You know how we'd plot a story using the 3 act structure or follow the hero’s journey…

Well, you can do the same thing in emails.

In blog posts... 

In social media posts... 

Pretty much anything you want to write can follow a structure… 

A pattern of logic that takes the reader on a little journey, only one where there’s something to do or buy at the end. 

It can make writing emails to your list a lot easier. 

The most common framework some of the big brands use is this:

HTOC

H is for hook - I’ve talked about hooks before, but it can get confusing because the meaning can change depending on the context. 

Here, a hook is just basically your story lead. An interesting angle to draw your reader's attention. Just as we’d use literary devices, the hook’s job here is to create an open loop—a curiosity gap that keeps the reader's interest.  

T is for transition - this is the seamless segue into the thing you really want your reader to know or understand. This is the lesson or thought. 

O is for offer - This is the climax, the point of the email. It's the thing that you’re selling. In our case a book. 

C is for call to action - This is where you tell people what to do next, and how they get the thing you’re offering. I also like to add another C for ‘Circle back’ where you refer back to something in the main hook to give the reader a sense of closure.

Now, I know this all sounds a bit abstract. You could look back at some of my previous emails or you can take a look at someone who I think is particularly good at using this structure.  

That is Dean Koontz. 

Even if you don’t read his genre, his emails are worth a read just to see how he uses this formula. 

Handily, he repurposes his monthly emails and posts them on his blog - this was his July email/blog. 

See if you can spot the formula in action, if not, give me a shout and I’ll help you see it…but be warned, once you see it, you can’t unsee it, just like seeing the 3 Act Structure when you’re reading a book. #sorrynotsorry

If you have a go at writing an email using this formula, let me know, you can even send it to me if you like.

Angie
 

I'm dyslexic. If you spot any typos or run on sentences or dangling thingamies, please be kind and let it slide. While I do my best, I can't afford to have everything I write edited.

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