25 million people, every single year, download Shaan Puri’s podcast. What has Shaan figured out about storytelling? He spilled the beans in our new chat. Here's how he does it: 1. A story is a five second moment of change. A story is not a sequence of events; it's about transformation. Weave in U-turns and unexpected flips. 2. Write like you talk. Natural, conversational, led by stories. 3. A formula for a great story: Intention + Obstacle. At all moments, the listener should know what the hero wants and what's stopping them from getting there. This one's from Aaron Sorkin, who wrote The Social Network. 4. Work backwards from the emotion you're trying to create in the reader. Then let the structure follow. 5. Aim for strong reactions. If you can get the reader to widen their eyes, raise their eyebrows, and/or burst out laughing, they will share your work. 6. Don't write to the faceless masses. Write to one specific person. BuzzFeed writers used to write to "Debbie at her Desk," the bored woman at her desk who wanted a 5-minute distraction. 7. “Likeability” is downstream of vulnerability. The more honestly you share your challenges, the more invested your reader gets. Write your heart out. 8. Don't be the 9,000 IQ guy. Stop competing in imaginary intelligence contests and start telling stories. Big words alienate but tight narratives pull people in. 9. Forget resumes and portfolios. Create a “binge bank” instead. A binge bank is a set of videos or essays that people can binge on. Stack up material so that when people do go down your rabbit hole, they come out the other side a fan. 10. Mere practice gets you nowhere. But intentional practice leads to exponential progress. Always learn from your attempts and make intelligent tweaks on the next try. 11. Comedy is great, but definitely don't make every sentence a joke. 12. Comedy is a pretty easy way to improve your writing. The essence of all comedy is surprise. Study your favorite comedians. Read books like How to Write Funny and The Hidden Tools of Comedy. 13. For better storytelling, Shaan recommends two books: Storyworthy and Building a Storybrand. 14. How to make headlines juicy: use specific and odd numbers, focus on the first three words and the last three words, use "you" whenever possible, and know that longer is typically better than shorter. 15. Your writing should only be as long as it is interesting. An uninteresting 20 second reel will fail; an interesting 30-minute essay will win. But you must be honest while gauging how objectively interesting your piece is…in a world with infinite content. 16. Most people think writing is about transferring information but writing is just as much about transferring emotion. Emotion gets people to take action (like, share, buy…).
What resonated with me most the way you breakdown idea's and leave breadcrumbs for us to follow. Such as mentioning the name of the book storyworthy. And the book A technique for producing Ideas. And mentioning Paul Graham. All of these are bread crumbs that one can follow and feed on to become better at writing , ideas and Storytelling. All of which I will consume!! Thank you!!
It's hard to pick, you are full of gold nuggets! This is the kind of writing advice I'll be coming back to again and again. I will be checking out The Boron Letters asap.
A Simple Formula for Storytelling Aaron Sorkin, the man behind The Social Network, has a tried-and-true method that you can try out next time you're trying to entertain your friends. Intention + Obstacle = Good Stories Whoever's listening to your story should always be able to answer two questions: What does the hero want? What's stopping them from getting it? The combination of intention and obstacle gives stories the tension and conflict that lead to suspense and keep people invested in your story. Your characters shouldn't passively react to the events around them. No, they should be in active pursuit of something. Sometimes, the obstacles are internal ones (like self-doubt or moral dilemmas). Sometimes, they're external ones (like villains or social pressure). Two examples from Sorkin's movies: 1) The Social Network: Zuck wants to create a big-time social network, but he's stuck in legal disputes. 2) Moneyball: Billy Beane wants to build a championship baseball team, but resistance comes in the form of a tight budget and skepticism from the people around him. These examples are why Sorkin says: "I worship at the altar of intention and obstacle."
When Shaan mentions only writing for his young grasshopper (01:07:00) it reminded me of two others who use a similar strategy. 1. Kurt Vonnegut - famously in his writing rules he instructs to only write for one person. If not, he warned, you could fall into the trap of “making love to the world and your story getting syphylus.” 2. Warren Buffet - when writing his annual shareholder letter he starts by writing “Dear Doris and Bertie” (his two sisters and holders of Berkshire stock). That way he knows he’s being direct and not over complicated.
This is brilliant. My favorite episode yet. David, the way you distill ideas so quickly is great (have found the Shiny Dime challenge invaluable!). Looking forward to checking out Shaan's work.
I hope people are paying attention to what Dave Perrow does in some of these interviews. In particular, this interview where he's kind of shadowing what Shan is saying. So you hear him, you know, after Shaan has talked about an idea, he would go over it again. More like he's mirroring what Shaan is saying so that he can grasp the idea even better. Because the more you say something, the more it sticks. And so Dave is trying to learn while interviewing. You can see him actively learning while interviewing his guest, Shaan. It's a very powerful technique for printing things into the memory so that you can always record them later in the future.
58:37 I think part of the way they come together, is by putting the ideas on paper, then taking a break and later editing. By splitting that work up, I think it allows for both parts of the process to be maximized.
I absolutely love what you're doing, David! I love your approach too, where you ask different professionals about their techniques. There's absolutely no podcaster out there who has the same approach! Keep up the great work! 👏👏👏
🎯 Key points for quick navigation: 01:42:51 *📺 Diversifying learning sources improves character development in storytelling.* 01:43:19 *🗒️ Teaching consistent writing formats can streamline the writing process for newsletters.* 01:44:43 *😂 Adding relatable humor can enhance reader engagement and create a positive tone.* 01:46:04 *🗣️ Writing should reflect authentic personal interest to resonate better with the audience.* 01:47:02 *📧 Using voice memos as a filter can help determine if a topic is interesting before writing.* 01:48:23 *🤣 Surprising and humorous elements can make content more memorable and engaging.* Made with HARPA AI
It was such a interesting and mind boggling podcast ... The value thats been provided is huge.. Relevant questions were asked to get the most out of conversation and also the way each and everything was deconstructed to make it understand was phenomenal🎉 I must say this was one of its kind in this field ✨✨
@RichEdwards We use boom mics and get them fairly close. The secret is taking a still image of the set right after recording without mics in the shot so that we can hide them in post production!
Know Your Audience: Understand who you're speaking to and tailor your story accordingly. Consider their interests, knowledge level, and what resonates with them. Structure Matters: A compelling story typically has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Establish the setting and characters, build tension or conflict, and provide resolution. Emotion and Authenticity: Connect with your audience on an emotional level by sharing personal experiences or tapping into universal human emotions. Authenticity builds trust and engagement.
Weird to see Shaan with pants. I don't mean it in a weird way, but if you are here from MFM, it's easy to forget that he has legs. Or maybe it's just me...
Could you not relate to anything he said about his own writing? If not I would guess you don’t write anything, and are only thinking about wanting to write stuff.
25 million people, every single year, download Shaan Puri’s podcast. What has Shaan figured out about storytelling?
He spilled the beans in our new chat. Here's how he does it:
1. A story is a five second moment of change. A story is not a sequence of events; it's about transformation. Weave in U-turns and unexpected flips.
2. Write like you talk. Natural, conversational, led by stories.
3. A formula for a great story: Intention + Obstacle. At all moments, the listener should know what the hero wants and what's stopping them from getting there. This one's from Aaron Sorkin, who wrote The Social Network.
4. Work backwards from the emotion you're trying to create in the reader. Then let the structure follow.
5. Aim for strong reactions. If you can get the reader to widen their eyes, raise their eyebrows, and/or burst out laughing, they will share your work.
6. Don't write to the faceless masses. Write to one specific person. BuzzFeed writers used to write to "Debbie at her Desk," the bored woman at her desk who wanted a 5-minute distraction.
7. “Likeability” is downstream of vulnerability. The more honestly you share your challenges, the more invested your reader gets. Write your heart out.
8. Don't be the 9,000 IQ guy. Stop competing in imaginary intelligence contests and start telling stories. Big words alienate but tight narratives pull people in.
9. Forget resumes and portfolios. Create a “binge bank” instead. A binge bank is a set of videos or essays that people can binge on. Stack up material so that when people do go down your rabbit hole, they come out the other side a fan.
10. Mere practice gets you nowhere. But intentional practice leads to exponential progress. Always learn from your attempts and make intelligent tweaks on the next try.
11. Comedy is great, but definitely don't make every sentence a joke.
12. Comedy is a pretty easy way to improve your writing. The essence of all comedy is surprise. Study your favorite comedians. Read books like How to Write Funny and The Hidden Tools of Comedy.
13. For better storytelling, Shaan recommends two books: Storyworthy and Building a Storybrand.
14. How to make headlines juicy: use specific and odd numbers, focus on the first three words and the last three words, use "you" whenever possible, and know that longer is typically better than shorter.
15. Your writing should only be as long as it is interesting. An uninteresting 20 second reel will fail; an interesting 30-minute essay will win. But you must be honest while gauging how objectively interesting your piece is…in a world with infinite content.
16. Most people think writing is about transferring information but writing is just as much about transferring emotion. Emotion gets people to take action (like, share, buy…).
what'sup yall - Shaan here. Lemme know what part resonated the most!
Debbie!
Dave Chappelle and Netflix!
What resonated with me most the way you breakdown idea's and leave breadcrumbs for us to follow. Such as mentioning the name of the book storyworthy. And the book A technique for producing Ideas. And mentioning Paul Graham. All of these are bread crumbs that one can follow and feed on to become better at writing , ideas and Storytelling. All of which I will consume!! Thank you!!
It's hard to pick, you are full of gold nuggets! This is the kind of writing advice I'll be coming back to again and again. I will be checking out The Boron Letters asap.
Intention + obstacle / 5 second moment of change
A Simple Formula for Storytelling
Aaron Sorkin, the man behind The Social Network, has a tried-and-true method that you can try out next time you're trying to entertain your friends.
Intention + Obstacle = Good Stories
Whoever's listening to your story should always be able to answer two questions: What does the hero want? What's stopping them from getting it?
The combination of intention and obstacle gives stories the tension and conflict that lead to suspense and keep people invested in your story. Your characters shouldn't passively react to the events around them. No, they should be in active pursuit of something.
Sometimes, the obstacles are internal ones (like self-doubt or moral dilemmas). Sometimes, they're external ones (like villains or social pressure).
Two examples from Sorkin's movies:
1) The Social Network: Zuck wants to create a big-time social network, but he's stuck in legal disputes.
2) Moneyball: Billy Beane wants to build a championship baseball team, but resistance comes in the form of a tight budget and skepticism from the people around him.
These examples are why Sorkin says: "I worship at the altar of intention and obstacle."
When Shaan mentions only writing for his young grasshopper (01:07:00) it reminded me of two others who use a similar strategy.
1. Kurt Vonnegut - famously in his writing rules he instructs to only write for one person. If not, he warned, you could fall into the trap of “making love to the world and your story getting syphylus.”
2. Warren Buffet - when writing his annual shareholder letter he starts by writing “Dear Doris and Bertie” (his two sisters and holders of Berkshire stock). That way he knows he’s being direct and not over complicated.
Holly shit, I took 6 pages of notes while watching this! Well done guys, and thanks for sharing your knowledge!
This man told us stories to build a story on how to create a great story. Master🙏🏾
The Binge Bank was gold. I also love that story is a change, not a chronology of something that happened.
Agree
Intention and obstacle. A great, succinct way to craft a story worth listening to.
The teaser alone: make them Lol, wtf, omg - that was gold!
This is brilliant. My favorite episode yet. David, the way you distill ideas so quickly is great (have found the Shiny Dime challenge invaluable!). Looking forward to checking out Shaan's work.
I hope people are paying attention to what Dave Perrow does in some of these interviews. In particular, this interview where he's kind of shadowing what Shan is saying.
So you hear him, you know, after Shaan has talked about an idea, he would go over it again. More like he's mirroring what Shaan is saying so that he can grasp the idea even better.
Because the more you say something, the more it sticks. And so Dave is trying to learn while interviewing. You can see him actively learning while interviewing his guest, Shaan.
It's a very powerful technique for printing things into the memory so that you can always record them later in the future.
See also: #ActiveListening
Shaan's approach to storytelling is genuinely captivating. Remember that the best stories often come from personal experience.
Shaan Pure Gold Puri, as always! Perell is no slouch either, his Girard/Thiel essay was a pivot moment for me.
Just watched every second of this video. My biggest takeaway - I need to watch this 10 more times.
The best podcast in the world 🌎 Thanks for another great one David
Thank you!
David's joy is real. ❣
I cant believe this is free so many golden nuggets here - Shaan is amazing!!
Thanks 🎉
58:37 I think part of the way they come together, is by putting the ideas on paper, then taking a break and later editing. By splitting that work up, I think it allows for both parts of the process to be maximized.
Brilliant, so many simple takeaways here that I can action in something I'm writing today.
Came here for Shaan but now a subscriber.
Shaan is looking great!! Well done on the discipline dude
Boron Letters are game changing
I absolutely love what you're doing, David! I love your approach too, where you ask different professionals about their techniques. There's absolutely no podcaster out there who has the same approach! Keep up the great work! 👏👏👏
Best episode by far! Shaan is a G
Amazing content - took lots of notes and feel so inspired
🎯 Key points for quick navigation:
01:42:51 *📺 Diversifying learning sources improves character development in storytelling.*
01:43:19 *🗒️ Teaching consistent writing formats can streamline the writing process for newsletters.*
01:44:43 *😂 Adding relatable humor can enhance reader engagement and create a positive tone.*
01:46:04 *🗣️ Writing should reflect authentic personal interest to resonate better with the audience.*
01:47:02 *📧 Using voice memos as a filter can help determine if a topic is interesting before writing.*
01:48:23 *🤣 Surprising and humorous elements can make content more memorable and engaging.*
Made with HARPA AI
One of my favorites
I usually don't leave comments, but I really enjoy your content, you will definitely grow a lot, thanks!!!
Writing with voice. I loved this hack. Never gave it a thought until I heard it today. Thanks. Was a good session.
It was such a interesting and mind boggling podcast ... The value thats been provided is huge.. Relevant questions were asked to get the most out of conversation and also the way each and everything was deconstructed to make it understand was phenomenal🎉 I must say this was one of its kind in this field ✨✨
How did you mic this and get such great audio?
Boom Mic?? Maybe
@@JAY-NATAJbut we don’t see boom mics in the shots they’re both in together? But maybe they’re there
@RichEdwards We use boom mics and get them fairly close. The secret is taking a still image of the set right after recording without mics in the shot so that we can hide them in post production!
@@Soccolich that’s like a great magic trick, incredible and ridiculous prep and work to make it look (and sound) effortless. Thx.
Excited for this - watching now!
Really great! Huge fan of MFM pod and you got Shaan to pull back the curtain and explain why I think it's beyond "EPIC" :)
All i see are 2 GOATs
try refreshing the page :)
Know Your Audience: Understand who you're speaking to and tailor your story accordingly. Consider their interests, knowledge level, and what resonates with them.
Structure Matters: A compelling story typically has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Establish the setting and characters, build tension or conflict, and provide resolution.
Emotion and Authenticity: Connect with your audience on an emotional level by sharing personal experiences or tapping into universal human emotions. Authenticity builds trust and engagement.
Can´t wait to 1; Have Shaan on my podcast. 2: Take his writing course. Awesome podcast!
Note to self. Girls may like ambition but don't tell her you're working on your enthusiasm.
What the heck kind of ending was that? It was so abrupt. That aside, great interview on a super interesting topic.
This was just insanely valuable. so much good stuff. pure gold.
Does anyone know what font they're using on this video? 👀
We are using Ogg font!
@@Soccolich Thankss 💗💗
Great question 16:30 skilled host
Idea of injecting and transmitting energy in phone by Miss Excel is all together a different perspective.
This was fantastic..
I think I need to go back and take notes.
I am a bit lost at 57 minutes.if this episode is in chapters I will take good notes
He couldn’t remember your compliment meaning he doesn’t LISTEN. 😂
I would have paid for what is being shared here
🔥🔥🔥
👍
🎉
yall need to like and sub so this man can buy some end tables
The Big Brown Employee Handbook
Shaan is my spirit animal
7:04 the jist
Binge bank.
xxx
Weird to see Shaan with pants. I don't mean it in a weird way, but if you are here from MFM, it's easy to forget that he has legs.
Or maybe it's just me...
Not sure how long you have been podcasting for but you need to make it less about you and have more follow up questions for the guest.
Could you not relate to anything he said about his own writing? If not I would guess you don’t write anything, and are only thinking about wanting to write stuff.