Learn the ABT story structure: And (what the character wants), But (the obstacle), Therefore (what happens). A creator uses a grocery store chip choice to show how this simple framework adds tension and payoff to any story.
This is one of the simplest story structures that an artist can use to create content that draws people in, that builds trust and engagement. It's called the ABT story structure, which stands for And But Therefore. See, most people tell a story like this: today I went to the grocery store and I got some chips and I ended up getting the snacky ones and then I gave them to my kids. But that's not a story. That's a series of events. It's kind of like how my kids tell stories a lot of times. And it's the reason it feels like it never ends. So let's take the grocery store example again and use this structure. And it goes like this. You have a character, which is likely you, and that character wants something. And to make it more interesting, you say, and here's why that character wants that thing. But a problem comes along. Therefore, this happened. And then there was some sort of solution or transformation. Today I wanted to go to the grocery store to grab some chips, and I've been on a bit of a weight loss journey. So I needed to get the right kind that felt healthy while also still snacky, because I don't like most of the healthy stuff. But when I got there, I could only see the Cool Ranch Doritos. It was like they locked in on me and my mouth just started to water. So I grabbed them and I took them home and I got this look from my daughter and they said, Dad, aren't you trying to lose weight? And I said, you know what, you're right. You guys can have these. And so I gave my kids the chips because I want them to see that even if I fail, I'm going to try to pick up where I left off because that's the best thing that I can do. So hopefully you can see how much more engaging that is with just a few little tweaks. So give the ABT structure a try. Let me know how it goes in the comments.
