Say goodbye to bland and forgettable messaging. Spice up your campaigns with the magic of formulaic storytelling. Following a proven structure still leaves plenty of room for creative flair and opportunity to connect with your audience. The result? Standout messaging and increased conversions.
Swipe file: 8 spellbinding storytelling formulas
Today, we're going to use an example of Susan. She's an introverted copywriter. A good one that could always get better. Her writing is compelling, but grammatical errors often fail to catch her attention.
Here are the components we're going to use across all the stories.
- Person/object: Susan
- Problem/old norm: Grammatical mistakes in her copy
- Agitated pain: embarrassed, doubtful, and struggling with impostor syndrome during every project
- Challenge: countless projects to be completed.
- Competition endangering their position: seasoned pros with impeccable grammar and attention to detail
- Characteristics that make the hero unique: unrelenting drive to improve and grow
- Catalyst/catalyst: Sam told her he wouldn’t review anything that has grammatical errors in it
- Alternative solutions/reaction: used Grammarly to check her writing and even asked ChatGPT to catch mistakes
- Trials and tribulations: these tools failed to deliver and didn’t catch mistakes either
- Solution: used Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors
- Resolution: Susan's writing was flawless and left competitors in the dust
- New situation: confident to submit her work, like a bada$$ copywriter she knew she could be
Let's take a look at how her story unfolds within each formula.
1. Hero's journey
Introduce [the hero]. Describe [the old norm/problem your hero’s facing]. Offer [the catalyst that propelled the hero into action]. Explain how it led them to look for [alternative solutions] and how these presented further [trials and tribulations]. Present [the solution] and [new situation].
Meet [Susan, a great copywriter who could always be better]. Usually, [her writing was compelling but grammatical errors often failed to catch her attention]. Then, [Sam told her he wouldn’t review anything that had grammatical errors in it]. Anxious and determined to perform, she [used Grammarly to check her writing and even asked ChatGPT to catch mistakes]. But [these tools failed to deliver and didn’t catch mistakes], making her believe there is no solution to the situation. Finally, when she [started using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors], she felt [confident to submit her work, like a bada$$ copywriter she knew she could be].
2. Pixar story spine formula
Once upon a time, there was [character]. Every day, [routine]. One day, [catalyst]. Because of that, [solution]. Until finally, [resolution]. And ever since then, [new situation].
Once upon a time, there was [Susan, a great copywriter who could always be better]. Every day, [her writing was compelling but grammatical errors often failed to catch her attention]. One day, [Sam told her he won’t review anything that has grammatical errors in it]. Because of that, [started using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors]. Finally, [Susan's writing was flawless and left competitors in the dust]. And ever since then, she felt [confident to submit her work, like a bada$$ copywriter she knew she could be].
3. PAS (problem, agitate, solve)
Identify [your hero and their problem], describe [agitated pain], and offer [the perfect solution] and [the new situation].
[Susan is a great copywriter but grammatical errors often fail to catch her attention].This makes her feel [embarrassed, doubtful, and struggling with impostor syndrome during every project]. Until she [started using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors], which made her [confident to submit her work, like a bada$$ copywriter she knew she could be].
4. Future pacing
Let them imagine [the resolution]… Help them feel [the new situation]… Show them how to make it happen with [solution]…
Imagine [your writing was so flawless, it leaves competitors in the dust]. You feel [confident to submit your work, like a bada$$ copywriter you know you could be]. This can be a reality if you [start using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors] in your writing.
5. In media res
Drop your audience into the heart of the action. Start with [challenges]. Describe the [new situation]. Offer [solution].
Bombarded by [countless projects on her to-do list]. Susan felt [confident to submit her work, like the bada$$ copywriter she knew she could be]. This is because she [used Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors].
6. Before and after
Showcase a stunning transformation. Introduce [the hero and their problem]. Every time, [describe the challenge and showcase agitated pain]. But then, introduce [solution]. Describe [the new situation].
Meet [Susan is a great copywriter but grammatical errors often fail to catch her attention]. Every time, she had [countless projects on her to-do list] she felt [embarrassed, doubtful, and struggled with impostor syndrome]. But then, she [started using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors], and she became [confident to submit her work, like a bada$$ copywriter she knew she could be].
7. The underdog story
Introduce [the hero and their problem]. In a world full of [describe the competition endangering their position]. But thanks to her [introduce characteristics that make the hero unique], she defied the odds and [offer resolution] thanks to [solution].
[Susan is a great copywriter but grammatical errors often failed to catch her attention]. In a world full of [seasoned pros with impeccable grammar and attention to detail, she feared losing her clients]. But thanks to her [unrelenting drive to improve and grow], she defied the odds and transformed her writing into [flawless work that left competitors in the dust] thanks to [using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors].
8. The storm
Set the [scene with your hero in their usual environment]… Introduce [a catalyst/crisis]… To avoid [escape the worst-case scenario at the last moment], [introduce a solution]…
[Susan is a great copywriter but grammatical errors often fail to catch her attention]. Then, all of a sudden, she was facing a crisis—[Sam told her he won’t review anything that has grammatical errors in it]. To avoid [losing all her clients], [she started using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors].
W.W.R.D.?
- Use the Underdog story template for your next client email.
- Introduce [the hero and their problem]. In a world full of [describe the competition endangering their position]. But thanks to her [introduce characteristics that make the hero unique], she defied the odds and [offer resolution] thanks to [solution].
[Susan is a great copywriter but grammatical errors often fail to catch her attention]. In a world full of [seasoned pros with impeccable grammar and attention to detail, she feared losing her clients]. But thanks to her [unrelenting drive to improve and grow], she defied the odds and transformed her writing into [flawless work that left competitors in the dust] thanks to [using Hey Rebekah AI to catch grammatical errors].
About Susan Rov
Susan traded cocktails and lattes for words that move. As a copywriter on a mission to end boring, she brightens brands and makes an impact. Number 463 on the list of fiction readers left standing, you'll find Susan at sunrise—running, writing, and wondering how to change the world next. That drive led her to become a founding team member of BRIL.LA.