Three Reasons Why We Love This Woman’s Story?

We love to greet the unexpected almost as much as rooting for the underdog. Audiences in the United Kingdom did both when nebbish Susan Boyle walked onto the stage for Britain’s Got Talent. They knew her type. She was forty-seven years old and somewhat dowdy. Her place was in a public library, not the fast-paced world of music.

Then she sang. Even Simon Cowell’s jaw dropped.

To date, Boyle’s enchanting performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables” boasts over 18 million views on YouTube. Twitter ranks the video as one of its most shared links. She is singing her way into the big leagues with CNN, ABC, The New York Times and MTV mentions. Boyle is living the dream of twenty-something pop ingénues. She is an overnight sensation. But why do we love her story? What lessons can her fast rise to instant stardom teach us as we create our own stories?

• Give them the element of surprise – Boyle’s appearance and timid demeanor trigger a pre-existing expectation of the experience to come. It is unlikely she will dominate the stage like Beyonce or Britney. Her voice quivers as she speaks. It appears that she cannot hold a tune. When she sings, she completely shatters our pre-existing notions and creates a sensory experience more enjoyable than if we knew she could sing from the start.
  
  
• Theory of emotional relativity – David slays Goliath with nothing more than a slingshot. Rocky defeats Captain Ivan Drago. Humans have an eternal love for the plight of the underdog because we see ourselves in that person. When they rise, we suddenly feel empowered to do so. Our stomach churns in agony in their moments of defeat. (Consider when you yell at the television to direct a character from a well-written movie, television show or advertisement.) Suddenly, these everyday people become our every man. Our trials and tribulations intermingle with their stories, and we need them to succeed so we can.
  
  
• Tell them a great story – Talented people beat the odds everyday—some of them on nationally televised talent shows. What makes Susan Boyle’s triumph so fascinating? Unemployed, middle-aged woman lives with her cats. Check. She seeks a shot at stardom on a TV talent competition. Check. She faces the wrath of not one, but three antagonists (the judges) and a mob of non-believers (the audience). Check. She triumphs and receives a standing ovation. Check. The result is a viral story sweeping the Internet and media outlets complete with the irresistible headline, “Never been kissed’ singer, 47, wows Cowell.”

What does this mean for your own story? When conveying a idea with editorial, creative or marketing copywriting, consider your readers’ desires for you to enrapture them with a great message. Defy their expectations; connect with their needs; tell them a story that will spark a response. Give your readers “water cooler copy” worth sharing, and they will think about your story for days to come.