Welcome back to Christian Story Lab! This week, we’re exploring 9 questions that can completely transform your storytelling—whether you’re writing a sermon, a speech, a story, or even a screenplay.

These questions will help you create stories that grab attention and stick with people.

But first, meet Jeremy Connell-Waite.

Jeremy is the mastermind behind BetterStories.org, a fantastic site packed with storytelling resources. He’s also IBM’s Communication Designer, where he trains AI to help people communicate better (yeah, cool job).

Anyway, Jeremy has created a powerful nine-question framework that he teaches to business leaders who want to tell better stories.

And I thought, why keep this great stuff to the business world? These questions are perfect for us as we write faith-centered, impactful stories.

So, in this letter, we’re focusing on each of these questions one by one and I'll add a few examples, tips, and ideas you can start using right away.

Consider them tools to keep handy on your writing desk—a mini checklist to help you create stories that people won’t forget.

Here’s what we’re working with:

1. Does this story reveal how someone (or something) has been transformed?

2. What’s the ONE line (under 10 words) that sums up your story?

3. How will you really connect with your audience in the first 90 seconds?

4. What metric will measure the success of your story?

5. Why are you the only person who can tell this story in this way?

6. Is the readability score low enough to resonate with your audience?

7. How will your story (or the way you tell it) genuinely surprise your audience?

8. Can you make this story even stronger by simplifying it more?

9. What exactly do you want your audience to do after they hear your story?

Let’s dive in and start making our stories unforgettable.

1. Does this story reveal how someone (or something) has been transformed?

Matthew Dicks teaches that the best stories capture a pivotal five-second moment—one that changes a person forever. As storytellers, our job is to bring that moment into sharp focus.

These moments are the turning points in life: when you fall in love, fall out of love, lose it all, and gain it all back.

And the most effective way to share that story of transformation is through the structure of a well-shaped story. I’ve broken down seven of the most popular “story shapes” with examples from media to help you see what I mean. You can check them out here: 7 Story Shapes.

At the heart of it, the most compelling stories are those that show change.

Transformation is what gives a story depth, purpose, and a reason to be told. So ask yourself: what’s the core change in your story? How will you guide your audience to feel that shift, too?

2. What’s the ONE line (under 10 words) that sums up your story?

The best stories have that one killer line that hooks the audience, spikes their curiosity, and gets them asking, “And then what happened?”

Studies show that well-told stories actually increase dopamine and oxytocin levels, creating that connection that keeps people on the edge of their seat.

This isn't a game of luck. Can you compel your audience in under 10 words?

1. Star Wars: A farmboy must stop an empire and save a princess.

2. A Quiet Place: A family must stay silent to avoid deadly monsters.

3. Jaws: A police chief must stop a deadly shark terrorizing a beach.

4. The Matrix: A hacker learns that machines control reality and fights back.

Each line hints at transformation, tension, or intrigue. The goal is to capture that feeling with your own story, whether in a sermon, a speech, or a book.

What’s the line that sums up your story and makes people need to know more?

3. How will you really connect with your audience in the first 90 seconds?

Audiences want stories that feel immediately relevant, important, and true. An approach known as the Frontline is to put the "why" of the story - why this story matters - right at the beginning, not hidden in the middle or revealed at the end.

This doesn't mean telling the entire story upfront (“Yo, Darth Vader is Luke's father!”).

Instead, it means compelling your audience to keep listening (“Yo, the Empire sucks.”)

One effective technique for this is the Pyramid Principle, developed by Barbara Minto at McKinsey in the 1960s. The Pyramid Principle teaches us to start with the main point or conclusion and then layer in supporting details as needed.

To apply this to your storytelling, consider opening with:

• A clear, powerful statement: "Most of us spend over 70% of our lives working, yet few of us feel truly fulfilled."

• A relatable question: "Have you ever wondered what civilization will look like on Mars?"

• A surprising fact or statistic: "AI is now smart enough to overcome humanity. Will it?"

Leading with the heart of the story immediately sets the stage and gives your audience a compelling reason to keep listening.

This is true across the board; novels, sermons, and movie scripts all operate under this same principle: tell your audience early why they should pay attention.

4. What metric will measure the success of your story?

Every great story has economic value.

Unless told for entertainment purposes, most writers want to generate change that has a measurable outcome.

• Do you want to help save over a million marriages?

• Do you have a goal to raise funds to fight against child sex trafficking?

• Do you want to help 1,000 Christian writers build a daily writing habit? (hey, that's mine!)

Stories have the unique ability to change what we feel, believe, and ultimately do.

They can inspire someone to take action, rekindle faith, or question assumptions.

Think of a magician’s trick: the art of “misdirection” convinces us to tell ourselves a story that defies logic, yet we watch it unfold as if it’s real.

The tension between what we think we see and what’s actually happening transforms the mundane into something extraordinary.

A well-crafted story creates that same kind of spark.

We want our audience to Believe. Act. Change. Feel.

So, ask yourself—what specific change do you want to see as a result of your story? 

5. Why are you the only person who can tell this story in this way?

People make decisions with their hearts before they justify them with their heads.

That's why the goal of our stories is always to generate emotion.

But here’s the catch: only you can bring that unique emotional depth to your story.

Your experiences, perspective, and unique blend of passions and skills are the keys.

To unlock this, think about your own IKIGAI—a Japanese concept meaning the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. It combines the Japanese words for “life,” “beauty and elegance,” “armor,” and “to be worthwhile.”

When you create from this place, you’re building something that’s uniquely yours, something only you can bring to the world. Here's how.

Draw four circles on a sheet of paper and label them:

• What you love ♥️

• What you’re good at 🎨

• What the world needs 🌎

• What you get paid for 💷

Fill each circle with your thoughts and dreams. Make it personal, nostalgic, ambitious—even a little silly if you want. This exercise can take time, maybe even weeks.

Pay attention to where your circles overlap.

6. Is the readability score low enough to resonate with your audience?

The best stories are built on big ideas but told with small words and short sentences.

They don’t rely on complex language or buzzwords to make an impact. Instead, they’re clear, accessible, and memorable because they’re designed to reach people where they are.

• The Bible: The teachings of Jesus are full of profound wisdom, yet they’re told through simple parables and everyday language—shepherds, seeds, and vineyards.

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech: King spoke about deep, urgent issues like justice, freedom, and equality. Yet his words were accessible to everyone. Short, powerful phrases like “I have a dream” resonate because they’re simple and emotionally charged.

• Ernest Hemingway’s writing style: Known for his minimalist prose, Hemingway crafted stories with clear language and short sentences, making his work widely accessible. He once famously wrote a six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Using plain language doesn’t diminish the power of your story—it amplifies it.

A lower readability score means your story is easier to understand and welcomes more people to take meaning from it.

7. How will your story (or the way you tell it) genuinely surprise your audience?

Surprise is powerful by design.

It catches us off guard. It often makes us uncomfortable.

But here’s some news you can use: your brain loves surprises!

Science backs this up. Neuroscientists have found that surprise is one of the most potent human emotions. When something unexpected happens, the brain’s pleasure center (the nucleus accumbens) lights up like a Christmas tree🎄 

Not only does it release a surge of dopamine (the feel-good neurotransmitter), but it also triggers the release of noradrenaline, which sharpens focus and concentration.

Think of it as a reset button for your brain—it momentarily halts all other distractions so that you can absorb and make sense of what just happened.

I just described a storytelling superpower!

• The Sixth Sense: The film masterfully builds suspense, leading the audience to believe one thing—until the twist at the end. That unexpected revelation isn’t just a plot twist; it changes everything that came before it.

• J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series: The revelation of Snape’s true allegiance was jaw-dropping. It surprised readers in a way that completely reshaped how we understood his character, deepening the emotional impact of the entire series.

Surprise isn’t just about shocking your audience; it’s about inviting them to think, feel, and understand in a new way.

8. Can you make this story even stronger by simplifying it more?

The best stories make complex ideas simple to understand.

They bring clarity to complexity.

Audiences aren’t persuaded by what you say but by what they understand.

Keep your story straightforward.

9. What exactly do you want your audience to do after they hear your story?

Erica Chenoweth discovered that in any movement, just 3.5% of the population can trigger real, systemic change.

Think about that: just a small percentage of passionate, committed people can shift the course of history. Your story doesn’t have to go viral or reach millions—it just needs to ignite action in the right people.

• Start with a clear CTA (call to action): From the pulpit, “I'm asking each of you to commit to volunteering at the homeless shelter one Saturday this month. Sign up in the lobby after the service.”

• Focus on small, powerful actions: Think about how the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge spread—what started as a small action snowballed into a massive movement.

• Leverage urgency: The users of AI are not slowing down; we need to focus on our character and integrity more than ever.

• Create a sense of ownership: “Potterheads,” "Swifties,” and "Lab Rats” (I'm workshopping that last one in The Lab).

Here are those 9 questions listed out again:

1. Does this story reveal how someone (or something) has been transformed?

2. What’s the ONE line (under 10 words) that sums up your story?

3. How will you really connect with your audience in the first 90 seconds?

4. What metric will measure the success of your story?

5. Why are you the only person who can tell this story in this way?

6. Is the readability score low enough to resonate with your audience?

7. How will your story (or the way you tell it) genuinely surprise your audience?

8. Can you make this story even stronger by simplifying it more?

9. What exactly do you want your audience to do after they hear your story?

Print them out and use them as a checklist.

Better yet, download this helpful guide.

This Week’s Christian Creator Highlight!

Do you want to know who is telling shareable stories? My friends over at BrainyPixel and Mercy Ways Studios.

They recently released the print version of their Chronicles of Faith comic series and announced their plans to launch the next 5 editions by the end of 2025.

Just look at this.

Buy your copy on Amazon. “Experience the Biblical story of David through new eyes and in a way you've never before imagined! In this first issue, "The Shepherd", see the story unfold of how a young shepherd becomes the hero of a nation and a critical part of God's Eternal Plan In this stunning, full-color, 24 page comic.”

Write on 🤙

Payton