Answers · By Sun Yi, creator of the Myth Sandwich

How do I write for the web and social media?

Short answerWrite the way people read on their phones. Make them curious with a question, give them a breath with a pause, and change up how long your sentences are.

Ask The Reader A Question

  • A question pulls the reader in. Instead of "People are mean, they're always trying to put you down," ask: "Do you ever feel like people are mean? Like they're always trying to put you down?"
  • Keep people curious: raise a question, then answer it. As soon as you answer one, raise another one.
  • When people wonder what happens next, they keep reading to find the answer. That's how you build suspense.

Add A Pause Before The Big Moment

  • Pause in your writing like you pause on stage. Put "..." right before the moment you want to land.
  • For example: "And in one second you realize it's the most blissful experience of your life... You're flying."

Mix Short And Long Sentences

  • Only short sentences sound choppy: "I made the zoom function. I spent three nights. I didn't mind. It was my best work."
  • One long run-on sentence leaves people out of breath.
  • Mix them: "It was the best website I ever made. A masterpiece. I even stayed up three nights in a row trying to make the zoom function so I could surprise her. I didn't mind. It was all worth it."
  • Quick, short sentences build up the tension, so the payoff hits harder.
  • Don't just write words. Write music.

In Sun's words

Do you feel the rhythm? That variation is what gives writing momentum. It tells the reader, unconsciously, when to slow down and when to speed up. That's what makes copy and stories feel smooth instead of mechanical.

Watch Sun explain this

Try itOpen one of your stories. Add one question for the reader, one "..." right before your big moment, and one short sentence next to a long one.
This answer comes from Sun Yi's Story Bank Library.

The full Library has thousands of Sun's stories and lessons, plus Sun Bot to help you write your own. Get it with Night Owl Nation or Story Bank.

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