The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better

“If you want to write a novel or a script, read this book. It is clear, compelling, and tightly shaped.” ―Sunday Times (London)

Stories shape who we are. They drive us to act out our dreams and ambitions and mold our beliefs. Storytelling is an essential part of what makes us human. Enlightening and empowering, The Science of Storytelling is an invaluable resource for writers of all stripes, whether they are a novelist, screenwriter, playwright, or writer of creative or traditional nonfiction.

So, how do master storytellers compel us? In The Science of Storytelling, award-winning writer and acclaimed teacher of creative writing Will Storr applies dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can write better stories, revealing, among other things, how storytellers—and also our brains—create worlds by being attuned to moments of unexpected change. Storr superbly chooses examples to showcase his explanations:

• Harry Potter
• Jane Austen
• Alice Walker
• Greek drama
• Russian novels
• Native American folk tales
• King Lear
• Breaking Bad
• And more!

With sections such as “The Dramatic Question,” “Creating a World,” and “Plot, Endings, and Meaning,” as well as a practical, step-by-step appendix dedicated to “The Sacred Flaw Approach,” The Science of Storytelling reveals just what makes stories work, placing it alongside such creative writing classics as John Yorke’s Into the Woods: A Five-Act Journey into Story and Lajos Egri’s The Art of Dramatic Writing.

This compelling, groundbreaking guide to creative writing reveals how the brain responds to storytelling and will help anyone become a better, more successful writer.