#99: How to Nail Down Your Story In 3 Simple Sentences

If I asked you what your story was about, could you sum it up in a few sentences and tell me all I need to know to want more? Maybe you have too many ideas swimming around your head, and your story is running away from you. Either way, you have a hazy, rambling idea about what your story is all about. That's every story in its early stages. So, in this episode, I want to invite you to do a little exercise in nailing down your story idea in 3 sentences. You'll zero in on:Who your story's about, and what happens to set this person down a path she/he never saw coming;The trouble and complications that follow; andThe payoff or promise the reader can expect by the endBottom line? If you can drill your story down to a few clear, focused sentences, you can write a clear, focused story. This 3-sentence framework  will help you avoid bogging your story down with unnecessary digressions and clutter. You'll know what to keep in. And what to keep out. This will make your first drafts easier to write. Your works in progress easier to revise.  So you can build a story that's a great read.Episode WebsiteLink mentioned in this episode:Free 3-Act WorksheetStructure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end.   Grab your FREE Worksheet here.