The brain’s goal is to then predict what might happen, so we can figure out what the hell to do about it before it does. It evaluates everything we encounter based on a very simple question: Is this going to help me or hurt me? Not just physically, but emotionally as well.

It’s long been known that the brain has one goal: survival. Because story, as it turns out, has a much deeper and more meaningful purpose than simply to entertain and delight. Thanks to recent advances in neuroscience, these are questions that we can now begin to answer with the kind clarity that sheds light on the genuine purpose of story, and elevates writers to the most powerful people on earth.

Which brings us to the real question: Why? What are we really looking for in every story we read? What is that sense of urgency all about? It’s a visceral feeling that seduces us into leaving the real world behind and surrendering to the world of the story. What does the brain crave? Beginning with the very first sentence, the brain craves a sense of urgency that instantly makes us want to know what happens next. The brain, it turns out, is far less picky when it comes pretty prose than we’ve been led to believe. It’s a seductive belief, because all those things are indisputably good. Fair enough.įirst, the mistaken belief: From time immemorial we’ve have been taught that things like lyrical language, insightful metaphors, vivid description, memorable characters, palpable sensory details and a fresh voice are what hooks readers. What would you say if I told you that what the brain craves, hunts for and responds to in every story it hears has nothing to do with what most writers are taught to strive for? What’s more, that it’s the same thing whether you’re writing literary fiction or a down and dirty thriller? Why do we do the things we do? Why do we write what we write? Why do we crave a certain type of story? Why, why, why? That’s a scientist’s favorite word, and Lisa is here today to give it a proper introduction. Lisa brings a background in brain science to WU, and being a former science major, I love the angle. As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve had the chance to read Lisa’s book, and can tell you it’s truly valuable and already has a permanent spot on my shelf. Lisa’s craft book, Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence, released just this month. Today’s guest isn’t a guest at all she’s the newest addition to Writer Unboxed! Please join me in welcoming author and UCLA Extension Writers’ Program instructor Lisa Cron to the fold.

Wired for story