It seems like so long ago that we were all glued to our Twitter threads, screaming in delight, awe, and horror at the story of Zola. It was a wild tale about strippers headed to Florida to score some quick cash when everything goes sideways. 

There was a lucrative robbery, a kidnapping, and an eventual suicide attempt. 

People said the thread was full of lies, but an independent investigation from The Washington Post corroborated most of the evidence. 

Now, this viral thread has turned into a movie from A24. It's a movie that's gotten rave reviews already and is listed as one of the most anticipated of 2021. So what can we learn from Zola?  

Well, aside from the ability to make 15 to 20 grand at a high-end strip club, I think we can really pick up on a lot of important storytelling techniques from the thread. There's so much time spent in short bursts of exposition delivered in interesting ways. 

There is also a lot of character building. We understand who is good and who is bad in this story. But each character introduced has a want and desire the audience knows right away. Money, sex, love; it's all on the table. 

This is a journey, but the storyteller also knows the audience. Beats are carefully laid out to get us to lean in. And it seems like the movie is laid out in a similar way. By the time I was in the middle of reading, I knew I had to race to the end. We ease the audience into the more unbelievable parts of the story. Since we have bought into the first parts, the wilder parts just feel natural. 

Lastly, I think there's some real value in knowing how long a story should be. Millions of people didn't read the Zola story because it was long. It was an entertaining thread that never overstayed its welcome. You got the information and a crazy ending. 

Are you excited about this one? Let us know what you think in the comments! 

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