Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence
Jul 2012 ¡ Sold by Ten Speed Press
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21 reviews
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About this ebook
This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling strategies to craft stories that ignite readersâ 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 secretsâand itâs a game-changer for anyone who has ever set pen to paper.
The vast majority of writing advice focuses on âwriting wellâ as if it were the same as telling a great story. This is exactly where many aspiring writers failâthey strive for beautiful metaphors, authentic dialogue, and interesting characters, losing sight of the one thing that every engaging story must do: ignite the brainâs 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 wonât hold anyoneâs 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.
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 secretsâand itâs a game-changer for anyone who has ever set pen to paper.
The vast majority of writing advice focuses on âwriting wellâ as if it were the same as telling a great story. This is exactly where many aspiring writers failâthey strive for beautiful metaphors, authentic dialogue, and interesting characters, losing sight of the one thing that every engaging story must do: ignite the brainâs 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 wonât hold anyoneâs 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.
This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling strategies to craft stories that ignite readersâ 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 r...
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Ratings and reviews
21 reviews
Robert Williams
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August 2, 2020
The book preaches a writing style allowing aspiring (or established) writers to relate to every living being on a human level. All of the key points are direct, easy to understand, and feel like common sense. If you feel like you know how to write a captivating story, read this. Even you will be amazed that it's under $15. The topics are presented in such as easy way to learn and comprehend that I managed to get mesmerized in reading the book itself! Overall, I'd recommend giving it a read. đ
2 people found this review helpful
leila imy
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April 19, 2020
I skipped through it a lot to get to the main points. But the main points were very interesting and coupled with enlightening examples. I learned a lot from it and it will be useful when presenting at work as well as during any human interaction. Telling stories is not only for writers đ thank you Lisa for writing it!
2 people found this review helpful
Apoorva Suresh
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August 10, 2025
it is good
About the author
LISA CRON has worked as a literary agent, a TV producer, and a story consultant for Warner Brothers, the William Morris Agency, and many others. She is a frequent speaker at writersâ conferences, and a story coach for writers, educators, and journalists. She teaches in the UCLA Extension Writersâ Program, is on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts MFA in Visual Narrative Program, and is the author of Wired for Story. She splits her time between Santa Monica, California, and New York, New York.
LISA CRON has worked as a literary agent, a TV producer, and a story consultant for Warner Brothers, the William Morris Agency, and many others. She is a frequent speaker at writersâ conferences, and a story coach for writers, educators, and journalists. She teaches in the UCLA Extension Writersâ...
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