Help me build a concise spoken story for [AUDIENCE] about [SUBJECT]. My goal is for listeners to [DESIRED ACTION OR BELIEF]. The available facts, examples, and constraints are: [SOURCE MATERIAL] The setting is [DELIVERY CONTEXT], and the story should run about [LENGTH]. Do not add events, figures, customer quotes, outcomes, or motives that are not in my source material. If a required input is missing, ask up to 3 clarifying questions before drafting. First, identify the single audience tension or question that makes this story worth hearing. Then write a delivery-ready script using this structure: 1. Opening: begin with a concrete moment, contrast, or question grounded in the source material; avoid broad scene-setting. 2. Stakes: explain what was at risk or difficult for this audience. 3. Progression: show the turning point and the two or three decisions, discoveries, or events that changed the situation. Put them in causal order, not as a list. 4. Evidence: include only the strongest supporting detail or number, and explain why it matters. 5. Resolution: state what changed, what remains unresolved, and the precise takeaway or next action. Use natural spoken sentences, short paragraphs, and transitions a presenter can say aloud. Keep the story focused on one central idea; remove side paths that do not change the outcome. Output: (a) a one-sentence story spine in the form “When..., we..., so that...”; (b) the script; (c) three optional opening lines in different tones; and (d) a 5-bullet delivery outline. Before answering, check that every factual claim traces to my material and that the ending directly supports the desired action or belief. Flag any unsupported or vague claim instead of filling it in.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [AUDIENCE] | State who will hear the story and what they already know. | Operations leaders at a 40-person logistics company who know delivery delays are rising |
| [SUBJECT] | Name the project, experience, decision, or idea the story covers. | A two-week pilot that changed how late shipments were escalated |
| [DESIRED ACTION OR BELIEF] | State the specific conclusion or action you want the audience to reach. | Approve rolling the escalation process out to all dispatch teams |
| [SOURCE MATERIAL] | Paste the facts, timeline, examples, notes, and approved data the story may use. | Late-shipment alerts were reviewed once daily. In the pilot, dispatchers reviewed alerts at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; 18 of 26 at-risk shipments were contacted before the promised date. Three dispatchers said the shared checklist removed duplicate calls. |
| [DELIVERY CONTEXT] | Describe where and why you will tell the story, such as a sales call or all-hands meeting. | A five-minute operations meeting before a budget decision |
| [LENGTH] | Give the target speaking time or approximate word count. | 3 minutes |
How to use
- Paste only facts you can stand behind, including dates and the outcome you can support.
- Name one audience action; a story with several asks usually loses its ending.
- Read the script aloud and cut any sentence that sounds like a report rather than a spoken transition.
- Follow up with: “Give me a version for a skeptical audience that leads with the strongest evidence, without changing any facts.”
Variations
Customer case study
Use this when turning a client project into a sales story.
Write a customer case-study story for [BUYER ROLE] about [CUSTOMER]. Use only these approved facts: [CASE NOTES]. The buyer should understand [BUSINESS OUTCOME]. Structure it as the customer's initial constraint, the decision process, implementation, measurable result, and a realistic limitation. Produce a 400-word narrative, a 75-word version, and three proof points. Do not invent customer quotes, metrics, or approvals. Ask up to 3 questions only if an input is missing. Check that every claimed result is supported by the notes.
Keynote opening
Use this when you need a strong opening before a longer talk.
Create a 90-second keynote opening for [AUDIENCE] on [TOPIC], based only on [FACTS OR ANECDOTE]. It should create tension around [CENTRAL QUESTION], establish why the topic matters now, and end with a clear promise of what the audience will learn. Write it as spoken language, then give a one-line transition into [NEXT SECTION]. Do not invent personal experiences, statistics, or quotations. Ask up to 3 questions only for missing inputs. Check that the opening reaches the central question within 45 seconds.
Internal change story
Use this when explaining why a team process must change.
Draft a 4-minute change narrative for [TEAM] about moving from [CURRENT APPROACH] to [NEW APPROACH]. Base it on [EVIDENCE AND TIMELINE]. Explain the cost of staying put, the decision that led to the change, what people will do differently, and what support is available. End with [NEXT STEP]. Produce a spoken script and a six-slide outline. Do not promise results or dates not supplied. Ask up to 3 questions only if needed. Check that affected employees can identify their own action after hearing it.
Tips
- Choose one change in belief or behavior for the ending; do not make a single story carry every project benefit.
- Use chronology only when each event causes the next one; otherwise organize around the audience problem and the evidence that resolves it.
- Keep numbers scarce and interpretable: say what a figure changed, compared with what, and over what period.
- If the story includes a customer, employee, or patient, remove identifying details unless you have permission to use them.
FAQ
Can AI make up a compelling story from a few bullet points?
It can shape the material into a narrative, but it should not invent the turning point, results, or personal details. Supply the true tension, sequence, and evidence.
How long should a presentation story be?
For most business presentations, two to four minutes is enough before returning to analysis or recommendations. A keynote opening can be shorter.
Should I include every relevant metric?
No. Use the one or two measures that prove the central change, and keep the supporting data available for questions.