Nathan Baugh

@nathanbaugh27

10 Psychology
Tricks to Make
You a Better
Storyteller
 “Jenga” storytelling

Pulp Fiction, Saving Private Ryan, and

Slumdog Millionaire do this.

They begin with the end. This tactic

makes the audience wonder how
they get to the end.
It creates a sense of mystery, a need
to fill in the gap in the story.

An open loop.
 “But, Therefore”

The creators of 'South Park' say:

“If we take the beats of your outline,

and the words ‘and then’ belong
between those beats… you got
something pretty boring.

What should happen between every

beat you’ve written down is the
words ‘therefore’ or ‘but.”
And implies a simple continuation.
But implies conflict.
Therefore implies progress.

Your audience gets hooked on

conflict or progress.

While your audience gets bored with

the same ol’ thing.
 Use the word “Not”

In Storyworthy, Matthew Dicks shares

an example:

“I am dumb, ugly, and unpopular.

I’m not smart, I’m not good looking,
and no one likes me.”

He says, “Unlike the

first sentence, which
only offers single
descriptors, the
second sentence
offers a binary.”
 Shared language

Muggles, mudbloods, and squibs.

None of these words are real, yet I bet

90%+ of you know what they mean.

Your words become like a secret

whispered between you and your
audience.

They say, “We know what these words

mean. Those other people, they don’t.”
 Combine ideas

The show Yellowstone combines

elements of:
– Classic American westerns “When yo
u combin
e
things yo
– Medieval kingdom dramas supposed
u’re not
to combin
people ge e,
– Political thrillers t interest
ed.”
-@Naval

Alone, none of those are new.

But together…
 Make a Promise

My favorite way to view a hook is as a

Promise to your audience.

Your story is the “Progress.”

And your climax is your “Payoff.”

Great
breakdown:
 Shape your story

Humans gravitate to structure.

Luckily, there are tons to wrap

around your story:
Hero’s Journey
Story Circle
Three Act

The goal of a story structure is to let

the characters shine through.
This is the plot outline Christopher
Nolan used for Inception.
(read the book ‘The Nolan Variations’)
 Signposts

Chapter titles, transition words,

countdowns.

Each of these are “signposts.”

Your audience has gotta know where
they are in your story.

A lost audience = a bored audience.

Use signposts to keep them on track.

 The Rule of 3

3 is the smallest number of elements

needed to create a pattern.
Connect 2 points, you have a line.
Connect 3 points, you might have a
line. Or a squiggle. Or a triangle.

It depends on how you, the storyteller,

connect them.
 Create a villain

Take it from a legend:

“A protagonist in a story can only be as
intellectually fascinating and emotionally
compelling as the forces of antagonism
make them.” — Robert McKee

Batman needs The Joker.

Not the other way around.
 Nathan Baugh
@nathanbaugh27

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