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

by
Will Storr
Published in 2020
by Abrams Press

“One benefit of understanding the science of storytelling is that it illuminates the ‘whys’ behind the ‘rules’ we’re commonly given. Such knowledge should be empowering. Knowing why the rules are the rules means we know how to break them intelligently and successfully.” In The Science of Storytelling, each chapter focuses on a different element of storytelling, from creating an imagined world to the protagonist’s complexities and emotional conflicts, to larger questions of meaning, plot, and conclusions. Journalist and novelist Will Storr incorporates psychology and neuroscience research and uses examples from different types of literature—from Harry Potter to Alice Walker to King Lear—to provide writers with a new perspective of the mechanics of storytelling.