Introduction
Welcome to the structure of starting every sentence with the exact same thing. Powerful, but tricky. The E Shape is the hardest structure to master. When done right, it always looks like you could have written it in about ten minutes. However, these can be the result of many late nights researching, crafting, reviewing, and rewriting.
But there’s also good news. This sparseness also gives the E Shape its power. Unlike any other structure, E Shapes are the highest rewarders of attention. Great ones sparkle with originality. Humans are pattern matchers by nature, and we like when those patterns are tweaked and reinvented. If you continue to deliver insights in new and interesting ways, your E Shapes can be some of the most engaging pieces in your book.
How it works
Step 1: Device — Establish your repetitive element
All E Shapes use a repetitive device. For most of them, this is parallel structure, which is as simple as starting every sentence the same way.
I will get up and walk the dog at 6:30 AM.
I will eat some fruit as part of my breakfast.
I will shave.
I will clean the sink after I shave …
—from “Man’s Last Stand,” Dodge
I am constantly amazed at how many different ways there are to start an E Shape. Great scripts have started every sentence with “Thanks,” “So,” “You will,” “Music is,” and more. The E Shape is also common when creating a list of founding principles or core beliefs. For that reason, “We” or “We believe” are common sentence starters as well:
We believe in going our own way no matter which way the rest of the world is going.
We believe in bucking the system that is built to smash individuals like bugs on a windshield …
—from “Live by It,” Harley-Davidson
Most of the E Shapes I end up writing usually happen by accident. I’ll notice I’ve written four lines in a row that all start with the word “Give,” and I think, “Huh, can they all start with that?” E Shapes take a long time to finish, but they’re very simple to test. Pull out a new sheet of paper and try.
Even after getting a first draft, I recommend exploring a few different types of parallel structures. Are you starting with a subject? Okay, what happens if you start with the verb instead? Got a list of commands? Okay, what happens if you turn it into a list of statements? You might surprise yourself by what you discover.
The E Shape is great for celebrations and tributes. If you’re honoring something, see if you can capture the primary feeling your brand or your audience has toward it.
Thanks for the swing.
Thanks for the arm.
Thanks for the glove, forever golden.
Thanks for the slide.
Thanks for the smile. The grin. The laugh …
—from “Thanks for Everything, Junior,” Seattle Mariners
One more trick you can try. If you have a tagline or you like the name you’ve given your campaign, use that as a start (or end) for a parallel structure. For example, if you were given the task of creating a new “Think Different” commercial for Apple, you could explore some E Shapes that all start with “Think,” or even all end in “Different,” or even a sequence where the first word of every line was the last one of the one before it, or anything else that might be interesting.
Whatever you choose, always remember that you absolutely must continue the parallel structure all the way through until the very last line. That is what makes the E Shape what it is. Never change it before the last line. If you have to, figure out the last line first to make sure you’ve always got an exit strategy.
We’ll talk more about endings in Step 3. Before that, let’s take a really deep dive into the middle.
Step 2: Variety — Many examples, no narrative
Each new line must introduce something new. A new thought, a new angle, a new insight, a new example, a new way to interpret the parallel structure—something that rewards the listeners for paying attention. The more delightful you can make every single one, the more excited they will be to continue down the list.
While that variety is certainly the most important element of any E Shape. we can reward listener attention in other ways as well. One way is by crafting the examples to work together with nearby items to create visual, thematic, and linguistic connections. This adds a rhythm, symmetry, or style to your list, as in this example about Kobe Bryant:
… Better friend.
Better fighter.
Better rider.
Better eater.
Better leader.
Better generation.
Better nation …
—from “Just Be Better,” Nike
Each of those lines is an independent thought, but they work together. The alliteration between “friend” and “fighter.” The Rhyme between “fighter” and “rider.” The completely random transition to “eater.” The rhyme between that and “leader.” The thematic connection between “leader,” “generation,” and “nation.”
All of that comes from the proximity of the words, but it’s important to also note that those lines are not contingent on the surrounding words to make sense. You don’t need “Better friend” to understand “Better fighter.” It makes just as much logical sense to structure it in a completely different order:
Better nation.
Better rider.
Better eater.
Better fighter.
Better leader.
Better friend.
Better generation.
Better rider.
Better eater.
Better fighter.
Better leader.
Better friend.
Better generation.
But that doesn’t mean order isn’t important. When writing the E Shape, the craft is in the juxtaposition. Have fun with words. Dazzle the ear.
… Don’t smack.
Don’t touch.
Don’t masturbate.
Don’t be childish.
Don’t be old.
Don’t be ordinary.
Don’t be different.
Don’t stand out.
Don’t drop out.
Don’t buy.
Don’t read.
—from “Litany,” The Independent
This passage is so simple, but it’s so richly textured as well. “Smack” and “touch” are both about physical contact. “Touch” and “masturbate” are also about physical contact, but in a different way than “touch” and “smack” are. “Masturbate” and “Childish” share a thematic connection, but then “Childish” is connected to “old” as different life stages. I also appreciate the slightly more interesting “don’t be childish” instead of the more precise opposite “don’t be young.” The words “old” and “ordinary” are alliterative, and it sets up “ordinary” and “different” as contrasting types of behavior. This is followed by “different” being a synonym for the phrase “Don’t stand out.” The only connection between “stand out” and “drop out” is that they share the same terminal preposition. Then, “buy” and “read” are both steps in a process.
That’s a lot of flavor to pack into 28 words, and each one keeps us interested. My guess is that a lot of great writers are not conscious of all these connections when they’re writing scripts like this, and you don’t have to be either. After absorbing all these tools, your subconscious can start to put them to use even without your full awareness.
As you build your script, you’ll have a choice of whether to create a perfect or imperfect parallel structure. An example of a perfect parallel structure is “Lettera 36” by Olivetti. Every sentence starts exactly the same. This is overwhelmingly my preference, and I’m a staunch believer that every E Shape can be successful with this precision.
However, not all writers agree. Many great E Shapes have a few non-parallel lines threaded throughout that break up the structure. I think of these as having imperfect parallel structures, which isn’t meant to be an insult. Despite my bias, there are still many great scripts that do this, and it’s easy to see why. Having one or two quick lines that disrupt the consistency can jolt the attention of the listener back on track like a bowling ball hitting a bumper rail.
… Better leader.
Better generation.
Better nation.
Just be better.
Can you do that?
Better player.
Better shooter.
Better scorer.
Better goat.
Better coach …
—from “Just Be Better,” Nike
Those two non-parallel lines come in exactly halfway through the script. I can see the draw. “Just Be Better” has a pretty rigid structure of “Better” plus just one word. That can be quite limiting when you’re stretching it over two minutes, so it makes sense that some texture was added. I find it interesting that the points where the structure breaks fall exactly at 25%, 50%, and 75% in the script. I’m not sure if this was intentional or intuitive, but it works.
You’ll see non-parallel examples thrown into longer scripts as well. This can create a quick flight of a different parallel structure, almost as if they’re a continuation from the previous sentence.
In this example, the parallel structure is “What if…”:
… What if we could create a better everyday life for the many people? For couples that turn into families, the children, the lovers. For the old Ladies, the single ladies, the single mothers, and for those who need to start all over …
—from “What if?” Ikea
You can also break the parallel structure to continue the rabbit hole of a thought. Again, this also looks like the continuation from the previous sentence that could have been achieved with commas and dashes but just happens to be broken up by periods.
… What if we could plant more trees than we use? And what if we use wood in new ways? So that this tree and this tree and all of this tree could grow up to be just trees? …
—from “What if?” Ikea
Sometimes, the break in the parallel structure can happen by replacing the device with a pronoun or other similar stand-in:
… Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare …
—from “Impossible is Nothing,” Adidas
In that example, you can easily see how the parallel structure could have continued throughout all four sentences. But by using “It” instead of “Impossible” for the second and fourth sentences, the writer creates a rhythm and symmetry that propel us through the section.
In addition to variety, there’s one final point worth mentioning on many E Shapes: the age-old principle of showing and not telling. I know. I can hear you groaning. Trust me, I’ve read that in writing guides my whole life. But there’s a specific reason why it’s valuable here. Let me explain.
This insight came from Eddie Shleyner, creator of Very Good Copy. His post “Explaining One of the Great Ads of All Time” gave me a new appreciation of the brilliant “Father’s Day” ad by Chivas Regal. This is Eddie’s favorite print ad because every line is a vivid example of showing instead of telling.
What does this mean in practice? Consider the following statements. These are not from the ad. These are examples Eddie uses to demonstrate what the ad could have been if it was filled with telling instead of showing:
Because you were silly and funny.
Because you were a great provider.
Because you’re proud of me.
Because you’re affectionate.
Because you’re a great husband.
Because you were a great provider.
Because you’re proud of me.
Because you’re affectionate.
Because you’re a great husband.
Those sentences don’t show us anything, but they’re sure trying to tell us a lot. The real ad is the opposite of this. Check out the following excerpt. These are the same thoughts, but instead of stating bland facts, they’re translated into vivid examples:
… Because you used to dance in the kitchen with a tea-towel round your waist.
Because of all the nights you sat working at your desk while I lay sleeping in my bed.
Because I know there's a faded newspaper clipping in your wallet about my scholarship.
Because you still hug me when we meet.
Because you still buy my mother flowers …
—from “Father’s Day,” Chivas Regal
For this reason, David Abbot, the writer of this ad, has been told that “Father’s Day” vividly echoes many readers’ experiences with their own fathers. Eddie appreciates this idea of vividly echoing, which is only possible when we focus on showing instead of telling.
All that said, I’ve always found “show don’t tell” to be a bit abstract, so I’ll mention one more point on how to do this. The way I turn a “show” into a “tell” is to ask, “How?”
Take the Dodge “Man’s Last Stand” commercial, which is a great example of showing. If we translate those lines back into telling language, one of the examples would be, “I treat you with respect.” Okay, how? Well, by listening to your opinion of my friends without interrupting you. Another telling example might have been, “I keep the house clean.” Okay, how? Well, by putting the seat down and not getting pee all over the floor.
There’s no one right answer to any “How” question, and that’s a good thing. Dig deeper into the proof points behind the tell-statements, explore multiple ways in, and find the ones that work best for your piece.
All that said, not every ad needs this kind of writing. Many succeed without, such as the Nike “Just Be Better” spot we talked about above. Just something to keep in mind for longer E Shapes. With such an unforgiving structure, it’s worth every amount of time you have to craft these as best you can.
Step 3: Summary — Demonstrate why it all matters
The ending of the E Shape has a very specific job to do. You need to summarize what all of these examples mean without violating the parallel structure you’ve created. This is harder than it might sound. Many bad scripts will keep their parallel structure for a while, then abandon it the moment there’s some business to do. Fight that urge. Keep the script focused through the end.
Whenever I see a new E Script, I always take a close look at the last line. When they’re done right, they leave us with a warm, reassuring feeling that the script is now complete. Just like a conductor lowering his baton at the end of a symphony, there should be no doubt in the listeners’ minds when to start applauding. Let’s continue looking at “Father’s Day.”
… Because you've always been there when I've needed you.
Because you let me make my own mistakes and never once said "I told you so.”
Because you still pretend you only need glasses for reading.
Because I don't say thank you as often as I should.
Because it's Father's Day.
Because if you don't deserve Chivas Regal, who does?
—from “Father’s Day,” Chivas Regal
Notice how these last three lines get increasingly more encapsulating. Each one zooms out just a little each time, first to appreciation, then to celebration, then to honor. The second-to-last line says, “This is a great gift.” The final line says, “Your qualities as a father place you above anyone who’s ever been given a bottle of Chivas Regal.” There’s no topping that. Cue the applause.
To illustrate this feeling, here are those same lines in a different order. Imagine this is the last lines of the manifesto. How do you feel?
Because I don't say thank you as often as I should.
Because you've always been there when I've needed you.
Because if you don't deserve Chivas Regal, who does?
Because you let me make my own mistakes and never once said, "I told you so.”
Because it's Father's Day.
Because you still pretend you only need glasses for reading.
Because you've always been there when I've needed you.
Because if you don't deserve Chivas Regal, who does?
Because you let me make my own mistakes and never once said, "I told you so.”
Because it's Father's Day.
Because you still pretend you only need glasses for reading.
Doesn’t work, right? Much of this might be obvious, but I always have to remind myself of this principle when writing E Shapes. This is especially helpful when I need to sit down and write the ending intentionally. Rather than trying to just find my best example, I take a step back and try to capture the overarching insight that makes the manifesto captivating, necessary, relevant, or significant in the first place.
If you can keep your ending to the most significant example or the line that feels like the amalgamation of all the others, you’re home.
