When I first took a class in standup comedy, we talked about ways to develop new material. An experienced comic said, “Find what makes you mad. Turn it into jokes.”
For instance, my Internet service died late one night. I dial their number. I get a recorded message, “Want faster service? Log into our website.”
If I could do that, I wouldn’t be on the phone.
In comedy, you get to exaggerate. You tell stories about things that never happened. It’s legal and ethical.
In business, you have to be more careful, although I’m sure people exaggerate. I know business owners who invented families – spouses, children, and grandchildren – to come across as warm and fuzzy.
So let’s say you’re looking to write an article that will appeal to your audience, who are hopefully potential clients.
Start by finding an idea someone has published in a blog or podcast. It usually doesn’t take long to find something you disagree with. It might even make you want to scream.
For instance, one “expert” urged everyone to write and a short ebook to grow their business.
His ebook?
“How I Gained 5000 Followers From One 500-Word Blog Post”
Of course, the expert’s success isn’t due to the structure of the title. It’s the promise of big money with little effort. I can only imagine the topic of the blog post.
Now I can write my own article. I don’t have to mention the original author. In fact, I wouldn’t.
Or let’s say you’re a money coach. You read articles encouraging people to save pennies by skipping the store-bought lattes and re-using their dryer sheets.
I couldn’t make this up. I suspect that’s not exactly the road to wealth. Good topic for a money coach.
What if you find an article you admire?
Take the idea and add a new angle. For instance, I read Donald Miller’s Storybrand. I liked it…but I found something missing. He gives examples from classic adventure stories where the hero meets the guide.
In real life, your hero has dozens of guides to choose from. So you are a guide. You compete with other guides.
That’s become the source for several articles, including this one. It was also the topic of Episode #47 of the Strategic Storytelling podcast. Click here to listen.