I came across this TED talk on some platform or other about the chemical releases in our brain caused by storytelling and why our craft as writers is both so fundamental and so hard wired. It’s worth the ten minutes watching, if you haven’t done the biology, to understand what you do when you tell a good story and why ensuring your readers have to use all five senses when experiencing your work is so vital.
And it explains why I fall asleep in legal lectures all the time
My name is Geoff Le Pard. Once I was a lawyer; now I am a writer. I've published several books: a four book series following Harry Spittle as he grows from hapless student to hapless partner in a London law firm; four others in different genres; a book of poetry; four anthologies of short fiction; and a memoir of my mother. I have several more in the pipeline.
I have been blogging regularly since 2014, on topic as diverse as: poetry based on famous poems; memories from my life; my garden; my dog; a whole variety of short fiction; my attempts at baking and food; travel and the consequent disasters; theatre, film and book reviews; and the occasional thought piece. Mostly it is whatever takes my fancy.
I avoid politics, mostly, and religion, always. I don't mean to upset anyone but if I do, well, sorry and I suggest you go elsewhere.
These are my thoughts and no one else is to blame. If you want to nab anything I post, please acknowledge where it came from.
I missed this post (at least I think I did, but thanks for re-sharing. I have real problems with those setting pieces be they place or person, preferring to do as little as possible and leave the rest to the imagination. A friend/beta reader (maybe that’s the definition of an ex friend) berated me for the lack of description in my current wip but when I looked again I thought there was more than enough. We are all different in our needs I suppose.
I love SJ Murray! Story-telling is such a part of us. The buckaroo culture is based on story-telling–it’s how you pass along information, what is acceptable/not acceptable and the identity of that culture. This is true of cultures. We tell the stories of “us” and “them.” I like that she reminds of of the 3-act structure and how we are hardwired for that template no matter what our culture or story to tell. Thanks for posting this!
TanGental 
This is GREAT! Love TED for starters but this I appreciate greatly. Great find!
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Thanks; it seems spot on, doesn’t it?
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It does….and I loved the way she spoke. The logic is absolutely there!!!!!
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Interesting, Geoff, and well-presented talk, thanks for sharing.
Also reminds me of the impact of mirror neurones on our identifaction with characters http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdotal/take-a-long-hard-look-in-the-mirror
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I missed this post (at least I think I did, but thanks for re-sharing. I have real problems with those setting pieces be they place or person, preferring to do as little as possible and leave the rest to the imagination. A friend/beta reader (maybe that’s the definition of an ex friend) berated me for the lack of description in my current wip but when I looked again I thought there was more than enough. We are all different in our needs I suppose.
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I love SJ Murray! Story-telling is such a part of us. The buckaroo culture is based on story-telling–it’s how you pass along information, what is acceptable/not acceptable and the identity of that culture. This is true of cultures. We tell the stories of “us” and “them.” I like that she reminds of of the 3-act structure and how we are hardwired for that template no matter what our culture or story to tell. Thanks for posting this!
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Great TEDx. She can certainly tell a story that inspires. Great lessons for us all.
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