all desire 2 things:
To survive and thrive.
So, define exactly how your content helps your reader do both.
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The Problem
Problems have layers, but most focus only on the external.
Your audience will love you for solving internal problems because they dominate our thoughts.
External problems trigger internal states.
Here're examples:
Problems have layers, but most focus only on the external.
Your audience will love you for solving internal problems because they dominate our thoughts.
External problems trigger internal states.
Here're examples:
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Need more money – External
Feeling trapped in 9-5 – Internal
Struggling with bad habit – External
Feeling like a failure – Internal
Can’t get laid – External
Low self-worth – Internal
Drill down to the core and you’ll find the story your reader wants to be told.
Feeling trapped in 9-5 – Internal
Struggling with bad habit – External
Feeling like a failure – Internal
Can’t get laid – External
Low self-worth – Internal
Drill down to the core and you’ll find the story your reader wants to be told.
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Go Deeper
A great tale tackles a problem bigger than the individual.
These ideas unite us. They’re philosophical.
• Money – Everyone deserves freedom
• Habits – Realising our potential
• Dating – Finding the one
Try this:
(within your niche)
Everyone deserves X
A great tale tackles a problem bigger than the individual.
These ideas unite us. They’re philosophical.
• Money – Everyone deserves freedom
• Habits – Realising our potential
• Dating – Finding the one
Try this:
(within your niche)
Everyone deserves X
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The Villain
Ever seen a good story without a bad guy?
Me neither.
We need our Hans Gruber. Voldemort. Sauron.
There are 4 rules behind every great villain:
1. Root cause (anger = result. Government = Cause)
2. Relatable
3. Singular (specificity!)
4. Real
To find yours:
Ever seen a good story without a bad guy?
Me neither.
We need our Hans Gruber. Voldemort. Sauron.
There are 4 rules behind every great villain:
1. Root cause (anger = result. Government = Cause)
2. Relatable
3. Singular (specificity!)
4. Real
To find yours:
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The villain triggers the problem.
Apple’s wild success came from villainising the complexity of computers.
Bitcoin against centralisation.
Trump vs haircuts.
A villain unites against a common cause. This is incredibly powerful.
Apple’s wild success came from villainising the complexity of computers.
Bitcoin against centralisation.
Trump vs haircuts.
A villain unites against a common cause. This is incredibly powerful.
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Yoda
There're a million gurus online, but not many guides.
Here’s how to separate from the noise:
1. Empathy
Make your reader feel seen, heard and understood.
2. Authority
Show how you can help. Stats, results & testimonials.
There're a million gurus online, but not many guides.
Here’s how to separate from the noise:
1. Empathy
Make your reader feel seen, heard and understood.
2. Authority
Show how you can help. Stats, results & testimonials.
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The Plan
The story’s coming together. Next is the plan to get results.
Your content is the journey from A to B.
And to tell the best tale you need to talk about this from two angles:
1. Avoiding failure.
2. Achieving success.
The story’s coming together. Next is the plan to get results.
Your content is the journey from A to B.
And to tell the best tale you need to talk about this from two angles:
1. Avoiding failure.
2. Achieving success.
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Failure
Heard of prospect theory?
Avoiding loss> Achieving gain.
Identify the biggest pain point or you’ll never grab attention.
i.e. being stuck in your 9-5.
But fear is like salt.
Use too much and ruin the meal. Don’t overdo it.
Heard of prospect theory?
Avoiding loss> Achieving gain.
Identify the biggest pain point or you’ll never grab attention.
i.e. being stuck in your 9-5.
But fear is like salt.
Use too much and ruin the meal. Don’t overdo it.
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Success
You might work with words, but your job is to paint pictures.
Show what success means. Tie it into a big desire:
• Status
• Wholeness
• Reaching potential
Never presume your audience knows how the story ends. Tell them.
"Happily ever after"
You might work with words, but your job is to paint pictures.
Show what success means. Tie it into a big desire:
• Status
• Wholeness
• Reaching potential
Never presume your audience knows how the story ends. Tell them.
"Happily ever after"
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Every great story finishes with transformation.
And every great business tells a tale of new identity.
Look at your favourite creators:
• James Clear talks about greatness
• Naval talks about freedom
Tie your story to a transformation and your reader will be hooked.
And every great business tells a tale of new identity.
Look at your favourite creators:
• James Clear talks about greatness
• Naval talks about freedom
Tie your story to a transformation and your reader will be hooked.
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Plato once said, “Those who tell stories rule the world”.
Never has this been more true. Stories are powerful and the internet is only getting busier.
So, run through the framework. Identify each stage.
And then write the story your reader wants to live.
Never has this been more true. Stories are powerful and the internet is only getting busier.
So, run through the framework. Identify each stage.
And then write the story your reader wants to live.
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If you enjoyed this thread and you're interested in online writing and storytelling, give me a follow. I write multiple threads a week on both.
@ItsKieranDrew
@ItsKieranDrew
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The best story to tell is the one you're writing every day.
So I put together a short e-book to help you find what makes you unique online.
Get it here for free:
writersniche.carrd.co
So I put together a short e-book to help you find what makes you unique online.
Get it here for free:
writersniche.carrd.co
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Still here? Fantastic.
If you know anyone who'd benefit from storytelling with their business and writing - I'd appreciate it if you shared this thread.
Just click below and up you go.
If you know anyone who'd benefit from storytelling with their business and writing - I'd appreciate it if you shared this thread.
Just click below and up you go.
Kieran Drew@ItsKieranDrew
Storytelling is the most powerful skill you can learn.
And every great story follows the same format.
Here’s an effective framework for you to create an incredibly compelling tale with your content:
And every great story follows the same format.
Here’s an effective framework for you to create an incredibly compelling tale with your content:
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TL;DR:
If you want an engaged and motivated audience, tell them the story they want to hear.
• Identify the core desire
• Dig deep to find the problem
• Attach it to a villain
• Guide them with a plan
• Paint a picture of failure and success
• Offer transformation
If you want an engaged and motivated audience, tell them the story they want to hear.
• Identify the core desire
• Dig deep to find the problem
• Attach it to a villain
• Guide them with a plan
• Paint a picture of failure and success
• Offer transformation
