Stories are told in the body – @JeremyAdamSmith #writing #contentmarketing

Stories are told in the body, says Jeremy Smith:

It doesn’t seem that way. We tend to think of stories as emerging from consciousness—from dreams or fantasies—and travelling through words or images to other minds. We see them outside of us, on paper or on screen, never under the skin.

But we do feel stories. We know in our gut when we’re hearing a good one—and science is starting to explain why.

Experiencing a story alters our neurochemical processes, and stories are a powerful force in shaping human behavior. In this way, stories are not just instruments of connection and entertainment but also of control.

In an insightful article on Greater Good, he outlines the science behind story using examples from Star Wars and Harry Potter. He explains why effective stories work, their evolutionary purpose and their physiological effects.

The article also draws on work by Paul J Zak, that I discussed before (here), and it links to another Greater Good post from Zak himself.

If your business is persuasion and storytelling, these are worth your time.

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/@willvanw