How to write stories that hit hearts (not algorithms)

Author

Stephen Stanberry
October 30th, 2025

In partnership with

Hey friend!

Everyone online talks about storytelling like it’s some mystical art form.

“Just tell your story,” they say.
Cool. Which one?
And how?

Because most people don’t realize storytelling isn’t about writing more.
It’s about feeling more.

That’s what I call Story Mode.

It’s how I write content that gets people to stop scrolling, lean in, and feel something.
And once you learn it, every story you tell will hit deeper.

So, how does Story Mode work?

It has 3 phases:

LOVE. LEARN. LIVE.

Let’s break it down.

Phase 1: LOVE – Find your heartbeat story

Before every great story, there’s a heartbeat.
Something you felt before you ever tried to write it down.

Most people skip this step.
They jump straight to writing tips and “hooks.”

But if you don’t start with emotion, your audience won’t start caring.

Ask yourself:

  • What moment changed how I see the world?

  • What truth did it force me to face?

  • Who was I before, and who am I now?

That’s your heartbeat story.
And it’s what makes people believe you.

Phase 2: LEARN – Turn your mess into meaning

Once you’ve found it, it’s time to make it clear.

This is where my frameworks come in 7 simple storytelling models (like Three-Act, BAB, Open Loop, and more) that turn chaos into clarity.

Each one helps you take your lived experience and shape it into a story that connects and converts.

Because emotion without structure is just noise.

Structure without emotion is just content.

But combine both?
That’s storytelling.

Phase 3: LIVE – Tell it everywhere

This is where most people stop.

They write one good story and disappear.
But storytelling isn’t a one-time thing it’s your whole brand language.

The goal is to live your story out loud.
To make every post, podcast, or email feel like an extension of who you are.

That’s when people stop seeing you as “just another creator”…
and start trusting you as a voice that moves them.

That’s Story Mode.
And once you master it, you’ll never run out of things to say
because you’ll finally understand how to feel what’s worth saying.

That’s exactly what I teach in my Love, Learn, Live Storytelling Guide.

It’s short, simple, and ridiculously practical.
For just $7, you’ll get:

✅ 7 proven storytelling frameworks
✅ Fill-in-the-blank templates
✅ 10 plug-and-play story ideas
✅ Step-by-step prompts that make writing effortless

If you want your audience to trust you, buy from you, and remember you
you need more than content.
You need story.

👉 Grab the guide for just $7 here: [Love, Learn, Live Storytelling Guide]

Learn to tell stories that sound like you 
and sell without ever sounding salesy.

Till tomorrow,
Stephen

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