This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive sto r ytelling strategies to craft sto r ies that ignite readers’ brains a nd captivate them through each plot element. Imagine knowing what the brain craves fr om every tale it encounters, what fuels the success of any great sto r y, a nd what keeps readers transfixed. Wired fo r Sto r y reveals these cognitive secrets—a nd it’s a game-changer fo r anyone who has ever set pen to paper. The vast majo r ity of writing advice focuses on “writing well” as if it were the same as telling a great sto r y. This is exactly wh ere many aspiring writers fail—they strive fo r beautiful metapho r s, authentic dialogue, a nd interesting characters, losing sight of the one thing that every engaging sto r y must do: ignite the brain’s hardwired desire to learn what happens next. When writers tap into the evolutionary purpose of sto r y a nd 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 fr om novels, screenplays, a nd sho r t sto r ies, Wired fo r Sto r y offers a revolutionary look at sto r y as the brain experiences it. Each chapter zeroes in on an aspect of the brain, its co r responding revelation about sto r y, a nd the way to apply it to your sto r ytelling right now.