Wired for Story

The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence

By: Lisa Cron

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling strategies to craft stories that ignite readers’ brains and captivate them through each plot element.

Imagine knowing what the brain craves from every tale it encounters, what fuels the success of any great story, and what keeps readers transfixed. Wired for Story reveals these cognitive secrets—and it’s a game-changer for anyone who has ever set pen to paper.

The vast majority of writing advice focuses on “writing well” as if it were the same as telling a great story. This is exactly where many aspiring writers fail—they strive for beautiful metaphors, authentic dialogue, and interesting characters, losing sight of the one thing that every engaging story must do: ignite the brain’s hardwired desire to learn what happens next. When writers tap into the evolutionary purpose of story and electrify our curiosity, it triggers a delicious dopamine rush that tells us to pay attention. Without it, even the most perfect prose won’t hold anyone’s interest.

Backed by recent breakthroughs in neuroscience as well as examples from novels, screenplays, and short stories, Wired for Story offers a revolutionary look at story as the brain experiences it. Each chapter zeroes in on an aspect of the brain, its corresponding revelation about story, and the way to apply it to your storytelling right now.

©2012 Lisa Cron (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“We all love a good story but most of us struggle to write them. Lisa Cron enlightens us as to how to get the job done in a savvy and engaging way.”—Michael Gazzaniga, neuroscientist and director of the SAGE Center for the Study of Mind, University of California, Santa Barbara

“Story guru Lisa Cron unlocked my last novel for me over lunch, but if you can’t have her by your side when you’re wrestling your manuscript, the next best thing is this smart, funny, genius book about the myths, realities, and brass tacks of story. Packed with innovative tips and techniques, it's as essential to any writer as a laptop, and much more fun.”—Caroline Leavitt, author of New York Times best seller Pictures of You

“Wired for Story reveals that stories are not only a metaphor for human striving and survival, but they are also the means by which the brain ensures that we survive. Lisa Cron translates the latest neuroscience into a master guidebook for how to write engaging, meaningful, and moving stories.”—Elizabeth Lyon, author of Manuscript Makeover

Loved the narration

It was a long book. I don't remember what I read as I listened in the car and at work.

Incredible!

This book is totally mind-blowing. It’s also the first book I’ve read on writing thats actually about reading. If you are a writer, you cannot skip this book. Well done!

Wonderful approach to story building

Lisa Cron lays out the reasons why a writer must follow the proper path of storytelling. Rather than solely utilizing bestselling novels, Cron breaks down the neurological reasons why a reader subconsciously NEEDS elements of a story in place. Excellent job of narration as well!

Great info for writers and creatives

I’ve read so many books on the craft of writing, and I studied it in college. It’s hard to find ones that aren’t redundant or a regurgitation of the countless others that came before it, but this accomplishes that. I’ll be buying this in hard copy to keep on hand to re-read in the future.

Yes! This is a Game Changer

The book is an excellent guide on “everything” to do with writing. Although the focus is on literary fiction I wish I would’ve read it before writing my master thesis- I know I could’ve saved myself a lot of criticism and ordered rewriting. This book is a must for ANYONE he needs their readers to keep reading.

Focused on a specific genre

It could be just my impression in the first chapters, but I couldn't read through the rest of the book, it seemed to be too much focused on a specific genre that is not the one I'm looking for. Also, didn't enjoy so much the heavy usage of methafors that just leave you with a vague idea of a method or goal, instead of a more clear definition, again, maybe this methafors are ok for a given genre but not easily transferable to others. So my recommendation is to maybe give the book a go, and if in the first two chapters you feel like this reaches to you and the genre you wish to write for, than maybe you'll enjoy it.

Inspiring but boring

It would have ben more honest to market this as a book for writers of romance and (women’s) fiction. Not because the described principles can’t be used in other genres, but because all the fictive examples revolve around pedestrian and boring stories about perceived unfaithfulness, migraine inducing chocolate eating, and rug cleaning. Fair enough, such books get written and read by enthusiasts, but it would be fair to warn the rest of us.