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Will Storr

Guest; award-winning writer, author *The Science of Storytelling*

Award-winning writer, author of six critically-acclaimed books including the Sunday Times bestseller The Science of Storytelling, and a ghostwriter of multiple bestsellers. Teaches storytelling classes worldwide. Two-part guest: why stories persuade far more reliably than data or facts, and how to construct a compelling one (Episode 123), then why overconfidence, confirmation bias, and status-seeking distort everyone's view of reality (Episode 125).

Returns for a fourth appearance in Episode 244, promoting his new book A Story is a Deal: opens with the contrasting fates of Apple's failed 1983 "Breakfast" ad and its celebrated 1984 Macintosh ad, gives a formal definition of story (character overcoming obstacle in pursuit of goal) and an evolutionary account of storytelling as humanity's third "technology" (after reflex and emotion) for overcoming obstacles, and cites studies on how story context changes perception of art, objects, and dry information (see Narrative Persuasion).

Discussed in

  • Episode 123 — 123-the-surprisingly-simple-way-to-change-someone-s-mind
  • Episode 125 — 125-why-stupid-people-think-they-re-smart
  • Episode 162 — 162-the-best-of-nudge-in-2023 (year-end recap, character-driven storytelling and gossip)
  • Episode 244 — 244-the-surprising-true-story-behind-the-greatest-ad-ever-made (Apple 1983 vs 1984; formal definition of story; evolutionary account)
  • Episode 246 — 246-a-surprisingly-effective-way-to-persuade-almost-anyone (mimicry and similarity; prototypical leadership; status competition)

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