Module 1: Your Story Engine
Every post you'll write in this course runs on one structure: Story, Lesson, Actionable advice, You. This module teaches each letter — where stories come from, how to extract the lesson, how to make advice genuinely usable, and how to close every post by bringing the reader into the conversation.
S is for Story — start with something that actually happened
Open with a real moment: the meeting that went sideways, the client who surprised you, the mistake you made last Tuesday. Specific beats general every time — "last Thursday at 2pm, my biggest client called" beats "once upon a time in business." Details are what make a stranger stop scrolling.
Your story doesn't need to be dramatic. It needs to be true and specific. The best-performing posts are often mundane moments with a sharp observation attached — the email you almost didn't send, the question a junior colleague asked that stumped you. Relatable beats remarkable.
Build a story bank: a running note on your phone where you jot down moments daily — funny, painful, surprising, small. Ten seconds to capture, and you'll never stare at a blank page again. Writers don't have more interesting lives; they just write down the interesting parts of the same life.
Side by side
Specific beats general
| General | Specific | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Opens | Once upon a time in business | Last Thursday at 2pm, my biggest client called | |
| Effect | Skimmed past | Details make it real |
The SLAY structure, top to bottom
Build brief
Write down 3 real moments from the last month that could open a post — a mistake, a surprise, a conversation, something small.
Saved
L is for Lesson, A is for Actionable advice
After the story comes the turn: what did this teach you? One lesson, stated plainly — not three, not a philosophy. "I learned to ask what success looks like before starting work" is a lesson. "Communication is important" is a greeting card.
Then the advice — and this is where most posts die. Advice must be actionable: a step, a script, a question, a checklist. "Be authentic" is not advice. "Open your next post with a specific moment from last week instead of a lesson" is advice. The test is simple: can the reader do something with this today? If not, rewrite it until they can.
Notice the order matters. Story earns attention, lesson earns trust, advice earns the save. Skip the story and you're lecturing. Skip the advice and you're journaling. A post without actionable advice is entertainment; a post with it is a tool — and people save tools.
Build brief
Pick one moment above. What lesson did it teach you? Write it in one plain sentence — no greeting-card wisdom.
Saved
Y is for You — bring the reader in
End every post by talking directly to the reader. A question, a challenge, an invitation to disagree. "What's the hardest lesson a client ever taught you?" starts conversations. "Agree?" starts nothing. The Y turns a monologue into a conversation — and conversations are what get a post seen, shared, and remembered.
Make the question specific and tied to your story. After a post about losing a client over misaligned expectations, ask: "Have you ever lost work because you skipped one question at the start?" Specific questions get specific answers — and specific answers are interesting to read, which pulls in the next commenter.
And when people answer, reply to every comment — especially in the first hour. Each reply is another touchpoint, another reason for someone to remember your name. The post starts the conversation; your replies keep it alive.
The framework
S-L-A-Y: every post
Build brief
Turn that lesson into actionable advice: what can a reader DO with it today? Write it as a numbered step they could follow this afternoon.
Saved
Marcus ends his post with 'Thoughts?' and gets zero comments. Using the SLAY structure, what's broken?
Your turn: Your turn: draft a full SLAY post right here. Story (2–3 lines, a real moment) → Lesson (1 line) → Actionable advice (1–2 lines, something doable today) → You (1 specific question). Keep it under 150 words.
Saved.
Your next 24 hours
Write your first SLAY post today — all four parts, under 150 words. Don't publish it yet. Let it sit overnight, re-read it tomorrow morning with fresh eyes, and fix the weakest letter before it goes live.
Steal this template
THE SLAY POST TEMPLATE
SLAY POST TEMPLATE
S — Story (2–3 lines, a real moment): ___
L — Lesson (1 line, plain): ___
A — Advice (1 step they can do today): ___
Y — You (1 specific question): ___
Word count check: under 150 ☐
Module 1 cheat sheet
- The SLAY Structure: Story → Lesson → Actionable advice → You. Story first, always.
- Specific beats general — 'last Thursday at 2pm' beats 'once upon a time.'
- Advice must be actionable: a step, a script, or a question they can use today.
- End on the reader, never on the lesson — the last line decides comments vs views.
- Keep a story bank on your phone — capture moments daily, never face a blank page.
- Reply to every comment, especially in the first hour.