You know those books that grab you and won’t let you go? The ones that keep you up turning pages into the wee hours? And those television shows that have you binging episode after episode without a break? The reason that happens lies in your brain…and the way the writer crafted the story to hook it.
It’s science. The fun kind that will make your storytelling more engaging.
I talk about it all the time, the neuroscience of story, but what does that mean? That’s what this blog covers. No more mystery or confusing science stuff—just clarity.
What Is the Neuroscience of Story?
The neuroscience of story is a fancy way of explaining how our brains process and react to stories. It’s the science behind stories. The reason we lean in when we hear a story begin, whether it’s the traditional “once upon a time” or some other great hook.
Since the beginning of time, humans have used stories to share experiences, histories, survival tips, triumphs, tragedies, and comedies. They used stories to keep their children safe, their community strong, and to leave a legacy of knowledge.
Our brains are not only built for stories, but are wired to react to them. How we react depends on how the story was written.
Learning how the brain processes stories helps writers (and anyone who wants to hook an audience) craft stronger stories that fully engage. It’s not enough to slap a story onto the page. You need to write a story crafted for the brain. And the great thing is that it isn’t difficult to do. A few tweaks to how you write and your hooks will land, and your writing will keep your audience hooked.
“When you want to motivate, persuade, or be remembered, start with a story…it will capture people’s hearts — by first attracting their brains.” ~Paul J. Zak, neuroeconomist
The Neuroscience of Empathy
Have you ever watched a film where you held your breath until the main character was safe? Or felt tension fill your body as the protagonist faced her biggest challenge? That’s empathy, and it is the holy grail for writers.
But it works for anyone who wants to forge a connection—fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, businesses, presenters, content creators.
The moment you decide facts alone aren’t enough to make your point, you have moved into empathy territory and the only way to achieve that is through storytelling.
Empathy rules connection. It’s an essential element of storytelling, and it happens in the brain more than in the heart. Emotions are chemical, and stories change our brain chemistry. Each type of story (action, romance, tragedy, comedy) releases different neurochemicals that affect how we feel.
Empathy happens in the brain, not the heart.
But it’s not the chemistry that’s important here. It’s the fact that we can write in a way that elicits emotion and empathy. That is the core lesson of the neuroscience of story.
Writing Mechanics Can Only Get You So Far
Great writing relies on neuroscience to work, because the brain governs:
- Narrative transportation—the feeling of being inside the story
- Neural coupling—which syncs the reader to the writer or audience to the presenter
- Empathy—compassion and emotional connection to the subject or character
- Anticipation—our brain’s obsession with patterns and prediction (which is what makes twists work so well)
- Mental models—which provides context and familiarity with situations and character motivation
- And so much more
Pretty writing won’t work unless that writing allows the brain access to the core emotions, motivation, and actions of the story. Too many stories remain on the superficial level, which blocks narrative transport and true engagement.
Why This Matters to Writers
No matter what kind of writing you do (business, fiction, creative nonfiction, scripts, speeches, screenplays, emails, blogs, sales pages), understanding how the brain processes your words helps. It shapes your writing approach—what you say and how.
Instead of flailing about trying to boost engagement, you would know what works and why. You could set up patterns the brain wants to complete. Enable connection by establishing empathy. And pique curiosity so your audience sticks.
What to Do About It?
Learn how the brain processes stories so you can write in.a way that engages. This means taking your writing mechanics to a whole new level.
You don’t need to learn every neurochemical or brain process to improve. You don’t need to learn the anatomy of the brain or dig into physiology. Adopting a few techniques and understanding how and why those work would suffice.
That’s what my upcoming course on the Neuroscience of Story covers—the science you need broken down into easily understood bites and paired with writing tips that work. It’s a simple system to raise the effectiveness of your writing.
I’ve done the research for you—pored through years of scientific data and combined that with writing mechanics and narrative technique to create a system that’s simple to implement for anyone who writes. While I’m adding the deeper science stuff for a nerd track, the essential track works just as well.
This method relies on understanding how:
- attention and engagement work
- the brain processes story elements
- empathy begins
- hooks work
- stories elicit neurotransmitters and how each one affects an audience differently
- certain writing techniques can deepen connection and engagement
- and so much more
If you want your writing to pull in your reader, client, or audience, sign up for the waitlist. There is no obligation to sign up for the course, but people on the list will get first access and receive an exclusive bonus once the course launches later this summer.This bonus will not be available to anyone but early adopters as a way of saying thank you for your support.
In addition to the special bonus, people on the waitlist will receive an invitation to a special free webinar this summer on three simple things you can change immediately to engage your audience more deeply—all rooted in neuroscience.