Hi, I’m Lindsey. I love helping people discover their superpower, create compelling content, and feel excited about pitching and networking. I teach people how to pitch like a boss, network like a VIP, and write like an Oscar winner. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for actionable creativity and career tips.
Good News or Bad News on the Microstory Rollercoaster
|
Hi A couple of weeks ago, I came across this microstory on Instagram. I couldn't get it out of my mind and wished that I had saved it so I could share it with you. So, I went on an Internet hunt and found it! As the comment below says, this microstory takes you on a rollercoaster blockbuster ride. It is short but compelling, effective and memorable. What makes it so successful? The Unusual FormatThe good news/bad news style of this story pulls you back and forth between happiness and sympathy for the narrator, keeping you on the edge of your seat. You want to know what happens and hope that the narrator ends on good news. Original ToneThe good news/bad news style of storytelling is original and funny. The tone continues with the Tragic Backstory capitalized with a trademark symbol, and a detailed list of why he is not cool. Short and SweetWhile this story is only 121 words, it is filled with specific and clever details. It has a cute girl, tragic backstory, lock picking, unicycles, and a fawn. These details pack a punch! All the FeelsThese details are full of emotion. Emotion is the engine that drives your story. You want to put your characters through lots of emotion to make your audience feel lots of emotion. And we feel it here. He was almost a hero by unlocking the door, but he had showed his true self too many times before to be the cool guy. His emotions of wanting to get the girl, fit in, and be extraordinary are all things everyone feels. We are rooting for this guy even if he has fallen out of several trees. QuestionsA good story doesn't wrap everything up in a bow. It leaves the reader with questions that linger long after the story has finished. These questions are what kept me thinking about this one for weeks after I read it. How has he fallen out of more than one tree? Why did he see a tiny fawn? What happened to it? What kind of workplace is this, anyway? And most importantly, does he ever go on that date with Maggie? Too bad this guy isn't a novelist because I would buy his book. Let this story inspire you!1. When you're working on your project cocktail pitches. This is a great example of the emotion and intrigue you can accomplish with just a few words. 2. What crazy thing happened to you recently that you can turn into a story? Use it as an icebreaker instead of small talk when you meet someone new. Or as a scene in a new project. 3. Try writing something in the good news/bad news format. Hit reply to share what you come up with. In Case You Missed ItHow to Pivot a Speech Disaster Into Success Use Backstory Without Boring Your Readers Cheers, Lindsey Thanks for reading! You can share this article here. |
Hi I'm Lindsey Hughes
Hi, I’m Lindsey. I love helping people discover their superpower, create compelling content, and feel excited about pitching and networking. I teach people how to pitch like a boss, network like a VIP, and write like an Oscar winner. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for actionable creativity and career tips.
Hi Reader, It’s Saturday afternoon. The weather is fine. The to-do list is not. And I’m standing in my kitchen, eyeing a deceptively small box. Inside it? A flat-packed wine rack with approximately 347 tiny screws, a vaguely smug Allen wrench, and instructions that may or may not be translated from ancient runes. Now, for some people, assembling furniture is no big deal. They thrive on it. They hear “some assembly required” and smile like it’s game night. I am not one of those people....
Hi Reader, Part 2 Continued from last week’s excerpt of Becca Syme on the BookFunnel Podcast More from Becca Syme on how to strengthen your outlook to deal with industry disruption. You got this! The Wheel Keeps Spinning "But there are so many things that motivate us that we do not understand and know. We think we're in charge of so many more of our choices than we really are. Roughly only 5% of our choices are under our control on a daily basis. We think it's so much closer to 100. And so...
Hi Reader, Excerpts from Becca Syme on the BookFunnel Podcast Recently Becca Syme was on the BookFunnel Podcast talking about how authors can ride the wave of disruption happening in the publishing industry. She calls it playing the rules of the game. I thought what she had to say was insightful and helpful, so I have excerpted some of the podcast here. What she says also applies to screenwriters and the entertainment industry. Disruption is never fun. I know some of you are struggling and I...