For the past two years I've been trying to tell my stories. I learned a lot about what works for me and how to tell a better story. Here's how I do it now, from finding your story to the checks before you post.
Pick one or two. Then build the story for them.
A true feeling and a real detail.
A moment people see themselves or a friend in: your age, quitting, starting over. Shares are how strangers find you. My "starting over in your 40s" reel got about 17 shares for every 1,000 people who saw it.
Something to come back to: a number, a method, a list. "1 thing I wish I knew before I quit" got about 16 saves for every 1,000.
Leave a thread open about you.
A video that moves nobody along this line is a miss, however many views it gets.
Pick what you make. Each one has five questions, a template and two examples. The 7 checks at the end work for all of them.
One rule for every story: join your lines with but or so, never and then.
Most people [the mistake]. I did too: [what happened]. Now I [what you do instead]. [Result, with a number]. Send this to someone who [still does it].
Most people open on something strangers might not know. I did too: my "men at 40" reel opened on Walter Mitty, a film I'm guessing most people haven't seen, and got 1,483 views. Now I open on what anyone gets: my age and the bank job I quit. "I'm 44" opened that way and got 36,096 views. Send this to someone who still opens on an inside joke.
Most people crowd the pan to save time. I did too: my stir-fry came out grey and watery every night. Now I cook the meat in two batches. It browns in 4 minutes instead of stewing for 15. Send this to someone who still makes soggy stir-fry.
Once, I [life before]. Every day, I [routine, with a number]. Until one day, [what changed]. So I [what you did]. But [the surprise]. Now, [where you are].
Once, I worked 20 years with no career break, the last 13 in a bank. Every day, I worked toward a couple of weeks of holiday a year. Until one day, I thought: half my life is gone. So I quit at 42 and drove out, planning 6 months. But 6 months became 2 years and 85,000 km. Now, I'm in Montenegro with my dog Xena.
Once, I worked nights on a hospital ward. Every day, I ran on 4 hours of sleep. Until one day, I nodded off at a red light. So I took a day job at a clinic for less pay. But I didn't miss the money. Now, I'm home for dinner 5 nights a week.
Optional: open with "I'm [age]" if your age is part of the story.
[The moment, one line]. [Time] earlier, I [the plan]. But [what went wrong]. So I [what you did]. [How it ended].
My Defender flipped in the Sahara, and my first thought was: I'm not wearing my seatbelt. Moments earlier, I told the guide I didn't need a spotter, because it was my fourth time up that dune. But it dropped steep over the top, and I picked the wrong side. So I checked I could move my legs, then climbed out. Locals pulled it back up with two cars and a tractor, while tourists on camels took photos.
I'm on a bench at Hanoi station at 2am. Six hours earlier, I planned to take the night train to Sapa. But my ticket was for the next night. So I bought a 6am seat and slept here with my bag tied to my leg. I got to Sapa by 2pm and slept all afternoon.
I was [where, doing what]. [One detail]. But [the surprise]. It made me think [the thought]. When did you last [question]?
I was at a bus stop on my way to work. A kid was explaining Minecraft to his grandma, slowly. But when she asked again, he explained it again, just as slowly. It made me think how fast I talk to my mum. When did you last explain something twice without sighing?
I was at the school gate, waiting for my son. He came out holding a drawing of our family. But in it, I was on my phone. It made me think how many pickups I've spent answering emails. When did you last leave your phone in the car?
I'm building [what]. Because [what wasn't working, with a number]. [What happened]. But [what's still unclear]. So now I'm [the next test].
I'm building my own content engine. Because I posted 47 reels and most sat under 1,000 views. Then a reel called "I'm 44" got 36,096 views. But the same story, opened differently, got 1,793, and I can't say why yet. So now I'm testing one change at a time.
I'm building an online shop for my mugs. Because my sales came from one market, and it rained 4 Saturdays out of 8. My first 12 mugs sold in a week. But I don't know if strangers bought them or my friends. So now I'm running one ad to strangers.
Everyone says [belief]. I think [yours]. Because [what happened, one detail]. So if you [their situation], [what to do]. [Question about their life]?
Everyone says don't compare yourself, everyone has their own timeline. I think comparing yourself is good. Because people my age have kids and a business while I'm kind of lost, and seeing that made me ask what I actually want. So if you are comparing anyway, ask if you even want what they have. Who did you compare yourself to this week?
Everyone says you need an hour at the gym. I think 20 minutes you do beats an hour you skip. Because a mum I train did 20 minutes a day and got her first 10 push-ups. So if you don't have an hour, do 20. What are you putting off until you can do it properly?
The transformation questions are based on the story spine by improv teacher Kenn Adams, made famous by Pixar.
By the first line, does a stranger know who you are and what this is about?
Is there a number, a place or a name in the first 10 seconds?
Does the viewer know what could be lost before the turn?
Is there one "but" line that breaks what they expected?
Is there a moment of nerve, awe, a laugh or fear, shown without naming the feeling?
Is there a line the viewer has to answer about their own life?
Does the end give a reason to share it, save it or come back for the next part?
I'm still testing this. If a test proves a step wrong, I'll change it.
If you want to learn from my mistakes and my new formula, follow along.
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