This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling
strategies to craft stories that ignite readers' brains and captivate
them through each plot element.
Imagine knowing what the brain craves from every tale it encounters,
what fuels the success of any great story, and what keeps readers
transfixed. Wired for Story reveals these cognitive secrets--and it's
a game-changer for anyone who has ever set pen to paper.
The vast majority of writing advice focuses on "writing well" as if it
were the same as telling a great story. This is exactly where many
aspiring writers fail--they strive for beautiful metaphors, authentic
dialogue, and interesting characters, losing sight of the one thing that
every engaging story must do: ignite the brain's hardwired desire to
learn what happens next. When writers tap into the evolutionary purpose
of story and electrify our curiosity, it triggers a delicious dopamine
rush that tells us to pay attention. Without it, even the most perfect
prose won't hold anyone's interest.
Backed by recent breakthroughs in neuroscience as well as examples from
novels, screenplays, and short stories, Wired for Story offers a
revolutionary look at story as the brain experiences it. Each chapter
zeroes in on an aspect of the brain, its corresponding revelation about
story, and the way to apply it to your storytelling right now.
