The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr
Welcome once again to the Hugoversity library, where each month we review a PR and marketing-related book to help our students keep on learning.
This month, Head Girl Charlotte has reviewed The Science of Storytelling, by Will Storr, published last year.
So, what’s it all about? Let’s find out.
The power of stories
Storr is a big fan of stories, and the way we use them to make sense of the world. He sets his stall out early on – in the introduction in fact – with the following arresting words:
“We know how this ends. You’re going to die and so will everyone you love. And then there will be heat death. All the change in the universe will cease. The stars will die and there’ll be nothing left of anything but infinite dead, freezing void.
“The cure for this horror is story. Our brains distract us from the terrible truth, fill us with hopeful goals and encourage us to strive for them.
“They give our existence the illusion of meaning.”
Hooked? You soon will be.
What is a story?
In short, Storr argues that everything is a story – they fill our law courts, sporting arenas, newspapers, school playgrounds, computer games, song lyrics, conversations, thoughts and dreams. Story-telling is humanity’s way of making sense of the world.
Over the years, there have been numerous attempts to understand what makes a great tale, and, here, Storr takes a more scientific approach, mixing neuroscience and psychology to explore why stories – and novels in particular – have become such an integral part of our lives.
The book is centred around four key chapters that provide a framework for writing the perfect story:
- Creating a world – where does the story take place? How is that vision and sense of place built in the reader’s mind?
- The flawed self – introducing the lead character, generally morally ambiguous (as we all are).
- The dramatic question – Delving into the above’s sub-conscious – what makes them tick, why do they do what they do?
- Plots ending and meaning – How to tie everything up, leaving the reader satisfied.
Ah, but what makes a good story?
As any PR practitioner will tell you, the key to a successful story is “grabbing and keeping the attention of other people’s brains”.
Storr breaks down how to do this by providing scientific evidence and backing it up with myriad examples, from classics of English literature to computer games such as Fortnite.
Concentrating, as this book does, primarily on novel-writing, Storr argues that character is more important than structure, and once again turns to neuroscience to create the ‘perfect’ persona: “I believe that compelling, profound and original plots are more likely to emerge from character than from a bullet-pointed list. And the best way to create characters that are rich and true and full of narrative surprise is to find out how characters operate in real life – and that means turning to science.”
The author recognises that structure is still important but it needs to be used in such a way that it supports the cast. Characters are what resonate with the brain so we can identify and relate to our own, and so the secret to a great story is to fulfil that need in the reader.
What we learned
We enjoyed how the book decodes story and provides a recipe for successful one, showing how even books like Fifty Shades of Grey (not widely regarded as particularly well-written or plotted) can become a phenomenal success. What we found particularly engaging was Storr’s use of a wide range of examples, from high-brow classics such as Mrs Dalloway to crowd-pleasers such as Gone Girl, with TV sitcoms and computer games thrown into the mix too, all backed up with science.
And although the book is primarily about novels, the key message – that stories need to respond to a need in their audience – can be applied to any storytelling work, including telling your own brand story.
In PR, our main goal is to tell our clients’ stories, and we know that great news or a quirky angle will give us that hook to capture people’s attention – and if there’s a compelling character at the heart of it, so much the better.
Stories are at the heart of everything we do at Harvey & Hugo, and Storr’s guide really resonated with our mission to keep on building lovable and memorable brands, one story at a time.
This is a well-written and thought-provoking book which provides a brilliant resource to help writers of all kinds of content understand how to craft an engaging story. And even if you don’t write, but are intrigued as to why certain books work and others don’t, this is a highly-enjoyable, accessible read and will definitely help you understand.
If you need help telling your brand’s story, throw us a bone on 01325 486666 or email info@harveyandhugo.com and we’ll help tell your tale.
Related links: Book review: How Brands Grow
