The fastest way to write a story today

Stop overthinking. Start with this.

Author

Stephen Stanberry
September 23rd, 2025

In partnership with

friend, when I got fired, it didn’t happen in some dramatic office showdown.

It happened on a glitchy Google Meet call.

One minute I was checking emails.
The next, I was staring at a manager’s face on my screen.

“Stephen… we’re letting you go.”

That was it. No long explanation. No chance to argue.

The call ended, and I sat there staring at my own reflection in the black screen.

I had given years of work to that company.
Late nights. Early mornings. Missed dinners.

And it all ended with a two-minute video call.

For days, I replayed the same thoughts:
“What will my family think?”
“How am I going to pay bills?”
“What if this is the end of the road?”

But after the noise settled, something clicked.

Losing that job wasn’t the end.
It was the start of me building something for myself.

And that experience taught me one of the most important lessons about storytelling.

The #1 Mistake People Make With Stories

Most people think stories need to be long.
Or polished.
Or clever.

So they never start.

The truth is simpler:

A good story only needs three lines.

Before. After. Bridge.

  • Before: One line about the struggle.

  • After: One line about the change.

  • Bridge: One line about what made it possible.

That’s it.

Why It Works

This format works because people don’t want your novel.
They want clarity.
They want to know if you understand their problem.
They want to know if you’ve solved it before.

Here’s how I use it with my own firing story:

Before: I got fired over Google Meet and thought my story was done.
After: Now I use that same story to build trust and attract clients every week.
Bridge: The shift was learning to share it simply and honestly.

Three lines. Fifteen minutes. Done story.

And here’s the thing:

If you don’t learn how to turn your story into a simple, clear system, you’ll keep freezing at the blank page.

You’ll keep overthinking.
You’ll keep waiting.
And your story will stay in your head instead of reaching the people who need it.

So if you’ve been tiptoeing around your draft, thinking it has to be perfect… this is your sign.

Don’t wait. Write one Before. Write one After. Write one Bridge.

Then share it.

Talk soon,
Stephen

PS: Want 47 more plug-and-play prompts so you never freeze at the blank page again? Reply YES and I’ll send you my Story Bank.

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