James @baldengineer@qoto.org

@deshipu On the other hand, if you're using the structure to talk about or share your project, the audience obviously can't be the hero.

@deshipu (I am making the assumption you want to encourage others to use or contribute to a project.)

You can use plural pronouns ("we") or descriptive words ("programmers.") It does not have to literally be "Susan in row 3, seat 14 did this next step."

The ultimate goal is to help the audience see the solution from their perspective.

It is the difference between "this tool is the best thing ever, you should use it" versus "using this tool helps you make your project the best thing ever."

@deshipu Yes, I am familiar with the Hero's Journey as a storytelling technique.

When I was in my marketing role, I wrote many of them for product messaging.

There's a problem. You (the hero) attempt to solve it but cannot. You get help via a coach (or mentor). A breakthrough happens. Then the story resolves happily.

If you don't want to be the hero in the story, then make the project the hero and yourself the mentor.

@deshipu Yeah, that's the difference between sharing the project and selling a product.

It'll be situtation dependant. For example, if you're trying to gain traction on a new open-source library you created, then you CAN make the viewer the hero because you want them to imagine themselves using it.

However, if you're just telling your story on how it was created, then yeah... that approach does not work.