What Changes Did They Make to the Book?

"I don't really know what changed, to be honest. I can't tell you," she says. "It's just... Well, it's the right people." The book was rejected by Faber and Piggadaw but sold out at Guardian Master classes that were popular with readers. Ryan: "The yes is a few in five betweenCompared to the no's and no's out number, the yes is by zillions to one"

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Episode notes

In this episode we speak to the award-winning author, Will Storr (@wstorr) about The Science of Storytelling, from his research process to planning and writing his first draft, why he thinks “writing is mostly about rejection” and why ultimately critics' feedback doesn’t matter to him. We also delve into his signature “Sacred Flaw” technique, which will help you truly understand your character (if fiction), or yourself if you’re writing a memoir.

ABOUT WILL STORR

Will Storr is an award-winning writer. He’s the author of five critically acclaimed books: The Status Game (Sept 2021), The Science of Storytelling, The Selfie, The Heretics and The Hunger and The Howling of Killian Lone. His journalism has appeared in titles such as The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The New Yorker and The New York Times. His prizes include a National Press Club award for excellence and the AFM award for Best Investigative Journalism. He’s an in-demand ghostwriter whose books have spent months at the top of The Sunday Times bestseller chart.

QUOTES BY WILL:

"There was a study in the 1950s of a small island in Micronesia which ran this status game of yams and whoever brought the biggest yam to the feast was declared number one. The yam growers would grow in secret plots on the island and cover them with overgrow. I always think about the yams because this book is it's a yam is what it is and all the things that we're trying to do, it's just a big, bloody yam. That's all it is. And it can feel really important. And if I get a shitty review this week from The Guardian, it's just somebody mocking a yam. It sounds contradictory because on the one hand saying status is really important and it is really important. We need it. But I do think it's really useful to remind ourselves that it's just symbols that we're chasing. And we are kind of drugged into thinking that it is of immense importance that this critic likes my book, but it isn't. No one else really cares. It's just a yam."

RESOURCES:

Connect with Will

Twitter:@wstorr

Website: willstorr.com

Will’s Books:

The Status Game

The Science of Storytelling

The Selfie

The Heretics

The Howling of Killian Lone

For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com

For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com