Long before I was a writer, I was a psychologist. The study of the whys of what we do drew me like the smell of roast turkey on Christmas day. There was no point in fighting it, for me, it’s practically a primal need.
Discovering the evolutionary, biological, and psychological drives behind the choices we make fascinated me. I was always asking ‘but, why?’. Why do we say what we should do, but then do the exact opposite? Why do we fear something that might never happen? Why can’t I say no to cheesecake?
So when I discovered writing, it was inevitable that the same process would start ticking over. Why is that story more popular than that one? Why do readers read?
And how can I harness that in my own writing to create a book readers will love?
Those questions spring-boarded months of research and reading. And that research and reading sparked a book so I could share all that knowledge (it was like I came full circle—I wondered about the psychology of reading and then I wrote a book on the psychology of writing!). My upcoming course, Harness Your Readers’ Psychology, is founded on that soon-to-be-released book.
To begin with, I discovered exactly how pervasive story is to the human psyche. It’s fascinating to discover how drawn we are to story, but more importantly, why. And then I delved into the powerful psychological motivators that draw readers to bookstores—human curiosity, human emotion, and our innate drive to connect and learn and grow.
Using factual evidence discovered through scientific research, and then applying it to examples from best-selling novels, Harness Your Readers’ Psychology takes a writer through the key psychological components that make a book compelling, but more importantly, how you can utilise these components in your own writing.
My guess is, you’re already using some of these strategies. Just like we are drawn to story for subconscious reasons, we build stories from the same psychological blocks.
But knowledge is power. And knowing these components explicitly means you can use them consciously and deliberately. So, if you have the time and the resources, make the most of delving into this content before the book is even out! PLUS, there’s the added bonus of online forums and a dedicated chat time so we can mull over and apply the strategies we’ll be learning each week.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Tamar Sloan
Psychologist
Award-Winning & Best-Selling Author
To book your place at the Harness Your Reader's Psychology OWL
Click Here
