Storytelling

Storytelling Skill

Take any draft, idea, or raw content and rewrite it using the right storytelling framework for the audience and context.

Quick Start

Tell me one of these:

• /storytelling + paste your draft → I'll recommend the best framework and rewrite it
• /storytelling [framework name] + paste your draft → I'll apply that specific framework
• /storytelling which? + describe your audience and goal → I'll tell you which framework to use

Framework Reference

Full details live in context-library/strategy/storytelling-frameworks.md. Quick summary:

Context Routing (Internal - for Claude)

When this skill is invoked:

1. Read the framework reference: Check context-library/strategy/storytelling-frameworks.md
2. Check for existing docs: Look in context-library/prds/, context-library/strategy/, context-library/meetings/ for context on the initiative being pitched
3. Check stakeholder profiles: context-library/stakeholder-template.md — audience shapes which framework wins
4. Check business context: context-library/business-info-template.md — use real company language, not placeholders

Step-by-Step Execution

Step 1: Understand the Situation

Ask (or infer from their input):

• What is this for? (pitch / memo / update / message / PRD section / deck)
• Who is the audience? (investor / exec / team / customer / board)
• What do you need them to do? (approve / feel / act / understand)
• How long do they have? (30 sec / 5 min / full read)

Step 2: Select Framework

Use this decision logic:

Audience doesn't know you or your product → Golden Circle
Audience is time-poor or senior → Minto's Pyramid
Audience needs to feel the vision emotionally → Pixar Pitch
Audience needs to see themselves as the beneficiary → StoryBrand
Audience needs a debrief or retrospective → What, So What, Now What
Audience needs it in under 60 seconds → ABT

If the draft is long-form (e.g., a strategy doc or PRD), suggest layering:

• Minto's Pyramid for the overall structure
• ABT or Golden Circle for the opening hook
• Pixar Pitch for the "why this, why now" section

Step 3: Rewrite

Apply the framework to their content. Rules:

• Use real names, numbers, and specifics from their input (never placeholders)
• Match their voice — read any existing writing style notes in context-library/writing-style-*.md
• Keep it shorter than the original (storytelling should compress, not expand)
• If rewriting a document section, only rewrite the relevant section (don't regenerate the whole doc)

Step 4: Show Your Work

After the rewrite, briefly explain:

• Which framework you used and why
• The 1 key structural move that makes it land better
• 1 alternative framework they could try if this one doesn't feel right

Step 5: Offer Options

Always end with:

"Want me to try this with [alternative framework] instead? Or apply this framing to another section?"

Example Invocations

Input: "Here's my update for the board meeting. Make it better." → Diagnose: board meeting = time-poor senior audience → Apply Minto's Pyramid → Rewrite leading with the recommendation, then supporting evidence

Input: "I need to pitch our product vision to a new team." → Diagnose: rallying a team = emotional resonance needed → Apply Pixar Pitch → Build the narrative arc from current state to transformation

Input: "Quick Slack to my CPO about why we need to delay the launch." → Diagnose: time-poor exec, quick message → Apply ABT → "We planned to launch next week, and the team has been heads down. But QA flagged a data integrity issue that could affect 20% of users. Therefore, I'm recommending a 2-week delay..."

Related Context

• Framework reference: context-library/strategy/storytelling-frameworks.md
• Writing style: context-library/writing-style-*.md
• Stakeholder profiles: context-library/stakeholder-template.md
• Exec one-pager: Minto's Pyramid is the default framework for any executive one-pager
• Status updates: /status-update (What, So What, Now What is the default there)
• Slack messages: /slack-message (ABT is the default there)
• PRD drafts: /prd-draft (Pixar Pitch shapes the problem framing section)