Nicolas Cole

Viral articles, Twitter threads, and any other effective piece of written content online follows this basic structure:

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: X Main Points

Section 3: Conclusion

The very first sentence is arguably the most important sentence of the entire piece.

It should be a short sentence. It should be a clear sentence. It should be a sentence that a reader can fly through, giving them the feeling they’re off to a running start. You are successful if you can nail the entire “point” of the piece in ten words or less.

This first sentence is your opener.

This second sentence clarifies your opener. This third sentence reinforces the point you’re making with some sort of credibility or amplified description. And this fourth sentence rounds out your argument, guiding the reader toward your conclusion.

This fifth sentence is your strong conclusion.