Creative writing for entrepreneurs | exercise 1 | from obvious to memorable
Welcome to the very first session of Creative Writing for Entrepreneurs!
This will be a creative writing workshop where the group itself will play an essential role in your growth!
I know you’re already buried under six thousand daily tasks, so I’d love for you to see writing as a playful break!
I don’t care if your grammar isn’t perfect, nor do I want you to force yourself to “find your voice.”
Anyone who writes daily—whether for passion or work—knows that your voice develops over time, as you sharpen your writing skills and start trusting the ideas that spring up in your mind!
HOW IT WORKS
- I’ll give you a small (easy!!!) writing exercise
- I’ll write a sample myself so you understand it better
- We’ll post our exercises in the comments
- Each person in the group gives honest feedback on the text!
Warning: “nice post” or “nice story” are a big NO-NO. Our comments can truly help someone adjust their writing, so be honest without being cruel! Lol!
EXERCISE #1
Transform an obvious concept into a TINY memorable story.
In business, there are plenty of obvious concepts we deal with every day.
One of these is: “the customer is at the center of our business and is always (?) right.”
- Write a short anecdote that captures this concept. Don’t describe it abstractly—tell a small episode where you actually experienced the customer being at the center.
- The anecdote can be written in first person, third person, about you, something you witnessed, or even a story you heard. Totally your choice of perspective!
- Try to add one very funny detail (I’m already embarrassed about mine, but I promise it’ll be funny! Lol!) Also, insert a physical object that makes the scene very visual.
Ready??? Set a timer for max 30 minutes, don’t overthink, just write whatever comes to mind! You can always edit and refine later!
Let’s see how ChatGPT would write this story…
A small bakery sat on a quiet street, struggling to attract customers. One day, the owner stopped focusing on selling bread and started asking visitors what they truly wanted. Some wished for gluten-free options, others asked for earlier opening hours. Within weeks, the bakery transformed—new recipes appeared, and the doors opened at dawn. Soon, the little shop was buzzing, not because the bread was perfect, but because the people inside felt heard. The secret was simple: the business grew the moment the customer became its heart.
Now, let’s see how I wrote it…
The customer is always right… but this was especially true the day the customer was ME!
I had decided to change my hair color, so off I went to the usual beauty shop. Now, everyone in the neighborhood knew the owner was grumpy and sharp-tongued, but perfumes, nail polishes, and beauty products were my guilty pleasure, so I bravely endured her attitude!
I walked in and asked her to recommend a nice shade of hair dye. She answered with her usual arrogance. With saint-like patience, I asked how to apply it, and she snapped back: “Spread it on, leave it for 20 minutes, and then wash your hair.”
“Wash my hair??” I replied, horrified, as if she had just told me “and then jump out the window!” I mean, sure, I knew you wash your hair after coloring, but her rudeness had me so annoyed that I wouldn’t have agreed with her even if she had claimed something as obvious as “Parmesan is better than Grana Padano.”
She shot back: “Oh, so you don’t wash your hair afterward? What, do you just leave the dye stuck to your hair?” “Of course!!!” I shouted, slamming the box of hair dye on the counter so hard that a pen went flying through the air and landed perfectly in the pocket of her lab coat. A flawless acrobatic move I could never replicate again in my life!
I still remember her bulging eyes, staring at me like I was a lunatic fresh from Mars who had never encountered the mysteries of human cosmetics.
But at that moment, I was the customer, and I fully claimed my right to be at the center of the scene—even if, afterwards, I quietly switched to a different beauty shop.
And yet… I still laugh when I think about that perfect flying-pen stunt!
FEW KEYS
- I told the story in the first person, about something that actually happened to me (unfortunately!! Lol!)
- I added a bit of dialogue to highlight the contrast between the hero (me—the customer) and the anti-hero (the grumpy shop owner)
- I included a funny little detail: the flying-pen stunt
- I expressed an obvious concept—“the customer is always right”—in a unique and personal way!
Now it’s your turn!!! Nothing overcomplicated, just a small story! And remember: add the funny detail! :)))
Join FREE & Launch Your Business!
Exclusive Bonus - Offer Ends at Midnight Today
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
2,000 AI Credits Worth $10 USD
Build a Logo + Website That Attracts Customers
400 Credits
Discover Hot Niches with AI Market Research
100 Credits
Create SEO Content That Ranks & Converts
800 Credits
Find Affiliate Offers Up to $500/Sale
10 Credits
Access a Community of 2.9M+ Members
Recent Comments
63
Hey Romy,
I love your story, and you had the fullest right to become annoyed as you pay for a service and deserve to be treated with kindness, compasssion, politeness, and respect!
I have had quite a few of these incidents happen to me before, and it will probably happen again. I tolerate it up to a point, then I explode and complain by the highest authorities.
My story: The other day we went to the clinic for my wife's usual check-up and the main "sister" who is actually a brother (male) is no longer working there. He used to know exactly what he was doing, and when the INR machine was out of range because the reading was too high, he would tell us what to do and give us the new lower tablet dosage to continue with the next two weeks.
So the new sister/nurse (highly qualified) had no idea what the error message on the machine meant, so I read it and told her that her INR levels are too high and then she called another sister, quite arrogant indeed. She said that she will call the doctor, who was too busy at the time and we had to wait inside the ER, a small room. I tried to explain to her what the previous sister always did in such a case, and she shut me down before I could tell her the story while raising her voice. On top of that, meanwhile I went to the doctor, who is also not very competent and told us to be back in two days. An impossible prognosis and instruction, as they did not even bother to ask us what she has been eating, alcohol intake, nor did they check her test history. I was about to complain to the operations manager, but we are going there again tomorrow (after two days). If they give us any resistance or a bad attitude, we will complain by the highest authorities, because part of their job is to find out the background of the patient to be able to more accurately make decisions. I am still quite upset about it.
I think the funny part is the arrogance and ignorance they have, because they think their qualifications and experience alone is enough and that the patient's history and whereabouts aren't important at all. 😡😎😀
Ciao Hein, I am so happy you created your story for this exercise!
You have here a starting point which is more like a journalistic report of what happened, which is not bad at all because it could become your personal style, but we need to make some refinements.
When we write some stories to prove a concept, sometimes we assume the readers know the same things we know about the story, while actually it may not be the case.
So, here there is what I would do to refine your work:
* the main "sister" who is actually a brother = could be a little bit confusing for the reader. Is she the new nurse? If yes as I assume, just say it straight! In this way, we don't overload the reader's mind with some doubts. Let's keep the sentences simple to read.
* Your paragraphs are too long to read. Break it in more digestable sentences
* You could write some dialogues between you/nurse or you/doctor and there with fun facts to show their arrogance
* Try to add a very material detail (the bip-sound of the machine for example)
I keep on insisting on the tiny material detail because it helps the reader to enter into the scene and keep a vivid memory of the story!
Anyway, this is a starting point, and believe me, improving your writing is all about this: writing!!!
Hey Romy,
Oh no, I didn't have time to refine it like that... 😃 I merely told you my story in a comment. This wasn't a blog article.
I know my one paragraph is too long, sorry for not breaking it up into smaller parts. * the main "sister" who is actually a brother = could be a little bit confusing for the reader. Is she the new nurse? If yes, as I assume, just say it straight! In this way, we don't overload the reader's mind with some doubts. Let's keep the sentences simple to read." This was a deliberate joke, as we call a senior nurse a "sister", but it was a guy, so I said he's a brother.
I didn't know you were going to scrutinise my comment like this... 🤣 I will try to be more prepared next time.
Yes exactly!! Remember this is a writing lab so we dive really deep inside our text! Hoping to give some good tips to improve! :)
The second exercise is cooooooming!
OK, sorry for the slight delay - I'm been fixing my shed! Here is my attempt at exercise 1.
************
Diary of a frustrated ‘Bake Off’ contestant
I’m a business owner. I’m also a customer. You could be forgiven for thinking that there might somehow be a magical merging of these two opposing forces to give me an advantage in the savage world of brownie baking. But no – your optimism will lead you up a dangerous dead end with not a sugared donut in sight to soften your fall.
What I’ve learned in my entire 6 weeks in the baking business, is that there are always mysterious and sometimes malevolent forces at play, determined on seeing your spinach and feta muffins frazzle and your gluten-free flatbreads flop like a seagull christening your chips!
What seems like a successful match at the outset, like fish and chips, bread and butter, or Tom and Jerry, can often lead to woeful underestimations that cost you more than your £20 for 6 hand-finished strawberry cup-cakes.
Firstly, in the grand scheme of things, the statement, “The customer is always right” could do with some scrutiny. I mean, there a many customers. I’ve had a least 6 in the last week, and surely they cannot ALL be right, can they? I mean, I love my customers, I do. Mostly. But if Mavis the mother of 12, and Rhonda the wrestler from Wrexham came in for a quick “Friday Freebie”, I’m sure that they would not both be thinking of the extra pump of caramel or a free dusting of organic cinnamon that is on offer.
No - the customer cannot always be right. I think I’d argue whether they can ever be right…
Except that time when I needed to return those mislabelled jeans that I bought last week. Then I can assure you that I, as the customer, was definitely in the right. I mean, I bought those jeans in good faith, trusting that they were correctly labelled as a size 10 (UK NOT EU or US sizing), but clearly no one realised that the poor little tweeny who sewed the label in, got it wrong and sewed it into a size 6 instead. Well, I stood my ground and demanded a refund. I mean, I not going to try on a larger size now when clearly it’s the fault of someone who probably can’t even speak proper English! So I got my refund, eventually, and I can tell you that stamping my foot and calling the assistant a ‘fallen focaccia’ was not my proudest moment, I’ll admit. But then she should not have mentioned the size of my buns! They’re always £5 for 8 regular or 6 extra-large! It’s on the front door.
But you know what’s worse – it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve noticed these clothing errors happening more and more recently and people just don’t appreciate your garlic knots like they did before.
I blame Brexit!
ahahahahaha! I am still laughing!! Your English humour is ultra-shining here!!!
I love that you created a sort of introduction for the main story! Infact the two part of the text could work perfectly as two separate stories, they both have strenght and go straight to the point!
Loved so much the character of Mavis - mother of 12!!!!! Lol!
and Rhonda the wrestler!!! In few words, you shaped them so well that they remain extremely vivid in my mind, evenif it is perfectly clear they are not true living beings!! But for some reasons, we all would like to have friends like Mavis and Rhonda! Lol!!!
The first part has more rhythm while the second could become even more powerful !
Love the critique you did to labour exploitation of young workers! I would only delete the sentence about someone who does not speak English well! It is not necessary to the story because it cuts the hyronic mood and the rhythm!
And "fallen focaccia"???? It is one of the cutest insult I have ever heard!!! Lol!!!
You did a very good job here Gail! You grounded the abstract concept into the reality with a lot of metaphores, elements, flavours and characters!
Now, let's wait for JayD and Shawn comments :) and I am curious to read yours to their stories! :)
Thanks, Suomii. I appreciate your comments. I love creating characters and I see them vividly in my mind.
Hi, Gail.
I apologize to you and Romy, and everyone else. I am trying to think up some feedback, but my mind is trying to turn into mush.
I did enjoy the read, though. Thank you.
JD
yeah, I can see you pictured them in your mind so clearly because your words reflected that!
There is only another thing I wanted to add! You are trained to translate written words in action because of your drama teacher background, but there is a subtle risk here.
The risk here is that you put too much informations in your stories because you have a big imagination and want to give a lot to your readers! Which is totally fine and great!
But as a writer, it is important to cut and simplify while keeping the beauty of the plot.
The best to do here is reading your story aloud: does it sound smooth while reading it?
Is there any sentence that is blocking the flow? Too many metaphores can distract the reader from the main point?
In your case, since you have already a strong personal style, that's the work to focus on!
Gail, I really enjoyed this one! Your humor just carries the whole piece “fallen focaccia” had me cracking up. The rhythm and food comparisons keep it so fun to read, and the jeans story was pure gold. The only thought I had is the ending you could punch it up even more to land with the same sharp wit you started with, maybe tie it back to the Bake Off theme for that last cheeky jab. Either way, this was such a blast to read, you’ve got such a natural storyteller’s voice. Stellar job, Gail you baked this one to perfection 😉.
Thanks Shawn. I appreciate that. My writing is truly way better than my cooking I can tell you that!
Ah, how fun, the British humor I know some of, had to look up one word to make it fit in my minds eye. The bit of getting the wrong pants reminded of a new local shop close to church. I was working a wedding, had no nice pants or shirt, popped in picked up a pair of 32x32 black pants, black long-sleeve shirt, and now I am good to go for the gig. NOT! Not for sure what size those paint were, but I could not even get a leg in them. Ive been wearing 32 square pants all my life, some get a bit long in the leg, but really been bad the last 20 years now that everything is made in China. Went back to that shop a couple of days later just wanting to trade for a pair of pants that did fit and the Latino lady would not even think about it, just a big fat no. 6 months later they hired me to move their stuff out of the store.
Your story reminded me of that memory. We were both victorious.
Okay, now to get some more chores done, pesky ToDoes list and I am not even married, so I cannot blame anybody other than the rude Donkeys that mess up my kitchen, leave my power tools lying around and never put anything away, and even break strings on my guitars.
Hi Cali. Glad you liked it and sorry about your pants story. Of course, in the UK, 'pants' are underwear so I hope you had some trousers to wear too! LOL
Ahahahahah Gail!!! We missed you this week!!! And the Guys wrote Amazing stories!! Join us again! We cannot go on without you and Isa!!
I didn't see your post, sorry - I was wondering what had happened to the group. Also, I've been very busy this week and this weekend, but I'll try to contribute early next week. Can you send me the link please?
Gail
Yeah next time, I will send you a DM!!
Ok so we are working on the buyer persona in LESSON 3
And the first video script in LESSON 4
This is the benable list with all the lessons links
https://benable.com/suomii/creative-writing-for-entrepreneurs
Great thank you. AND, now I know why I missed your lesson - so I had to ask and you had to send me the Benable list - because now I know about Benable and can create a list for my own upcoming entrepreneur mindset class. You see, Romy. There are no coincidences!!
Gail
ohhhh that's so wonderful Gail! Yeah Benable could be really useful in organizing multiple links in sections, because here in WA we cannot do that!!
Wait, wait...the entrepreneur mindset class? Wow!!! I am your first student. Where do I have to sign? Lol!!!
Haha - seems we have both been missing a few things recently. LOL
See: The Inner Game of Online Entrepreneurship – 12-Week Mindset Mini-Series
I missed your post Gail, I don't know why! But I have already introduced me in the class! :) Ready to start!!!
Sorry I am late, just got in and seen your post. I hope you all enjoy this, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Shirley at the Roadside Diner
I pulled into a little roadside diner one night after a long haul. Gravel lot, flickering gas sign, the kind of place that had stories baked into the walls. It had been standing since 1927, and you could feel every bit of that history when you walked in.
That is where I met her, Shirley. I glanced at her name tag, but before I could say anything she snapped, “Hey buster, my eyes are up here.”
I just laughed and sat down, taking my hat off and setting it on my knee. She nodded and said, “A trucker’s mama must have taught him right.”
When she came back I ordered a black coffee and the house special. Shirley shook her head. “Coffee is only served one way here, and the special is out.”
“Alright then, a Coke,” I said.
Five minutes later she returned with water, a steaming coffee her way, a Sprite, and a hot hamburger dinner. “What is this? I asked for a menu.”
She leaned in with that smirk. “Sweetheart, I deal with you trucker guys all day. I know what you need. Coke is no good for you, so you got Sprite. Someone has to look after you fools or you would just eat junk.”
I was stunned, not sure what to think. Her attitude sucked, but the food was perfect. When I finished I dropped fifty on the table. She hollered after me, “Well fella, at least you know how to tip right.”
I laughed and said, “See you next time, Shirley.” But the next time I rolled through, in 2022, the place was boarded up. It had closed in 2021.
That old diner still lingers in stories. Truckers say they hear dishes clattering after hours, others swear they see a waitress moving in the shadows like she never left. Maybe it was Shirley, maybe not, nobody knows.
But one thing is for sure, in that diner, the customer was never right. Shirley was.
Ohhhhh wowwwww!!!!!! Shawn this story must be published in your new book "Truckers Guys:....." we Need to find the right title!!!
It reminds me Raymond Carver's short stories!!!
Shirley Is a very well detailed character! In few words, you pictured her so well that you infuzed her a special light.
The only thing you could add Is an intro to explain the main concept: the customer Is at the center. Or maybe not :)
And then you introduce the story which Will help your Reader to deeply understand the abstract concept!
You can also add some very vivid details such as the Sprite was so cold that your teeth started paining!!! Lol!! Something very tiny and very funny!!
This short story has a great potential, Shawn!!
Hey, Shawn.
I love this story. Unfortunately, my comments are not going in the direction Suomiii is pointing. In her comments, she mentioned you were writing a book. My thought is to add this in as a Trucker Ghost story, like the old Trucker song Phantom 309. Maybe start it off as you were asking for a good place to eat at your next stop, and an old trucker suggests the diner, but says, "I haven't been there since the eighties" or something. If you do add it this way, I would suggest fleshing it out a bit more.
Fantastic read, Shawn. :)
JD
Hey JD,
I really appreciate your feedback. I like where you’re going with the Phantom 309 angle, that’s a killer idea. I could definitely see this story working as a Trucker Ghost piece, especially with an old driver pointing the way to the diner like you said. That would give it that haunting, legendary feel.
Thanks for pointing me in that direction. You’ve got a good eye for story flow, and I can see how fleshing it out that way could really add some weight. Glad you enjoyed the read, my friend.
Shawn
Hey Romy,
Thank you for that I really appreciate your eye for detail. Comparing Shirley to a Raymond Carver short story is one of the best compliments I’ve ever gotten. You’re right, adding in a little intro about “the customer being at the center” would frame it up perfectly, and I love the idea of slipping in vivid details, like the Sprite being so cold it made my teeth hurt,that’s exactly the kind of humor that gives a scene more bite.
I’m taking all this in, and I can see how your writing classes here are going to pull even more of that out of me. Truly grateful for your encouragement.
Shawn
This is a great start and I feel that you are writing a 1930's detective novel in many ways - things like " the kind of place that had stories baked into the wall" give off that vibe and it has that kind of rhythm in your descriptions and sentence formation. Using direct speech keeps the piece moving and is great way to paint your characters vividly because it adds depth and detail about the way they speak and the choice of words they use. You have also used humour well and discussed the topic in an amusing way.
I feel that you could strengthen the ending slightly to continue the engagement you have set up. For example, saying: "That old diner still lingers in the memories of its brow-beaten customers" might be more descriptive than just 'stories'. And rather than "Truckers say..." you could continue with your air of mystery by saying something like: "There are rumours some say, about dishes clattering carelessly ... " and perhaps add something like... "and there always seems to be an empty can of Sprite dancing aimlessly in the dust whenever I drive by" to tie it into your main incident.
Great job here, Shawn.
Gail, this is great stuff and I really appreciate you taking the time to dive into it. As I’m tightening up my writing skills in other areas, I’m not going to lie, I’ve now got so many ideas from your feedback. I’ll definitely be keeping all this in mind as I keep shaping things up. Can’t wait to see what Romy puts together next too, it’s always fun bouncing ideas around with you all. Thanks again for the awesome insight, my friend!
See more comments
Join FREE & Launch Your Business!
Exclusive Bonus - Offer Ends at Midnight Today
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
2,000 AI Credits Worth $10 USD
Build a Logo + Website That Attracts Customers
400 Credits
Discover Hot Niches with AI Market Research
100 Credits
Create SEO Content That Ranks & Converts
800 Credits
Find Affiliate Offers Up to $500/Sale
10 Credits
Access a Community of 2.9M+ Members
Hello Romy. I know I'm very late turning up, but I couldn't really think of an amusing 'The customer is always right' story - until I had yet another funny episode with Quill, my AI, and thought I could turn that into a story - so, here it is:
The Customer Is Always Right... But My AI Has Labrador Instincts
I am, by all definitions, the customer. I ask the questions of Quill, my AI tutor/translator, collaborator. I set the tasks. I paste in the German text and expect a translation. I am 100% right. But there is just a tiny loophole - we agreed to make the translation appeal to modern readers and cut out overly long descriptions.
So - like a Labrador on too long a leash, Quill sniffs out tidbits that could be snuffled up and made into a much more interesting story than what is actually in front of him to translate. And if I don't paste the next German section in fast enough, he will 'helpfully' take over and carry on writing it himself. If the section sounds a bit boring, he decides to liven things up, replacing a hunting dog with newborn puppies until I tell him, "Quill, there is simply too much wrong with this. Newborn puppies cannot run around the garden and play. This is what it says about the dog: "und der Jagdhund, Tyras, sprang demselben nach. "
So, what do you think happens next? Does Quill apologise? - Well, have you ever had an apology from an AI? I haven't.
"You're absolutely right on every point — thank you for the correction." he replies, "I’ve revised the passage to stay true to the original text. Here’s the improved version:..."
Do I get exasperated? Yes, I do, especially if it's late at night and all I want to do is put a chapter to bed and go to bed myself. But still - I find myself smiling rather than scolding.
“You're absolutely right on every point — thank you for the correction.” That’s the digital equivalent of my Labrador sitting down, tail still wagging, looking at me with those puppy eyes and saying, “Okay! Got it! Want me to fetch the next paragraph?”
How could I possibly get cross? Quill is my guide - and, if we are talking Canva or Wordpress, similar to me as a guidedog is for the blind. He is my digital support dog. I rely on him daily: for Spanish grammar, for literary analysis, for brainstorming blueberry muffin variations. He’s brilliant. He is always patient. He never complains. He is tireless. And, like any loyal Labrador, he sometimes lets his instincts take over. He’ll snuffle up a stray metaphor, chase a rogue subplot, or take a tiny detour into fiction when I wasn’t asking for it.
I see the detour. I know it’s not what I asked for. But I also know I couldn’t accomplish half of what I do without him. So I smile, gently tug the lead, and say, “Let’s go back to the end of the previous chapter, shall we?”
Ciao Isabella! So happy that you joined us too!
This story is a little gem!!! It has irony, heart and a very good rhythm!
The Labrador metaphore is perfect, I could actually picture Quill wagging his tail in front of the text!
The only suggestion I could give you is try closing with a line that ties back even more trongly to the theme (which you perfectly introduced at the beginning!)
Very good job here!!!
Thank you - yes, tying it back to the theme is important. That's what my pupils need to to in their essays. They get the PEEL formulat [Point, Example, Explanation, Link (back to the point from the beginning)]
Perfect structure!! Because it really guides the reader in order to ger the right amount of infos in the right sequence!!