Finding your hook: How to tell the story of your work

When someone asks you at a party what you do, how do you answer? Do you fumble for words or do you have a compelling hook ready that makes them lean in and want to know more?

In Episode 02 of New Creative Era, co-hosts Joshua Citarella and Yancey Strickler explore the art of narrativizing creative projects. Josh shares practical insights from launching his hit YouTube series Doomscroll, while Yancey reflects on both his failures and successes in pitching ideas throughout his journey with Kickstarter, Metalabel, and collaborative projects.

This conversation is intended for creators who want to transform how they present their work and for collectors seeking to understand the stories behind what they support. Discover why a release strategy is part of the creative process itself.

Topics include:

• Identifying the most compelling narrative hook for your creative work

• Different mediums have different audiences

• Using details as opportunities for depth ("Don't just choose blue. Choose a specific blue with a story")

• Crafting a 3×3 information structure to organize your talking points

• Leading with clarity instead of burying your thesis (and why most people put their best line in the third paragraph)

• Why your work isn't complete until it reaches an audience