The Secret to Great Stories (That Most People Miss)

Remember those boring high school essays? You know the ones...

Topic sentence → Supporting facts → Conclusion

yawn 😴

Here's the thing: That structure is about as exciting as watching paint dry. And if you're trying to create content that actually grabs attention? It's completely useless.

But don't worry - I've got something better for you.

Great stories aren't complicated. They only need two things:

1. The Action Sequence

Think of it like a movie playing in someone's head:

A man wakes up.
The house is eerily silent.
He puts his feet on the floor.
Walks to the door.
Descends the stairs.
Still... complete silence.

Notice how your brain is already hungry for what happens next?

That's the power of a simple sequence.

No fancy tricks needed. Just: This → Then this → Then this

2. The "Aha!" Moment

This is where you answer the million-dollar question: "So what?"

It's the difference between a random chain of events and a story that makes people think, "Wow, I never saw it that way before."

The best stories? They dance between these two elements:

Action → Meaning → More action → Deeper meaning

Here's Your Story Recipe

• Start with a sequence that pulls people in

• Add moments that make them feel something

• Mix well

Do this right, and you won't just get attention...

You'll get stories that stick.

My good friend, Epaphra is a master in that and he also has an amazing newsletter called Beyond The Story.

Do check it out!

Quick question for you: What's the most memorable story you've heard lately?

Hit reply and let me know!

P.S. My first course on Branding (Tamil) launched last Friday and the response has been tremendous.

Want to learn how branding can reduce your marketing cost? Check out the course.

Until next time,
Shashank

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