The Science of Storytelling

“A hugely compelling reading experience. Storr weaves brilliantly between high and low culture–in the space of a few pages we go from Mrs. Dalloway to Gone Girl.”–Observer“Both veteran and budding storytellers will learn a great deal from Storr’s pages, which themselves add up to a meaty yarn.”–Kirkus“For writers, Will Storr’s book is mandatory reading. A truly revolutionary look at the how and why of storytelling.”–Craig Pearce, cowriter with Baz Luhrmann of Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, and The Great Gatsby“If you want to write a novel or a script, read this book. It is clear, compelling, and tightly shaped.”–Sunday Times“Rarely has a book engrossed me more, and forced me to question everything I’ve ever read, seen, or written. A masterpiece.”–Adam Rutherford, bestselling author of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived“The best book on the craft of storytelling I’ve ever read.”–Matt Haig, bestselling author of How to Stop Time“The book is key in understanding why some stories sell and why some go long forgotten. Storr’s examination of myth and the mind has something to offer anyone curious enough to pick it up.” –Booklist“Will Storr has written a masterful guide to writing with The Science of Storytelling… As with any good read, Storr takes the advice he’s spent years studying and teaching. He’s an excellent writer. Reading The Science of Storytelling is in itself a pleasure… For the time being, while we’re here, we’re storytelling animals. Will Storr has contributed a wonderful guide of how to master the craft of invention. To pull a random quote from the formative years of my childhood, as Axl Rose sang, use your illusion.”–The Big Think

Will Storr is an award-winning journalist and novelist whose work has appeared in the Guardian, Sunday Times, The New Yorker, and the New York Times. His books include Selfie: How the West Became Self-Obsessed and The Unpersuadables: Adventures with the Enemies of Science (Overlook/Abrams Press). His writing courses are among the most in-demand offerings of the Guardian Masterclasses and the Faber Academy. He lives in Kent, England.