Lesson 2. What is a Story? Yet Another Example of the Porousness of Borders│The Mechanics of Fiction
Introduction
The speaker encourages aspiring fiction writers to pursue their passion and emphasizes the universal nature of storytelling.
Why Write Fiction?
- Writing fiction is a natural desire for many people, as stories are deeply ingrained in the human psyche.
- Fiction has been a part of human culture for thousands of years and plays a significant role in shaping our understanding of the world.
- The goal is not just to tell stories but to tell good stories that captivate and entertain readers.
Defining a Story
The importance of defining what constitutes a story is discussed, along with the challenges it presents.
Lucas's Seminar
- A highly regarded fiction writer named Lucas posed the question "What is a story?" to a group of experienced writers.
- While some found this question ponderous, others felt it was unnecessary given the wealth of knowledge available on the subject.
- Lucas's intention was to expand minds, but his approach may not have been effective for all students.
Importance of Defining a Story
- Having an exact idea of what constitutes a story is crucial for writers.
- Fiction writing can be seen as a challenging game, and knowing the objective helps navigate through its complexities.
- Defining a story provides writers with a useful tool and allows them to articulate their craft more effectively.
Dictionary Definition of Story
Analyzing the dictionary definition of "story" and its implications for creating good stories.
Dictionary Definition Analysis
- The dictionary defines a story as an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.
- Questions arise regarding what qualifies as an event or entertainment, which may vary from person to person.
- This definition serves as an initial starting point but requires further examination to create compelling stories.
Understanding Categories and Definitions
In this section, the speaker discusses the challenges of categorizing words and defining their meanings. They explain how categories are fuzzy and can be defined using various cognitive techniques.
Categorizing Words
- Words are categories, and categories are fuzzy.
- Cognitive psychologists have three different explanations for how we categorize things: fitting like with like, using exemplars, and forming theories.
- Defining a story involves drawing borders using all three cognitive techniques simultaneously.
The Oxford Dictionary Definition
- The definition of a story in the Oxford Dictionary is written for people who don't know what the word means.
- Writers need a better frame to draw boundaries for the category "story" based on their goal of writing a good story.
A Practical Definition of Fiction
- Good fiction is an interesting cognitive simulation of a dynamic story world that entertains, instructs, or explores the nature of the human condition.
- This definition provides a more practical tool for writers to understand what a story is and how to write one effectively.
The Complexity of Writing Fiction
In this section, the speaker acknowledges that writing fiction is cognitively complex. They provide a technical definition of what fiction is and explain their goal of developing a useful tool to help writers understand storytelling.
Technical Definition vs. Practical Tool
- Writing fiction is considered one of the most cognitively complex activities humans can undertake.
- The technical definition provided earlier remains unchanged but will be simplified for practical purposes.
Developing a Useful Tool
- The goal is to develop a target for writers to aim at when crafting stories.
- The shortened definition states that good fiction is an interesting cognitive simulation of a dynamic story world that entertains, instructs, or explores the nature of the human condition.
Exploring the Elements of Good Fiction
In this section, the speaker breaks down the elements embedded in the definition of good fiction and discusses each proposition individually.
Proposition 1: Good Fiction is Interesting
- The term "good" and "interesting" are subjective and open to interpretation.
- The definition acknowledges that good fiction should capture readers' attention and engage them.
Proposition 2: Cognitive Simulation
- Good fiction involves creating a cognitive simulation for readers.
- It requires constructing a mental model of a specific story world that changes over time.
Proposition 3: Dynamic Story World
- A dynamic story world refers to a fictional universe that evolves throughout the narrative.
- It implies that events, characters, and settings interact and change within the story.
Proposition 4: Entertainment, Instruction, or Exploration
- Good fiction serves one or more purposes: entertaining, instructing, or exploring aspects of the human condition.
- It can provide enjoyment, convey knowledge or moral lessons, or delve into deeper themes about humanity.
Conclusion
In this section, the speaker concludes by summarizing the main points discussed and expressing optimism about using this practical tool for writing compelling stories.
Recap of Main Points
- Writing fiction is complex but can be approached with a practical tool.
- The practical definition of good fiction emphasizes cognitive simulation, dynamic story worlds, and entertainment/instruction/exploration.
Using the Practical Tool
- The simplified definition provides writers with a clear target to aim at when crafting their stories.
- This tool allows writers to understand what makes a story engaging and meaningful.
Overall, this transcript explores the challenges of categorizing words and defining their meanings. It introduces a practical tool for understanding what constitutes good fiction by emphasizing cognitive simulation, dynamic story worlds, and entertainment/instruction/exploration.
New Section
In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of creating an interesting and engaging plot in fiction writing.
Creating an Engaging Plot
- A book needs to catch and hold interest to be considered a good book.
- An interesting plot is essential for capturing readers' attention.
- Suspense plays a significant role in keeping readers engaged.
New Section
The speaker introduces the concept of storytelling as a cognitive simulation and invites Stephen King, a bestselling horror writer, to share his insights.
Storytelling as Cognitive Simulation
- A story is considered a cognitive simulation.
- Stephen King joins the discussion and emphasizes the importance of storytelling.
- Writing can be seen as a form of telepathy, connecting writers and readers across time and space.
New Section
Stephen King continues to discuss telepathy in writing and sets up an example for telepathic communication with the audience.
Telepathy in Writing
- Stephen King introduces himself as a renowned author.
- He explains that writing involves telepathic communication between writers and readers.
- The audience is asked to imagine receiving his message through telepathy.
New Section
The speaker demonstrates telepathic communication by describing a table with specific objects on it.
Telepathic Demonstration
- A mentalist routine is performed using telepathy over distance and time.
- The audience is asked to visualize a table covered with a red cloth, containing various objects such as a cage, rabbit, carrot stub, and the number 8 written in blue ink.
- It is suggested that everyone may see slight variations but ultimately perceive the same elements.
New Section
The speaker discusses the variations in perception and emphasizes the successful telepathic communication.
Variations in Perception
- Different individuals may perceive variations in color or shade, but the core elements remain consistent.
- The successful transmission of the table, objects, and their details is considered an act of telepathy.
New Section
The speaker acknowledges Stephen King's skill in telepathy and highlights the connection between writing and telepathic communication.
Acknowledging Telepathy
- Stephen King's proficiency in telepathy is acknowledged.
- Writing is compared to a cognitive simulation generated by authors to engage readers' minds.
- Telepathic communication through writing allows for shared experiences and understanding.
New Section
The speaker introduces Eleanor McGuire, a neurologist who studies the brain's ability to process fiction.
Importance of Brain Processing Fiction
- Eleanor McGuire is a renowned neurologist studying the hippocampus area related to mapping space and forming mental imagery.
- Damage to this area can affect patients' ability to simulate events portrayed in stories.
- Novels rely on cognitive simulation for comprehension and meaning.
New Section
The speaker explains how damage to specific brain areas can impact patients' ability to read novels.
Impact of Brain Damage on Reading Novels
- Patients with severe damage to the hippocampus area lose their ability to simulate events portrayed in novels.
- They can understand individual words but struggle with comprehending the sequence of events depicted in stories.
- This research supports the notion that novels require cognitive simulation for meaningful understanding.
New Section
The speaker emphasizes that fiction writers aim for cognitive simulation within readers' brains.
Cognitive Simulation as Target
- Fiction writers aim to create cognitive simulations within readers' brains.
- Stephen King's telepathic communication serves as an example of successful cognitive simulation.
- The target audience for fiction writing is individuals who can engage in cognitive simulation.
New Section
The speaker discusses the importance of a dynamic story world and the necessity for movement in storytelling.
Dynamic Story World
- A story must have movement and take place within a dynamic story world.
- Dynamic refers to actions happening within the story.
- A story world is the fictional universe where the narrative unfolds.
New Section
The speaker explores how fiction entertains, instructs, and explores the human condition.
Purpose of Fiction
- Fiction serves to entertain, instruct, and explore aspects of the human condition.
- The purpose of reading fiction goes beyond mere entertainment.
- This proposition has been present since ancient times and is not a new concept.
Why People Consume Fiction
This section explores the reasons why people consume fiction and how it advances the process of storytelling in Western culture.
Storytelling Techniques and Innovations
- Storytelling techniques, presentation, acting, theater technology, and casting have advanced the process of storytelling in Western culture.
The Purpose of Fiction
- Fiction serves to entertain and instruct individuals. It offers something beyond a few laughs and a short break from real-world troubles.
- Good stories explore the nature of the human condition and offer deep insights into humanity.
- However, fiction is not meant to provide life advice on topics like getting ahead or finding true love. Those are better sought in self-help books or other genres.
Understanding Instruction in Fiction
- Instructive fiction should be edifying and offer something meaningful beyond entertainment. It can provide insights into the human condition.
- The concept of instruction in fiction can be interpreted differently by different scholars across disciplines such as English, psychology, and philosophy.
What Makes Good Fiction?
This section delves into what makes good fiction by providing a useful tool for understanding its elements.
Definition of Good Fiction
- Good fiction is an interesting cognitive simulation of a dynamic story world that entertains, instructs, or explores the nature of the human condition.
Elements of Good Fiction
- Good fiction grabs readers' interest through events that are intriguing or captivating. Interest-grabbing events differ from mundane ones like bake sales or gardening activities.
- Language-based cues play a crucial role in directing readers' cognitive models of the story world. Writers use specific words and arrangements to stimulate readers' mental imagery.
- The order in which cues are arranged affects the effectiveness of storytelling. Stephen's example of cueing readers to think about a rabbit's back before the numeral eight demonstrates this artistry.
Definition of Frankenstein Monster Story
This section provides a brief explanation of the definition for the Frankenstein monster story.
Definition Breakdown
- Written fiction that works is an interest-grabbing set of language-based directions arranged in an order that cues the reader to simulate an approximate cognitive model of a specific modal universe.
- The simulation should change across the course of reading, entertaining, instructing, or exploring the nature of the human condition.
Importance of Language and Cues
- Writers use language as symbolic signals to direct readers' cognitive models and create a simulated story world.
- The precise arrangement and cues provided by writers determine how readers perceive and imagine the story world.
Due to limitations in available timestamps, some sections may not have associated timestamps but are still included for completeness and coherence in summarizing the transcript.
New Section
The reader provides their cognitive interpretation of what their brain thinks a red cloth looks like. This is related to the concept of schema in cognitive psychology, which refers to the brain's warehouse of representations of generic objects in the world.
Understanding Schema
- Schema is the brain's representation of generic objects in the world.
- Each person's schema for an object may be slightly different based on their unique experiences and learning.
- Schema changes over time as we engage with simulations that explore the nature of the human condition.
New Section
The concept of schema continues to be explored, focusing on how our mental representations change across simulations and stories.
Dynamic Nature of Schema
- Our mental representations or schemas are dynamic and change across simulations and stories.
- These changes occur through movement in the story world.
- Dynamic changes in schemas make a simulation interesting, meaningful, or both.
New Section
Having a clear understanding of what needs to be done can greatly improve our chances of success.
Clarity Leads to Success
- Knowing what needs to be done improves our chances of success.
- It may not be easy, but having clarity helps us achieve our goals.
New Section
A reference is made to an infamous psychopathic clown.
Reference to Infamous Clown
No relevant information provided.