Wired for Story

Why are books important? Why should we continue reading once we’ve finished school? What is it about a good movie that resonates with us long after we leave the theater? Why do we need diverse, inclusive media that looks at different lives and different points of view?

As book lovers and/or film buffs, we might simply say we love to read, we love to go to the movies. Maybe we enjoy the thrill of living vicariously through someone else’s story, or perhaps we appreciate the escape from our own daily grind. If we’re feeling a little bit more analytical, we might add that reading expands the mind, or that film can be art, or any other number of reasons, all of which are good and true.

But what about the how of things? How do books and films — story in general — affect us in these profound ways? What is it about a good story that becomes a part of us? Lisa Cron explains in her TEDx Talk, Wired for Story. Whether you consider yourself a devoted reader, a film aficionado, a writer, or combination, or just a human being going through life, this is a fascinating look at how we learn and absorb and form our impressions of the world, and how story is inextricably twined with our approach to life.

6 thoughts on “Wired for Story

  1. Lisa Cron’s book Wired for Story is without a doubt the most useful and helpful book for anyone looking to craft a good story. Every chapter I read lead me to go back and look at my WIP with a new eye and re-write it, making my work immeasurably better.

    1. I’m not familiar with the book, but I can see how the premises she talks about would serve as a strong foundation for one.

  2. As a craftsman, I revise as I go-realizing as a sort of guiding star concept that stories, tales,( and unsubstantiated Anderson Cooper news flashes) are a primordial way of accessing information about the dark world outside our cave we wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s important brain exercise, (as opposed to social media, which is about as healthy as crack) and may come in handy in the event of an encounter with an unemployed fairytale prince or vampire who need directions to the bus stop. Over-analysis of a storyline while writing it is the fastest way to lose the spark and eventually put out the fire, so I don’t read books on how to do it.

    1. Some people find books on writing while others look to improve their work in other ways. Whatever works for you. But I highlighted this TEDx Talk because I found it an interesting look at the role of story in all its forms on our society and how we take in information. While it certainly provides food for thought for writers, it’s not a how-to-write lecture.

      1. And there’s always the Indra’s Net idea to consider, which basically states that any random thought or concept which floats through your mind is a fleeting glimpse at an actual reality somewhere in the multiuniverse…An unsettling concept if you’re halfway through Salems Lot by Stpehen King!

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