"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.
