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How to (Ethically) Get Your Readers to Do Anything

Master the art of persuasive writing

Kyle Chastain
Practice in Public
6 min readNov 18, 2024

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I used to spend hours writing blogs and social media content that got no attention.

It left me frustrated and feeling like a terrible writer. I wanted to quit (and did) more than once. But something kept bringing me back to the page for another round.

Eventually, I discovered an old copywriting technique that helped me learn how to write more engaging content. As a result, my accounts grew, and I attracted thousands of readers.

It’s called the PAS formula, which stands for problem, agitation, solution.

I want to show you how to use this simple, flexible framework in your writing.

How it Works

The PAS formula works best when used at the beginning of a post.

For example, you can address your reader’s problem as early as the first line (or hook). Then, you can spend the next few lines of your introduction agitating the problem. In doing so, you prepare your reader for the solution.

If you’re writing a blog, newsletter, or even a landing page, you’ll usually reveal your solution at the end of your introduction, often by giving it a name.

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Practice in Public
Practice in Public

Published in Practice in Public

If you want to become a better writer, you have to hit the publish button. Notes and drafts don’t count. Practice in public helps writers get off the sidelines and turn pro.

Kyle Chastain
Kyle Chastain

Written by Kyle Chastain

On a mission to become a better writer and storyteller | Building my "Insight" newsletter to 10k+ | Create the life you want: https://chastain.substack.com/

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