Master this Storytelling Framework
The “Somebody-Wanted-But-So” way to tell a story
Someone: I am interested in writing, mostly blogs. And like most of us, I write about different topics. Sometimes these are computer science related, some other times it is about anything else from my dietary habits to the latest books I’ve read.
Wanted: When writing, I like to connect the dots and juxtapose topics from different fields. I want those heterogeneous thoughts to live in harmony into a story-like narrative. And above all, I wish for the final outcome to be engaging and entertaining.
But: But often enough, the final outcome looks like my desk at home, messy and cluttered … why is that sock sitting next to my laptop?
So: I am going to practice the “Somebody-Wanted-But-So” technique.
Did you notice what I’ve just done here?
I put the premise of this blog into four steps, the somebody, the wanted, the but and the so. If you think about it, most of the stories we read and the movies we like can be summarised via the same four steps; SWBS.
You first introduce the main character of your story. This introduction has to also justify the next step: what the main character wants. Then after you make us realise what they want, you build tension by having an obstacle — the but — that prevents them from achieving their goal, then the tension is release by the last step — the so-lution.
This framework goes beyond fiction. Students are advised to use it to summarise the literature they read. Presenters follow it in their TED-like talks. And marketers may use it to write a copy that sells.
In the next section, we will examine the how the “Somebody-Wanted-But-So” framework may be used in different fields.
Come up with a new fiction idea
Say you wanna write a short story. You can then follow this SWBS framework. Each on of your main characters wants somethings. Maybe what the protagonist wants contradicts with what the antagonists wants, and this contradiction is the building block of your plot. Maybe the normal course of life is the “but” to your somebody’s “want”. In all cases, you should start by making a table with four columns, S, W, B and S. Then, try to fill in your ideas there.
Since this is fiction, you will need to iterate. Say you draw a character, then you realize that their want doesn’t match their character. You better move back and adjust the character.
One main benefit of this framework it that it makes sure the characters in your plot have depth. We all know those moves where the villains are just villains because they are evil. They feel shallow and boring without a convincing want.
Your creativity also resides in the details. Maybe the “somebody” is not actually a single person, maybe it is not even a human. Maybe the “somebody” is not aware of their “want”. As you can see, the sky is the limit here.
Summarize one good Medium article you’ve read recently
I’ll ask you to do this one in the comment using the SWBT framework
Sell me this pen
You already know the “so” step: Selling the pen to the parson asking you to do so. And you cannot do much about the “somebody” part either. It is the very same person asking you to sell them the pen. Nevertheless, you can chose to focus on parts of their character and ignore the parts that don’t serve your sale. Having those constraints makes it hard, and you need to work it out so it sounds more honest and less salesy.
Here is my very lame shot at it.
You travel everywhere to sign big deals. You work in a business where precision and attention to details is paramount. But your clients may not clearly see how detail-oriented and organized you are. So you use your looks to augment this message, and a small detail such as the pen you use matters a lot here. A pen like this one that is not only precise and elegant but also exclusive and only a detail-oriented person will do the effort to get one.
Obviously, I am not a sales guy, but you get the idea.
Conclusion
As you can see, this framework or technique is versatile. Try to use it the next time you write a blog post, or if you are willing to write a short story. Maybe also practice it the next time you are preparing the slides for a business presentation you are giving at work. In the end, good stories sell.
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