Good Day Brewers - Pang here! ☕

Nearly FOUR MONTHS of hard work put into the course!

I was ready for the launch, but there were some technical issues.

And sometimes things just don’t go our way!

As a result, there’ll be a delay in the official launch of the StoryBrew Master Course!

Meanwhile, join the waitlist while you still can to get 66% off upon launch!

Enjoy this issue!

Estimated reading time: 1,729 words - 7 mins 16 secs

Lost & Found

Something felt amiss. The weight of my pockets was unusually light.

Time seemed to slow down as I stood there, trying to process the situation. A surge of panic erupted within me, its intensity echoing like the piercing wails of an ambulance siren.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, propelling my legs forward, despite the bustling crowd on the footpath. Nimbly maneuvering through the sea of passersby, I pushed forward with unwavering determination.

The bus, already 60 meters ahead, made a sharp left turn at the junction, taunting me with its distance.

Refusing to be defeated, I quickened my pace, desperately closing the gap between me and the bus. Each stride became a battle against my flimsy slippers, threatening to destabilize my footing.

With unwavering focus, I knew my opportunity lay just ahead at the upcoming bus stop.

As the bus came to a halt at the next stop, hope ignited within me. I drew closer, the remaining 30 meters shrinking with every ounce of strength I mustered.

Inches away from the bus entrance, a cruel twist of fate unfolded before my eyes as the doors abruptly closed, leaving me in a haze of defeat.

Will I ever lay eyes on my wallet again?

The significance of its loss became all too real. Not only did it hold over $100 in cash, but it also held the weight of items that would be a hassle to replace such as my driver's license and debit cards.

And to compound matters, the Picard wallet was a cherished gift from my girlfriend on my birthday, imbued with deep sentimental value.

Surely, someone who stumbled upon it would be tempted to keep it, right?

I sought solace by squatting on the pavement, attempting to catch my breath and regain composure.

What course of action should I take?

I pondered my options for a fleeting moment before decisively dialing the Singapore Bus Services lost and found hotline.

A voice answered on the other end.

"Hi! How can I assist you today?"

"I left my wallet on service 116 at 7.55 pm while alighting at the Nex bus stop!"

"Understood. Kindly leave us your details, and we will reach out if any information surfaces."

With that glimmer of hope planted, I embarked on the rest of my journey toward my girlfriend's house, the usual haven for our shared weekends.

By the time I arrived, the clock had struck 9.15 pm.

No missed calls.

No messages.

The bus should have reached the interchange by 8.30 pm, implying that my wallet should have been discovered by then. But my phone remained resolutely silent.

Doubt started seeping in. Someone might have taken advantage of the situation.

Though I had secured my debit cards, the $100 in cash remained vulnerable. The potential consequences loomed in my mind, conjuring fears of identity theft or illicit activities utilizing my stolen driver's license.

Anxiety gripped me, spiraling out of control with each passing thought.

Restlessness consumed me, making it impossible to find solace in stillness.

"It's just a wallet. We can replace it," my girlfriend attempted to console me, her words falling short of alleviating the weight of my unease.

I tossed and turned through the night, my mind tormented by worry.

As the sun finally painted the sky with the hues of the morning, I glanced at my phone in a desperate search for a glimmer of hope. Alas, nothing materialized.

Seeking a momentary distraction, I opened Instagram and began mindlessly scrolling through my feed.

And there it was, tucked away in the top right corner of the app — a message request.

Angie — "Hi! Msg me. I found your wallet!"

A surge of excitement coursed through me, rekindling the flicker of hope that I might indeed recover my lost wallet.

Angie revealed that I could retrieve it on Sunday night — a welcome relief, as the location proved to be conveniently close to my residence.

As I waited with bated breath in the lift lobby, a middle-aged woman approached me, reaching into her bag to produce something unmistakably familiar.

My wallet!

This is how I met my hero.

Returning the wallet to me, she ensured that its contents remained untouched, preserving every card and dollar as if frozen in time.

This moment was priceless.

It demonstrated that kind and honest souls do exist in this world, restoring my faith in the goodness that resides within humanity — a treasure far more valuable than any material possession my wallet could ever hold.

How to tell a HERO’s story?

The Hero’s Journey framework is widely discussed across various mediums.

But due to its complexity, rigidity, and predictability, this is the framework that I’ll certainly avoid when telling my stories.

Instead, take a look at the story arc I used to craft the above story:

#1 - Opening:

Start with a hook to draw your reader’s in.

In this case, I created suspense in the first line, drawing you in to find out what happened.

Something felt amiss. The weight of my pockets was unusually light.

It made you curious to find out what’s going on.

#2 - Introducing the Conflict:

Next, continue to draw your reader’s into the conflict by painting a vivid scenario.

Rolling into action is a great way to introduce the conflict.

Noticed how I put you in my shoes on that chase by describing these:

• The Chase — Adrenaline coursed through my veins, propelling my legs forward

• The Setting — A sea of passersby on the footpath

• The Gap — The bus was already 60 meters ahead

• The Struggle — Running in flimsy slippers, threatening to destabilize my footing

• The Hope — I knew my opportunity lay just ahead at the upcoming bus stop

• The Disappointment — The bus doors closed abruptly, leaving me in a haze of defeat

• The REAL CONFLICT — Will I ever lay eyes on my wallet again?

This introduction to the conflict put you on a thrilling roller coaster ride, fills with ups and downs.

But the story goes on.

#3 - Stakes:

Every story needs stakes!

If there aren’t any stakes, your readers will just tap out of the story.

So ELABORATE MORE!

What’s it going to cost you if the worse circumstance happens?

For me, they were:

• Over a hundred dollars in cash.

• My Debit Cards — I’ve locked all my cards, but replacing them is going to be another problem.

• My Driving License — The thief could easily steal my identity to conduct illegal activities which might give me more problems.

• My Picard Wallet — a priceless gift for my birthday from my favorite person in this world.

The stakes were sky-high.

And you’ll want to know how it ends, right?

#4 - Building up Tension:

After introducing the stakes, it’s time to build up the tension within the story.

• What happened after the conflict?

• What attempt did you make to resolve it?

• How did you feel?

I called the lost and found hotline to report a missing wallet.

No missed calls. No messages. The bus should have reached the interchange by 8.30 pm, implying that my wallet should have been discovered by then. My phone remained resolutely silent.

Doubt started seeping in.

Anxiety gripped me, spiraling out of control with each passing thought.

Restlessness consumed me, making it impossible to find solace in stillness.

My wallet must have been stolen!

#5 - A Glimmer of Hope:

Just when you are about to give up, you noticed a glimmer of light shining in the distance.

Give your readers a glimpse of what that HOPE feels like, but don’t spoil the story.

We still don’t know how it ends. 😉

• What were the circumstances when it happened?

• How did it feel?

Seeking a momentary distraction, I opened Instagram and began mindlessly scrolling through my feed.

And there it was, tucked away in the top right corner of the app — a message request.

Angie — "Hi! Msg me. I found your wallet!"

A surge of excitement coursed through me, rekindling the flicker of hope that I might indeed recover my lost wallet.

But I still don’t know if she would return my wallet without taking a single dollar out of it.

#6 - Meeting the Hero:

Finally, it’s about time to meet the hero.

• How are you going to introduce the hero?

• Describe that feeling when you were finally saved (or found what was lost).

As I waited with bated breath in the lift lobby, a middle-aged woman approached me, reaching into her bag to produce something unmistakably familiar.

My wallet!

This is how I met my hero.

Returning the wallet to me, she ensured that its contents remained untouched, preserving every card and dollar as if frozen in time.

#7 - Resolution:

Leave your readers feeling satisfied with a heartfelt resolution on what transpired within the story.

• What is the main message of this story?

This should be a powerful message that would leave a deep impact.

Use an analogy to connect back to the main story.

Humanity is restored with the above story as the lost wallet was returned to its rightful owner without any loss.

It demonstrated that kind and honest souls do exist in this world, restoring my faith in the goodness that resides within humanity — a treasure far more valuable than any material possession my wallet could ever hold.

So there you go!

Now, it’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice.

I’d love to read your stories — Just reply to this email and I promise to get back to you!

Your Barista,

Pang

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