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

‘Rarely has a book engrossed me more, and forced me to question everything I’ve ever read, seen or written. It’s a masterpiece. I am in awe’ Adam Rutherford

‘The best book on the craft of storytelling I’ve ever read’ Matt Haig

‘Easily the best book I've read this year’ Hannah Fry

‘A hugely compelling reading experience. Storr’s superb exploration of the enduring appeal of the novel offers a smart, fascinating exploration of the science and psychology behind our most sophisticated art form that also works as an effective how-to guide’ Alex Preston, Observer

‘If you want to write a novel or a script, read this book. It is clear, compelling and tightly shaped around one fascinating and productive idea … Storr wants to free writers from programmatic, plot-based writing guides, and his approach feels liberating’ Sunday Times

‘Lucid, original, plausibly grounded in the science and proves once again just how much goodwill can be derived from a satisfying ending’ New Statesman

‘This short but punchy book is full of interesting classroom tips to help writers to grab and hold on to readers or viewers … Storr is clearly a good teacher and his advice is often memorably vivid’ The Times

‘In a world obsessed with facts (and mostly fake ones, at that), we need stories more than ever. Storr’s stories about story­telling, relayed in his inimitable way, reveal that we are the biased protagonists of our own stories – and that culture would be vastly improved by a recognition of our own cogni­tive flaws. Because stories are not about facts, but understanding’ Pandora Sykes

‘A brilliant, accessible and very human book not just for writers but for anyone interested in how the mind works – not least their own. Will manages to be both detached and compassionate on every page, sometimes within the same sentence. That such a complicated book is so easy to read is testament to his clarity of thought and skill as writer. A stupendous achievement’ Robert Webb

Will Storr is an award-winning writer. His work has appeared in the Guardian, Sunday Times, New Yorker and New York Times. He is the author of four critically acclaimed books, most recently Selfie: How the West Became Self-Obsessed. He teaches popular journalism and storytelling classes in London. He is an in-demand ghostwriter whose books have spent months at the top of the Sunday Times bestseller chart, selling more than 300,000 copies in 2018 alone.