Hack Your Communication Superpower
The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better
by Will Storr
Communication
TL;DR
This book drops the mic on how to craft narratives that actually resonate by diving into the psychology of human perception and belief. It teaches you to identify and exploit the "problem" at the heart of every compelling story, showing how conflict and deviation from the norm are the secret sauce. You'll learn to build characters with internal struggles and create worlds that challenge their assumptions, making your audience feel the stakes. It's all about understanding the brain's hunger for meaning and structuring your narrative to feed that beast for maximum impact.
Action Items
Look at your own day. What's one tiny thing that's annoying you or not going as planned? That's your story's starting point.
Think about a recent argument or misunderstanding you had. What was your flawed belief or assumption that contributed to it?
Identify a belief you hold strongly. Now, actively seek out an opposing viewpoint or a situation that might challenge that belief.
Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did it change your perspective or force you to adapt? What did you learn about yourself or the world?
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Key Chapter
Chapter - The Brain's Reality Filter
This chapter totally blew my mind, explaining how our brains aren't just recording reality like a camera. Nah, fam, our brains are like a super-biased editor, constantly filtering and interpreting everything based on our past experiences and beliefs. We don't see the world as it is; we see it as we are. This means when you're telling a story, you're not just presenting facts; you're tapping into how people already perceive things. To make your story stick, you gotta understand their existing mental models and then gently, or not so gently, mess with them. It's about creating a narrative that challenges their internal "truth" just enough to be intriguing, but not so much that they reject it outright. Think of it as planting a seed of doubt in their carefully constructed reality.
Key Methods and Approaches
The "Something's F*cked Up" Principle
(AKA: The Problem)
Description:
Every good story starts with a problem, a deviation from the norm, something that's just not right.
Explanation:
Imagine life's a chill TikTok dance, right? Everyone's vibing, doing their thing. Then suddenly, someone trips, or the music cuts out, or a wild Karen appears. That's the problem. Our brains are wired to notice when things go sideways because it signals potential danger or opportunity. No problem, no story. It's like trying to scroll through an empty feed – boring AF. You need that glitch in the matrix to grab attention.
Examples:
Your phone battery is at 1% and you're nowhere near a charger.
You thought you aced that exam, but the results say otherwise.
Your crush just posted a pic with someone else.
The Wi-Fi went out right before your online class.
Today's Action:
Look at your own day. What's one tiny thing that's annoying you or not going as planned? That's your story's starting point.
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