Welcome back to the Christian Story Lab. I'm here to help you write stories that people want to share with others.

So we need to talk about your story's hook.

I was on Reddit the other day sifting through the 80% of rubbish and found something worth your time. It was an article from u/PositiveBison5023 (what a name).

This Reddit user spent 8 hours analyzing MrBeast videos and found "7 psychological strategies” that helped him gain 65.1 billion (with a "b”) views.

I was skeptical.

But then I found myself coming back to the article again and again, whether I was writing chapters in my book or social posts.

I ended up saving the feed to my taskbar to save time.

In this letter, I will expand on 3 of the 7 psychological strategies. The full post is linked at the bottom.

Better than anyone MrBeast knows how to get you:

• Click on his videos ("click-through")

• Keep you watching ("retention")

That is not by accident. It's by design.

Here's why writing a good hook matters to us: if you don’t get the click, it really doesn’t matter how good your content is. This is not “clickbait,” which I define as when your content doesn’t match your offer.

It's storytelling.

And MrBeast has become a master storyteller of our time, and here are 3 ways he earns a view you can use too:

Novelty Effect

The dictionary defines novelty as 'the quality of being new, original, or unusual.' Here's my take: Say what no one else is saying—but do it in a way everyone can understand.

Applied to storytelling, that means you want to break the pattern. But how?

1. Highlight the unique angle: Find the one thing nobody would think to focus on and make it the centerpiece. Nicholas Cole calls this the Tequila Test. If other morning routine gurus are saying: "Stretch, drink coffee, wake up early, take a shower," and you say that too, you’re not DIFFERENT. But if you say, "First thing I do is take a shot of tequila..." Now you’re saying something DIFFERENT.

2. Feature an unusual character: The best characters are ridiculous. "Meet the janitor who hacked the government.” These unique characters embody the aspects of humanity we can't explore anywhere else than in stories.

3. Use specific, non-obvious words: “She was angry,” could be, “Her rage simmered like an untended kettle, ready to scream.” Vivid, evocative, specific language wins out every time.

Here are two examples of the Novelty Effect in action:

• "Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative" by Austin Kleon. The phrase "steal like an artist" flips the taboo of stealing into something creative and inspiring.

• "Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time" by Brian Tracy. I want to know what eating a frog has to do with overcoming my procrastination problem.

Contrast

Our brains are drawn to stark contrast, and MrBeast knows it.

This is why he often pits two extremes against each other.

Contrast in storytelling is the art of balancing opposites to heighten their impact. It's about more than just presenting two different things side by side; it’s about the tension and interplay between them.

• A $1 vs $500,000 experience

• Chaos vs order

• Legal justice vs vigilante justice

Contrast can be applied on micro or macro levels to engage and captivate your audience:

1. Micro scale: Social Posts and Book Titles: Small-scale contrast creates intrigue and immediate engagement.

• Example (Social Post): “Why I Quit My Dream Job (and Why It Was the Best Decision of My Life).”

• Example (Book Title): “A Song of Ice and Fire” (from George RR Martin’s famous series)

2. Macro scale: Story Arcs and Business Models: Large-scale contrast challenges expectations and redefines norms.

• Example (Story Arc): A warrior who achieves victory in battle but destroys their family in the process.

• Example (Business Model): A company that thrives by giving away its product for free, relying on upsells (e.g., freemium software models like Spotify).

Contrast in storytelling can be boiled down to two central uses: antithesis or transformation.

• X vs Y

• A to B

Nostalgia

Nostalgia connects us with a universal longing for simpler, happier times.

It’s more than just memory—it’s an emotional connection to the past that draws audiences in.

As Don Draper famously said in Mad Men, “Nostalgia—it’s delicate, but potent... It’s a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone.”

By recreating the magic of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, MrBeast evokes childhood wonder while promising a fresh, larger-than-life take on a beloved classic.

But how can you use this trick?

Nostalgia can enrich your storytelling by layering it with emotional resonance. Here’s how:

1. Revive beloved worlds or tropes: Draw inspiration from universally cherished stories, settings, or characters. Stranger Things brings back the 1980s with its neon lights, synth-heavy soundtrack, and classic horror tropes, creating a bridge between generations.

2. Reimagine the familiar: Take a nostalgic concept and put a modern twist on it. Wreck-It Ralph reimagines old-school arcade games, blending retro charm with a heartwarming story.

3. Pick a different medium: Reintroduce childhood classics to new audiences by adapting them for today’s medium. The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast live-action films evoke memories for older fans while captivating new viewers.

Novelty Effect. Contrast. Nostalgia.

At the core of each of these techniques is one idea—flip the script. If you can get your audience curious about what you have to say, they'll stick around.

Write on 🤙

Payton

PS: Here’s the Reddit post. It delves into 4 more strategies.

PSS: If you want space to build your craft, character, and community, consider joining The Lab.

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