Lesson 8:

How to Write 3-Sentence Minis

In Lesson 8, you learned:

 How to stay on track and get the point across quickly

 How to generate ideas that rivet readers
 How to bang out tight, concise, on-track articles in no time flat

This worksheet will help you put your new knowledge into practice. Print it out and use it
immediately for tangible results.

You'll also want to print a copy of this worksheet and keep it handy in a folder, as you
may need it later in the course.

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 Lesson 8: Your 3-Sentence Minis

How to Write with Just 3 Sentences

T
he 3-sentence mini writing technique creates focus in story-structure style: the setup,
plot and point. Use this structure to write almost anything, from articles to website copy,
from entire ebooks to client emails. It's extremely flexible to your needs.

3-sentence minis let you grasp whole ideas quickly and keep them handy for later. They allow
you to create outlines at the drop of a hat, and they also help you avoid rambling or getting off
track in your work.

They're valuable – and there are only two requirements to creating 3-sentence minis:

1. Each mini must contain a setup sentence, a plot sentence and a sentence for the point.
2. Each mini must be NO MORE than three sentences.

To review:

Setup: This is the hook that engages readers, introduces your topic and sets up the rest of
your piece. It tells readers what's to come and what they can expect if they keep reading.

Example: Many brick-and-mortar business owners neglect using articles to market their
business.

Plot: This is the twist that engages reader anticipation. It's the roadblock in the story, the
problem to overcome, the bad thing that creates interest so that readers want to know what
happens next.

Example: They don't see the value of them, but that can be costly: they work twice as hard to
reach prospects and spend triple the money on advertising that doesn't work.

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 Lesson 8: Your 3-Sentence Minis

You can also think of the plot as the moment where readers might exclaim, "Oh no! So what
can be done?" or "Wow – what happened next?"

Point: This is the message you want to drive home. It's the point of the entire piece, the
solution to the problem, the outcome of the moment. It's where readers sit back and think,
"Ahhhh, I get it now."

Example: Implementing content marketing can be a profitable strategy, because it saves time,
makes money and creates a flood of new clients – with very little effort required!

You'll expand each of these sentences when you create an outline – remember, the point of a
3-sentence mini is to help you quickly capture a complete idea that you'll expand on later.

Some people find it easier to work backwards. They decide the point they want to make first.
(Example: Content marketing saves time, makes money and creates clients with little effort.)

Then they determine the plot – they think about the roadblock, the problem or the pain.
(Example: Many small business owners have ultra-tight budgets, no time to spare and end up
getting caught in expensive and ineffective traditional advertising.)

Finally, they create the setup, or the hook that catches interest. (Example: Have you ever
wasted money on a costly newspaper ad that never brought you a single client?)

Experiment with 3-sentence minis. See what works best for you. And write as many as you can
until you're comfortable doing so at the drop of a hat.

Imagine I said, “I’d love to see some parenting lessons you could teach me,” or, “It’d be great
to know some marketing strategies you recommend.” What kind of minis would you create for
me?

Use the following template to generate ten 3-sentence minis on a topic area that involves your
particular business or that relates to a specific service or product you sell.

You’ll use some of these minis in a future lesson, so keep them handy!

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 Lesson 8: Your 3-Sentence Minis

Your 3-Sentence Minis

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 Lesson 8: Your 3-Sentence Minis

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