Story

Extract a compelling narrative from a working session and draft it as a shareable story.

When to Use

• •After a productive conversation with significant insights
• •User explicitly asks to "capture this as a story"
• •User wants newsletter/blog content from their founder journey
• •Something surprising was discovered or a problem was solved

Story Structure

Every good founder story follows this arc:

1. THE BLOCK     - Where you were stuck (creates tension)
2. THE QUESTION  - What you asked that changed things
3. THE INSIGHT   - What you discovered (the "aha")
4. THE SHIFT     - How this changes everything
5. THE TAKEAWAY  - What others can learn (optional)

Process

Step 1: Identify the Arc

From the conversation, extract:

Step 2: Find the Hook

The hook is a one-sentence version of the insight that makes readers want more.

Good hooks:

• •Counterintuitive: "Everyone believes X. No one measures it."
• •Specific: "I found a meta-analysis of 400,000 observations."
• •Personal: "I was paralyzed by uncertainty."

Step 3: Draft the Story

Frontmatter:

# [Title - Usually the insight or question]

**Draft for:** [Newsletter / blog / founder journey]
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Status:** Draft

Length: 500-1000 words (3-5 minute read)

Voice: First person, honest, vulnerable but not self-pitying

Sections:

• •Use --- horizontal rules between major sections
• •Use > blockquotes for key insights
• •Use tables for data/findings

Step 4: Add Proof Points

If research or data was involved, include:

• •Key numbers with sources
• •Simple table of findings
• •Links to references (if public)

Writing Principles

From copywriting:

• •Clarity over cleverness
• •Specific over vague ("r=.39" not "significant correlation")
• •Active voice ("I realized" not "It was realized")
• •Show the struggle, don't just summarize it

From content-strategy:

• •Lead with novel insight or counterintuitive take
• •Share vulnerable, honest experiences
• •Behind-the-scenes transparency builds trust

Avoid:

• •Jargon readers won't know
• •Burying the insight in qualifications
• •Generic lessons ("work hard, stay focused")
• •Exclamation points

Output Location

Save to: docs/stories/YYYY-MM-DD-{slug}.md

Example

See: docs/stories/2026-01-28-the-measurement-gap.md

This story captures a session where:

• •Block: Couldn't figure out how to make money
• •Question: "Does calibration actually matter?"
• •Insight: No one measures actual understanding
• •Shift: Clear market gap, validation of thesis, growth model

Quick Reference

When NOT to Use

• •Routine tasks with no insight
• •Technical implementation with no learning
• •User explicitly doesn't want story content