Devin A. Brown

I’ve spent 1000s of hours studying the top storytellers in the world. People like Tolkien, Rowling and Gaiman. Here’s what I learned: *** "What happens next?" Neil Gaiman says you can sum up great storytelling with those 3 words. They should be the first thing a reader (or listener) says if the story is stopped at any point. *** Start with the end in mind What do you want the outcome of your story to be? • Reader falling in love with a character • Customer buying a product • Friend laughing hilariously • Investor giving you money If you start with the end in mind, the intro and middle naturally funnel to that target. *** Shape your story Humans gravitate to structure. Luckily there are tons to wrap around your story: • Hero’s Journey • StoryBrand • Three Act The goal of a story structure is to let the characters shine through. The attached image is the actual plot outline JK Rowling created for the 5th Harry Potter. *** Lead with action Most people amble on in backstory for 10 minutes. This is a waste of time. Find the interesting parts of your story, jump right to it, and provide as little backstory as possible. *** “But, therefore” The creators of South Park use a simple heuristic. If the word “And” fits into the transitions in your story, it’s probably boring. Aim to use more “But” or “Therefore.” They imply conflict, change, and tension. *** Build a world Tolkien said: “The story maker proves a successful sub-creator. They make a secondary world which your mind can enter.” A few tips to create your world: • Use rituals • Define its laws • Create shared language (you don’t need to create a brand new language like Tolkien did!) Think about all the words you learned from the Harry Potter world: muggle, the spells, dementor, and many more. Storytelling is how you introduce people to the world you’ve built. *** Slow down Before your story’s climax, pause to force your audience to lean in. When speaking, stop talking for 3 seconds. When writing, make your paragraphs longer, add more sensory details, and layer on the drama. Force your audience to hang on to every word. *** Build to one moment The entire story should be designed to amplify one moment. But what is the moment about? Change — I once was this, but now I’m this. *** Develop your own creative process JK Rowling uses outlines. Stephen King doesn’t. Neil Gaiman writes every day. George RR Martin doesn’t. Brandon Sanderson writes best at 11pm. William Faulkner at 9am. The lesson? Do you, but be consistent.