Key Takeaways
- Interview Summary: Sean shares his experiences and insights on storytelling and writing. He also discusses his interview on David Pell’s podcast “How I Write,” which has been highly successful.
Storytelling Principles
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Core Elements of a Story:
- Intention and Obstacle: A compelling story revolves around a character's clear intention and the obstacles they face.
- Five-Second Moment of Change: Great stories hinge on a brief but pivotal moment where a significant change occurs.
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Emotion and Impact:
- Creating Stakes: Even in low-stakes scenarios, it’s crucial to establish what's at stake emotionally for the character.
- Hook and Frame: The initial hook grabs attention, but the frame makes the story relevant and relatable.
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Techniques for Engaging Writing:
- Write Like You Talk: Avoid overly formal or archaic language. Aim for simplicity and clarity.
- Parentheses for Asides: Useful in writing for adding small, engaging comments.
- Dramatic Pauses: Can be replicated in writing through creative formatting like line breaks.
Practical Tips and Insights
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The Binge Bank Concept:
- Stack Material: Create a library of content that can be binge-watched or read, so a curious person can deeply engage with your work and quickly build respect and interest.
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Handling Feedback and Revisions:
- Walk Away Before Editing: Write a draft, then step away for a few hours or even a day before revisiting it with fresh eyes.
- Remove the Suck: Editing should focus on removing elements that detract from the overall flow and impact of the piece.
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Developing Humor:
- Surprise: The core of humor is the element of surprise; set up an expectation and then subvert it.
- Theo Von Exercise: Come up with different, unexpected ways to describe common things, enhancing creativity and humor.
Learning from Others
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Cross-Disciplinary Learning:
- Study Comedians: Writers can greatly benefit from learning storytelling and engagement techniques from comedians.
- Tony Robbins: His storytelling emphasizes emotion and relatability, focusing on painting vivid, relatable pictures.
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Distribution and Engagement:
- Earned Distribution: Consistently produce interesting content to slowly build a trusted audience over time.
- Building Connection: Think of your content in terms of the consistent emotional impact it offers to the audience, much like owning a distinct product.
This guide encapsulates Sean's storytelling philosophies and practical tips for improving writing and engagement, emphasizing the importance of emotion, surprise, and relatable content delivery.