- The Yellow Bite
- Posts
- The sick kid storytelling strategy
The sick kid storytelling strategy
I canceled my own content plan today.
Stephen Stanberry
June 13th, 2025
In partnership with
friend, this email’s a little late today.
Not because I forgot.
But because I scrapped what I was supposed to send.
It’s been a rough week.
Kids sick again.
And—naturally—I’m sick too.
There’s a saying we Jamaicans have:
“When America sneezes, Jamaica catches a cold.”
Well, in this house, when my son sneezes after school…
It’s game over for the rest of us.
It’s like we’re all just sitting ducks for preschool pathogens.
I’m counting down the 2 weeks until school ends—
because ironically, that’s when we’re usually the healthiest.
And today?
It’s overcast outside.
Which is exactly how I feel inside.
Like I’m in the thick of it.
Foggy. Slow. Questioning everything.
And that’s when it hit me…
I’m not at a beginning or an end right now.
I’m smack in the middle.
The Messy Middle.
Most founders try to skip it in their content.
They show the win.
The clean takeaway.
The “5 tips to get leads” fluff.
But the stories people feel?
They come from the middle.
That’s why I built this formula for storytelling that sticks:
The Messy Middle Formula
Set the scene.
Not the win. The weather. The chaos. The cough drops.Make it personal.
What’s happening around you? What emotion is in the air?Drop the shift.
What did it remind you of? What clicked?
Today reminded me that you don’t need to overcome something to write something worth reading.
You just need to notice where you are.
That’s what makes your story resonate.
Try this formula next time you're stuck.
And if you’ve been sick for the 4th time in 2 months?
Solidarity, friend. I’m right there with you.
–
Stephen
P.S. What’s your current messy middle? Reply and share.
Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.
Reply