In medias res

"In Media Res" is the literary technique of starting at the middle. The story opens with a dramatic climax, then backtracks to set up characters and context.

Record Scratch: Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation.

This can also work starting from the end.

Why it works: part of the narrative tension comes from untangling the mystery of how things ended up here.

• Use a situation with a strong hook that immediately begs questions.
• Use a situation that is strange, but has recognizable waypoints, so the listener can begin triangulating where they are.