The Secrets of Great Storytelling

Everyone's story matters. Getting people to care about yours is part art, part neuroscience.

It’s not too late to get in on the ground floor and get personal attention for your stories, my quarterly story coaching workshops will start in January. Whether you’re writing, speaking, or addressing Congress, I’ve helped thousands of people unlock the superpower of their story. Become a subscribing member.

Now, let’s get into this month’s craft focus — stakes and why they matter.

We listen to stories because we want to know what happens. That doesn’t mean we want to know about events to understand causality. What we care about is the emotional heft of a story. Get me invested in what’s in it for your main character and I’m hooked.

What makes us care? Caring isn’t the same as agreeing. But we do have to relate. Stakes help us understand a story from the point of view of the main character, and builds our investment in what will happen.

Why stakes matter: our neural programming

When characters feel real—flawed and relatable—audiences not only listen, they empathize. It’s how our brai…