Create conference talk outlines and iA Presenter markdown slides using the Story Circle narrative framework...
Transform brain dumps, transcripts, or raw ideas into structured conference talk scripts using narrative frameworks and Nick Nisi's voice.
The output is a talk script — a narrative outline with slide-by-slide content plan, speaker notes, and timing guidance. It is deliberately tool-agnostic: feed the script into Slidev, Gamma, iA Presenter, Keynote, or whatever you use to build the actual slides.
Determine how the user is starting:
From scratch — They have a topic but no material yet. Go to Stage 1.
From a brain dump — They have scattered notes, bullet points, ideas. Go to Stage 1 and use their material as the starting input.
From a transcript — They have a recording transcript, prior talk, or existing outline. Go to Stage 1-T.
From feedback — They have an existing talk script from a prior session and want to revise. Skip to Stage 4.
Ask the user for (skip what they've already provided):
Don't require all of this upfront. Ask for what's missing after the first pass.
When working from existing material:
Read references/framework-guide.md for the full selection algorithm.
Quick-match shortcuts (covers ~80% of talks):
Run the scoring algorithm from the framework guide using the user's inputs (tone, duration, audience, topic type, code density). Present the top 2 recommendations with a brief sketch of how the talk maps to each framework's structure. Let the user choose or suggest alternatives.
Once a framework is selected, read only that framework's reference file from references/frameworks/. Do not preload all twenty-two.
Read references/voice-tone.md to calibrate Nick's presentation voice.
Then calibrate against recent talks:
Structure the talk script as a markdown document with:
# [Talk Title]
**Duration**: [target length]
**Audience**: [who and what level]
**Framework**: [selected framework]
**Slide count target**: [based on duration — see framework reference]
## Narrative Arc
[2-3 sentence summary of the story arc using the framework's structure]
For each slide:
### Slide N: [Descriptive Title]
**Framework phase**: [which step/act of the framework this maps to]
**Key visual**: [what should be on the slide — a code block, image, diagram, list, quote, or just a heading]
**On screen**: [the actual text/content the audience sees]
**Speaker notes**: [what you say while this slide is up — written in Nick's voice]
**Transition**: [how this connects to the next slide]
## Resources
[Links, references, further reading for the closing slide]
## Timing Guide
[Rough time allocation per framework phase]
After presenting the talk script:
Voice check: Re-read references/voice-tone.md and scan the speaker notes for:
Iterate based on feedback. The talk script is the deliverable — the user takes it to their slide tool of choice.
Tell a Story: You don't need to be an expert. Focus on how you approached a problem and solved it. The journey is more interesting than the destination.
One Idea Per Slide: Each slide earns its place by advancing exactly one concept. If you need a bullet list longer than 3-4 items, split across slides.
Show, Don't Tell: Code examples, diagrams, screenshots, and demos are more memorable than bullet points. But break complex code across multiple slides.
Pacing Matters: Vary the rhythm. Dense technical slides need breathing room — follow them with a simple visual or a moment of humor. Speaker notes should indicate pace changes.
Make Follow-up Easy: End with a memorable URL, QR code, or handle linking to slides and resources.
Engage the Audience: Use questions. Make eye contact. The speaker notes should include audience interaction cues where appropriate.
references/voice-tone.md — Nick's voice and tone guide. Read this to calibrate speaker notes and talk style.references/framework-guide.md — Framework selection algorithm with scoring matrix. Read this in Stage 2.Narrative frameworks (read only the selected one — do not preload all twenty-two):
Foundational:
references/frameworks/three-act.md — Setup, confrontation, resolution in three clean beatsreferences/frameworks/freytags-pyramid.md — Five-phase arc with rising action, climax, and falling actionreferences/frameworks/story-circle.md — Eight-step hero's journey for personal transformation arcsreferences/frameworks/kishotenketsu.md — Four-act twist without conflict — recontextualize, don't confrontExistential:
references/frameworks/sisyphean-arc.md — Recurring struggle reframed as meaningful through persistencereferences/frameworks/kafkaesque-labyrinth.md — Navigating absurd bureaucratic or systemic complexityreferences/frameworks/existential-awakening.md — Radical freedom and the weight of choosing your toolsreferences/frameworks/strangers-report.md — Detached observational analysis of a system's contradictionsAbsurdist:
references/frameworks/the-waiting.md — Meaning found in the space where nothing happensreferences/frameworks/the-metamorphosis.md — Waking up to discover everything has fundamentally changedreferences/frameworks/catch-22.md — Circular logic and no-win constraints in systemsreferences/frameworks/comedians-set.md — Setup-punchline rhythm with callbacks and escalating bitsNon-linear:
references/frameworks/in-medias-res.md — Open mid-action, then rewind to explainreferences/frameworks/the-spiral.md — Revisit the same concept at increasing depth each passreferences/frameworks/the-rashomon.md — Same event from multiple perspectivesreferences/frameworks/reverse-chronology.md — Start with the outcome and work backwardRhetorical:
references/frameworks/the-sparkline.md — Alternate between "what is" and "what could be"references/frameworks/nested-loops.md — Layer stories inside stories, resolve in reverse orderreferences/frameworks/the-petal.md — Multiple independent stories supporting one central thesisreferences/frameworks/converging-ideas.md — Separate threads that merge into a single conclusionreferences/frameworks/the-false-start.md — Begin with conventional approach, reveal why it failsreferences/frameworks/socratic-path.md — Drive through questions the audience is already askingUser: "I want to create a talk about how we migrated our monolith to TypeScript"
references/frameworks/story-circle.md and references/voice-tone.md. Map the migration to the 8 steps:The user then takes this script to Slidev, Gamma, or whatever tool they prefer.
