You're Writing Your Stories in the Wrong Order. Here's the Sequence That Actually Works (Plus Cheat Sheet)

Here is the structure I use for every memoir story I write.

Every story has three components: beginning, middle and end. So far, you are with me, yes?

Okay, like I have mentioned in the past if you have been here for a while, you know that I picked from Impromptu Speaking its structure: attention getter, supporting claim 1, supporting claim 2, supporting claim 3, and a conclusion.

Over the years, I have kept tinkering with it to make it look like this for memoir stories.

The Structure

1. Attention Getter An intriguing opening pulled from anywhere in the story. Not necessarily the beginning. The most interesting moment — a line someone said, a detail that surprises, the moment everything changed. This is what pulls the reader in.

2. Story Block 1 — The Set-Up What led to it? What does the reader need to know before the core moment lands? This is drafted third — after you already know where the story goes.

4. Story Block 2 — The Core The main story. Draft this first. What did you want? What stood in the way? What happened as a result or

3. Story Block 3 — The Aftermath What happened after the main story? What changed? What did you do next? This is drafted second.

5. Callback Conclusion Close by calling back to the Attention Getter. The opening and closing talk to each other. The loop closes. The reader feels it land.

Why is it called a story block? Well, it is made of what I think makes up a story in a synthesized version of it: Desire.Obstacle.Outcome.

This is the engine. Everything else is built around it.

Now, what is The Story Frame.

It is my drafting sequence.

The Drafting Sequence

This is the part most people get wrong.

You do not write this in order. You write like this:

Story Block 2 → Story Block 3 → Story Block 1 → Attention Getter → Callback Conclusion

The Core → The Aftermath → The Set-Up → Hook → Callback

Start with the core. Then what came after. Then what led to it. Then the opening. Then the close.

The sequence works because you can't write a strong setup until you know exactly what you're setting up. You can't write a strong opening until you know what the story is actually about.

Write the middle first. The rest follows.

What Each Story Block Is

Not a summary. Not a list of details. A complete small narrative — its own mini-story with a beginning, middle, and end — that builds toward the larger story.

Three Story Blocks stacked together with an Attention Getter and a Callback Conclusion. That's a complete memoir story. Every time.

I just updated my Story Frame cheat sheet.

It has the full structure, the drafting sequence, and the prompt you can paste directly into any writing session to get started.

If you want a copy, reply to this email with the words The Story Frame and I'll send it to you.

Happy telling!

-Carlos