“Storytelling’s great face to face, Amit.
But in content online? People scroll fast.
What if they never make it to the point?”
This was a real concern from a coaching client.
And honestly, it’s a fair one.
You’ve probably felt it too.
This hesitation that story content might be “too much.”
Too long. Too emotional. Too… slow.
But let me tell you what I’ve learned coaching founders and coaches like you.
It’s not the story that’s too long.
It’s the setup.
Back in college, my communication professor had this ruthless habit.
If you were 20 seconds into your story and she was bored, she’d yawn. Loudly.
That was her edit button.
Brutal. But honest.
She was listening for two things your audience craves:
– What’s happening here?
– Why should I care?
That’s Context and Stakes.
When either of those is missing,
the story falls flat.
And when you miss both?
You’ve lost your reader.
Where Most Story Content Goes Wrong
Too many of us get lost in the warm-up.
They describe the weather. The traffic. The day of the week.
All in the name of “setting the scene.”
But in Short form Story Content, you don’t have that luxury.
This isn’t a movie. It’s not a book.
It’s a few lines to earn trust, build connection, and deliver value.
And Context is the part that gets abused the most.
Let’s take a moment to show you what good context looks like based on a well-received story.
The Quick Hit Setup:
“April 28th, 2024, changed everything.
After 15 years of helping others grow their brands,
a prospect hit me with a hard truth:
‘If you’re so good at online marketing, why are you invisible?’”
Let’s break it down:
– Who:
Me, and a prospect who’s brutally honest.
– What:
A credibility-check in a business context.
– Where:
Implied. Likely a pitch, meeting, or client call.
– When:
Specific date, which adds believability.
Notice what’s left out.
We don’t need to know what I wore that day.
We don’t need the full backstory of how I got the meeting.
We just need enough to set up why this moment matters.
The Shift in Stakes:
“His words stung.
My ego took a hit.
But he was right.
I had spent years promoting others while neglecting to tell my own story.”
This is where the insight lands.
We’re not just watching a confrontation.
We’re stepping into a moment of self-awareness.
The takeaway isn’t about the prospect.
It’s about the shift that happens after.
That’s what makes the story memorable.
That’s what gives it Stakes.
Why This Matters for Your Content
Every piece of Story Content must answer two things fast:
– What’s going on?
– Why does it matter to me?
And here’s where most people get stuck:
They think being descriptive is the same as being clear.
It’s not.
You can be clear in one sentence.
You can be boring in five paragraphs.
The job of context is to create focus.
The job of stakes is to create tension.
Together, they pull people in.
Here’s a quick checklist to keep your stories sharp and powerful:
1. Cut the warm-up
Open in the middle of the action. No need to “build up” to it.
2. Set the scene fast
Give us just enough to feel grounded—3 lines max.
3. Raise the stakes
Tell us what shifted. What was at risk. What changed you.
4. Deliver an insight
What truth did you discover that your audience needs to hear?
5. Trim the rest
If a detail doesn’t support the message, cut it. Be ruthless.
When my client asked,
“Isn’t storytelling too long for content?”
What he was really asking was:
“Can I hold attention in today’s scroll-heavy, shortcut-driven world?”
YES.
If you lead with momentum.
If you set context quickly.
If you cut to the shift.
Because the No.1 killer of Story Content isn’t attention span.
It’s fluff. It’s delay.
It’s the wandering setup that forgets the reader is waiting.
So the next time you sit down to write, ask yourself:
– What’s happening here?
– Why does it matter?
– And how can I say it in fewer lines, with conviction?
Remember, the best story content isn’t short.
It’s sharp.
And sharp stories get people to stop, care, and remember.
That’s all that matters.