Nathan Baugh’s Post

A story structure you can use on LinkedIn: Going from writing 75,000-word books to 240-character tweets (pre-Elon) kicked my butt. It’s a different type of storytelling. Plus, I: • Had no network • Didn’t get psychology • Knew nada about copywriting And that meant my first few months writing on the internet were brutal. Recently, I changed my approach for one reason. Storytelling is rooted in transformation. No transformation, no story. But how the heck do you fit that in a tweet? A LinkedIn post? An email? So, I dedicated quite a bit of time to create what I call “Micro Storytelling.” It’s a combo of storytelling principles and two copywriting formulas: • Before - After - Bridge • Attention - Interest - Desire - Action Together, copywriting and storytelling help you get attention, keep attention, and turn that attention into something valuable. Here’s the 5 steps to create a Micro Story: 1. Before 2. After 3. Bridge 4. Lesson 5. Action BABLA. I tried so hard to make it a better acronym. But here we are… let’s agree to call it “Micro Storytelling.” 1. Tell people about the Before Introduce the Before state. Where you’ve been, how you thought, the argument you’re about to lay waste to. 2. Juxtapose the After (or the “desired future”) In short-form storytelling, juxtaposition becomes your best friend. Put unrelated or opposing ideas next to each other and you simultaneously: • Create tension • Form open loops • But keep the solution hidden At this point, the reader’s begging you to show them the bridge. 3. Bridge the gap (this is the “transformation”) You’ve opened the loop. Now, it’s time to close it. Tell your reader how you went from “Before” to “After.” The bridge is your unique perspective. 4. Share the Lesson, the “so what” Bridges need foundations. What are your takeaways? Why did you care about the Before, After, and Bridge? What should your reader do about it? This is the step I used to skip. But without it, the story lacks its conclusion. My friend Jay Acunzo says to shoot for a “that’s the thing about” moment here. Share your non-obvious takeaways. 5. You’ve inspired desire, now ask for the Action People see themselves in stories. When you connect steps 1-4, you create a desire in the right person reading. They want the transformation for themselves. Present a way for them to take that step. Tldr: I’m not a big template guy. Instead, focus on the psychology of short-form storytelling. • Juxtaposition to create conflict and interest • Transformation to illicit desire and intention • Lessons to show confidence and conviction Writing on the internet isn't about trends or virality. It’s about resonating with people. And to do that, tell a story. The rest will come. *** Most storytelling advice sucks. But the good stuff is worth its weight in gold. I put together a list of the 25 best tactics and resources to help you become a better storyteller. You can grab that here → https://lnkd.in/dRppPN-y

A story structure you can use on LinkedIn: Going from writing 75,000-word books to 240-character tweets (pre-Elon) kicked my butt. It’s a different type of storytelling. Plus, I: • Had no network • Didn’t get psychology • Knew nada about copywriting That meant my first months writing on the internet were brutal. Recently, I changed my approach for one reason. Storytelling is rooted in transformation. No transformation, no story. But how the heck do you fit that in a tweet? A LI post? An email? So, I dedicated time to create what I call “Micro Storytelling.” It’s a combo of storytelling principles and 2 copywriting formulas: • Before - After - Bridge • Attention - Interest - Desire - Action Together, copywriting and storytelling help you get attention, keep attention, and turn that attention into value. Here’s the 5 steps to create a Micro Story: 1. Before 2. After 3. Bridge 4. Lesson 5. Action BABLA. I tried so hard to make it a better acronym. But here we are… let’s agree to call it “Micro Storytelling.” 1. Tell people about the Before Introduce the Before state. Where you’ve been, how you thought, the argument you’re about to lay waste to. 2. Juxtapose the After (or the “Desired Future”) In short-form storytelling, juxtaposition becomes your best friend. Put opposing ideas next to each other and you simultaneously: • Create tension • Form open loops • But keep the solution hidden At this point, the reader’s begging you to show them the bridge. 3. Bridge the gap (this is the “Transformation”) You’ve opened the loop. Now, it’s time to close it. Tell your reader how you went from Before to After. 4. Share the Lesson, the “So What” Bridges need foundations. What are your takeaways? Why did you care about the Before, After, and Bridge? Why should your reader care? This is the step I used to skip. But without it, the story lacks its conclusion. Share your non-obvious takeaways. Share your perspective. Share your opinions. Share whatever you can share that nobody else can. 5. You’ve inspired desire, now ask for the Action People see themselves in stories. When you connect steps 1-4, you create desire in the right person. They want the transformation for themselves. Present a way for them to take that step. Tldr: I’m not a big template guy. Instead, focus on the psychology of short-form storytelling. • Juxtaposition to create conflict and interest • Transformation to illicit desire and intention • Lessons to show confidence and conviction Writing on the internet isn't about trends, algos or virality. It’s about resonating with people. And to do that, become a great writer and storyteller. The rest will come. And if you want to become a better storyteller, join Storytelling: Zero to One. It's my new course covering the 5 foundational skills to help you master tactical, real-life storytelling. It disappears Sunday night. Hit the 'visit my website' in my bio to learn more. That's the Ask for Action piece ^

A story structure you can use on LinkedIn: Going from writing 75,000-word books to 240-character tweets (pre-Elon) kicked my butt. It’s a different type of storytelling. Plus, I: • Had no network • Didn’t get psychology • Knew nada about copywriting And that meant my first few months writing on the internet were brutal. Recently, I changed my approach for one reason. Storytelling is rooted in transformation. No transformation, no story. But how the heck do you fit that in a tweet? A LinkedIn post? An email? So, I dedicated quite a bit of time to create what I call “Micro Storytelling.” It’s a combo of storytelling principles and two copywriting formulas: • Before - After - Bridge • Attention - Interest - Desire - Action Together, copywriting and storytelling help you get attention, keep attention, and turn that attention into something valuable. Here’s the 5 steps to create a Micro Story: 1. Before 2. After 3. Bridge 4. Lesson 5. Action BABLA. I tried so hard to make it a better acronym. But here we are… let’s agree to call it “Micro Storytelling.” 1. Tell people about the Before Introduce the Before state. Where you’ve been, how you thought, the argument you’re about to lay waste to. 2. Juxtapose the After (or the “Desired Future”) In short-form storytelling, juxtaposition becomes your best friend. Put unrelated or opposing ideas next to each other and you simultaneously: • Create tension • Form open loops • But keep the solution hidden At this point, the reader’s begging you to show them the bridge. 3. Bridge the gap (this is the “Transformation”) You’ve opened the loop. Now, it’s time to close it. Tell your reader how you went from Before to After. 4. Share the Lesson, the “So What” Bridges need foundations. What are your takeaways? Why did you care about the Before, After, and Bridge? What should your reader do about it? This is the step I used to skip. But without it, the story lacks its conclusion. Share your non-obvious takeaways. Share your perspective. Share your opinions. Share whatever you can share that nobody else can. 5. You’ve inspired desire, now ask for the Action People see themselves in stories. When you connect steps 1-4, you create desire in the right person. They want the transformation for themselves. Present a way for them to take that step. Tldr: I’m not a big template guy. Instead, focus on the psychology of short-form storytelling. • Juxtaposition to create conflict and interest • Transformation to illicit desire and intention • Lessons to show confidence and conviction Writing on the internet isn't about trends, algos or virality. It’s about resonating with people. And to do that, become a great writer and storyteller. The rest will come. --- If you want to become a better storyteller, try my free newsletter with 81,538 others. You’ll get 1 storytelling tip each Saturday morning. Tap the ‘visit my website’ button in my bio to join us.