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1) (True story.) “Do you think he has a gun?” I asked my friend.
It was past midnight. My friend had driven me to an isolated building – that’s where I had to pay the money. A big, muscular guy was waiting outside.
“This guy doesn’t need a gun,” my friend said. “He could kill us with his bare hands.”
(Let’s pause for a second to talk about stories. Ever use them at work? They’re one of the best ways to deliver a message.)
2) (Same story, new opening.) I knew I was in trouble when my friend drove off. It was the middle of night, in the middle of nowhere.
“Come back,” I yelled. “I have no money.”
(A good opening hooks us: “What happens next?” we wonder. Although there are lots of ways to open a story, try starting with a problem.)
3) “Every night, 20 new people hate my guts,” the big muscular guy said. “On a good night, 30 people.” Then he spit. “I could care less.”
(You can also start with a character.)
4) “A few hours ago,” the big muscular guy told me, “we watched you get out of your car, leave the parking lot, and walk down the street. That was your mistake. You should have never done that.”
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