Today’s lesson — how to write a good story

You’ll want to refer to this one over and over [The Writer’ s Life]( February 8, 2023 "Predictions show a steady low, You're feeling just the same. But seasons come and seasons go. I'll make you smile again. If you don't believe take me by the hand, Can't you feel you're warming up, yeah, I'm your weatherman." – "Weatherman" (1993) FREE TRAINING: [200] Join us Friday, February 10 at 12 p.m. ET [Grab The Access Instructions Here]( Hi {NAME}, February 12th marks the 30th Anniversary of Groundhog Day, one of my all-time favorite movies. It stars Bill Murray as Phil Connors, the weatherman doomed to repeat the same day over and over again. Since director and co-writer Harold Ramis didn't have a lot of options for a song about a weatherman on the brink of learning a major life lesson … he decided to write an original song himself! Along with the movie's music director, George Fenton, Ramis crafted the tune "Weatherman," featured in the film's opening and end credits. It's the only song Ramis ever wrote, although it's not surprising he could do it … he was a prolific writer and storyteller for over 40 years. Stories, like the many Ramis wrote, play an important part in our culture. They are engaging and compelling, and our brains are hardwired to connect with them. They are rooted in the human condition … with emotions … Making storytelling a specialty that requires "human" writers. ;) It creates a huge demand for writers who can weave stories that connect with readers, and keep them engaged to the end. So today, we're going to work on writing better stories, with the guidance of our Senior Copy Chief Sandy Franks. Sandy happens to be one of my favorite storytellers … she is truly gifted at engaging you in anything she writes, and keeping you interested from start to finish. How does she do it? Today she breaks down the three elements of a good story, and gives you direction on how to incorporate them in every story you write … Giving your stories more meaning to your reader … And ultimately, getting them to take action. When you can create stories like those, you can make good money simply from writing two pages of copy. How good? $1,500! With some proper training in this specialty, you can spend your time talking to happy clients and writing "feel-good" customer success stories. These follow a very standardized format, making them quick to learn. And if you decide you want to study how to write these, you can learn from one of the top writers in the world at this. She's already done over 1,200 of them, so she can help you gain crystal clarity on what to do and how to do it. Plus, she has so much work that she may end up sending client referrals your way! When you join her live training, you'll get hands-on practice, feedback on your work, a professional sample, and Certification proving you have what it takes. So now's your chance to join a small group of writers who want to learn this fast … so you can be earning $1,500 a project in just a few short weeks. [Check out the details today.]( Now, over to you, Sandy, for our #minicopywritinglesson! [Rebecca Matter’ s signature] Rebecca CLOSING: Only Accepting New Writers Until Midnight Tonight! Get accepted into the Barefoot Writer Club by MIDNIGHT tonight to claim your "Getting Started" writing gifts, worth $363 – FREE! You're a good fit for the Barefoot Writer Club if … - You enjoy writing. - You want to make great money doing it. - You want control over what you write about and who you write for. But hurry … You only have until midnight tonight! [Get Accepted Here]( 3 Elements of a Story That's Just Too Good to Put Down By Sandy Franks [Laptop with Story in block letters on screen] We crave them … in fact, we can't wait to read or listen to one. And when we're finished, we feel good. I'm talking about stories. The reason we react so well to a good story is because our brains are wired for them. Literally. Princeton Neuroscience Professor Uri Hasson, who has been researching and studying how the brain works since 2004, says "a story is the only way to activate parts in the brain so that a listener turns the story into their own idea and experience." When you can get your reader to feel this way, there's a higher chance they'll read much of what you've written … all the way to the point where you ask them to take some action … such as hitting the buy button or "clicking here" for more details. But it's more than just a feeling you create with the story you are sharing with your reader … Scientists have also found that certain chemicals such as dopamine, cortisol, and oxytocin are released when we read or hear a good story. And those chemicals are often associated with happiness and trust. This matters because when a reader trusts what you say, it reduces the "buyer anxiety" they experience, making them more inclined to buy. But how do you actually write a story that moves a reader to action while at the same time kicking in all those brain chemicals? Good thing you asked! There are three elements that make a story just too good to put down … It needs to be unique, captivating, and emotional. Let me walk you through each one of these, so you better understand how to write a good story … Story Element #1 — Unique: It almost goes without saying that the more unique you make your story, the more it will stand out to the reader. Think of it like this … the person you are writing to is desperately looking for something different. No one … not your reader, not even yourself, wants to waste time reading a piece of content or copy that seems like something they've read about in a hundred other places. Instead they crave something new … something different … something distinctive. For you as a writer, there's only one way to come up with a unique story and that's through research. Research is what leads you to an unusual statistic, an interesting piece of history, or what legendary copywriter Don Mahoney called a "golden nugget" … a bit of information that really pops off the page. Story Element #2 — Captivating: As you search for your "golden nugget," what you're looking for is something that is both relevant and meaningful to your target audience. This means the research you do should be in niches directly related to what you are selling. For instance, if you are writing about alternative health supplements, you'll want to read through a lot of material on the subject matter. That might include scientific studies, books, case studies, specific websites, newspaper articles, etc. You'll not only be uncovering relevant information, but you'll also become well-versed in the product. And the deeper understanding you have of the product you are ultimately selling (yes, even if you're writing content!), the more persuasive your writing becomes. But you'll also want to do research in places where your target audience hangs out … The internet is filled with communities and forums of all sorts. And it's here you'll discover the questions, concerns, and comments … you'll literally see the conversations your prospect is having about the problem, product, or service. You'll even pick up on the language they use, which you can infuse into your copy as well. Another tip that helps make the story you are telling relevant to your prospect is using the word YOU. As Dale Carnegie once said, "Remember that a person's name, is to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language." Story Element #3 — Emotional: One of the best ways to make a story emotional is to show your prospect how they overcome obstacles and challenges using the product or service you are selling. Some call it the "zero to hero" technique. You can do this by using a customer testimonial, but you're telling readers how this person's life changed after they used the product. Maybe they were struggling to lose weight, something they'd dealt with for years. They tried all kinds of methods, but nothing seemed to work … that is, until they tried this particular weight loss product. And the pounds melted away like snow on a hot, sunny day. Now they're in better shape and feel good too. To use a customer testimonial in this way, you have to include the details. How long did they struggle? Did they feel depressed or was their health declining? How long did it take before they saw results? And what is their health condition now? By adding the specific details, you bring the story to life. But you're also making it easy for the reader to see themselves in that situation. (This is why [case studies are so darn effective](!) And when this happens, you know those happy brain chemicals are activated and your prospect is more likely to ultimately buy. Of course, the more times that happens, the more sales you make for your client, which makes them happy too. And that sets off a chain reaction … Because when your client is happy with the results of your copy, they'll want you to write more often. And the more you write, the more money you make. Which makes you happy too! Learn the art of storytelling in your copy and content and you'll see a dramatic increase in your income. If you're looking for a way to start making money writing stories, I highly recommend you [learn to write case studies](. Along with getting paid $1,500 to write these short, fun, two-page stories … you'll set yourself up to write other effective copy and content in the future. I like to think of case studies as the ultimate way to "earn while you learn" to write meaningful and impactful stories. [See what I mean here.]( In just a few short weeks, you can be Certified, proving you've mastered this valuable skill. And either way, practice the three elements I gave you above the next time you write a story. I guarantee it will be more engaging and effective at connecting with the reader. What's Hot at AWAI … 👀 CLOSING SOON: [Grab our Case Study Certification here!]( 🤗 [Read some of AWAI's best case studies and get inspired!]( 🤔 [Is AI about to replace human writers?]( 🙌 [Writing before-and-after stories of hope and possibility.]( 🤩 [Colorado man's winning recession recovery plan.]( You can do it! [Social media post about landing a business meeting while still working through Barefoot Writer and AWAI programs] Sarah, getting a meeting while still working through your programs is a great win! And remember, you can always lean on us at AWAI and your [Barefoot Writer]( community to support you along the way. Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! Your ALL-ACCESS Key — Just $1! Get instant access to this exclusive B2B writing community and ALL their private resources, including … All the success roadmaps … All the writing templates … All the articles … All the how-to videos … All 150+ training webinars … The Forum, the Job Board, the tutorials, the tools … And much more! [Go Here For More Details]( Featured Jobs You can find these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](: --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter — JBC Full-time, Remote Disseminate the brands distinct and authentic voice through consistent and authentic storytelling across all consumer touchpoints. --------------------------------------------------------------- Sr Copywriter — Universal Orlando Full-time, Orlando, FL The Senior Writer is an experienced conceptual advertising writer with an impressive history of content creation and brand storytelling across broadcast, social, digital, print, and other platforms. --------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Copywriter — Digitas North America Full-time, New York, NY Understand the basics of storytelling and how to bring an idea to life. --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. 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