How Stories Work and Why We Tell Them

Into The Woods

'The best book on the subject I've read. Quite brilliant' Tony Jordan, creator/writer, Life on Mars, Hustle 
 
We all love stories. But why do we tell them? And why do all stories function in an eerily similar way? John Yorke, creator of the BBC Writers' Academy, has brought a vast array of drama to British screens. Here he takes us on a journey to the heart of storytelling, revealing that there truly is a unifying shape to narrative forms - one that echoes the fairytale journey into the woods and, like any great art, comes from deep within. From ancient myths to big-budget blockbusters, he gets to the root of the stories that are all around us, every day. 
 
'Marvellous' Julian Fellowes 
 
 'Terrifyingly clever ... Packed with intelligent argument' Evening Standard 
 
 'The most important book about scriptwriting since William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade' Peter Bowker, writer, Blackpool, Occupation, Eric and Ernie

Brimmingly insightful ... fresh, enlightening and accessible ... a gripping read from beginning to end

Terrifyingly clever ... Packed with intelligent argument

So detailed and engaging is his methodology that any consumer of books, plays, TV or films will find the experience enhanced; and scriptwriters themselves will find useful guidance - because when you know the why, the how is natural

This is a marvellous analysis of screenwriting and, with any luck, should help a great many people achieve their dreams

Julian Fellowes, writer/creator of Downton Abbey

Another book on screenwriting! Oh, how I wanted to hate it! I didn't. I loved it. Much of it was fresh to me. And always interesting, always intelligent and, for a writer, always rewarding

Jimmy McGovern, screenwriter, The Street and The Accused

In an industry full of so called script gurus and snake oil salesmen, at last there's a book about story that treats writers like grown ups. This isn't about providing us with an ABC of story or telling us how to write a script by numbers. It's an intelligent evaluation into the very nature of storytelling and is the best book on the subject I've read. Quite brilliant

Tony Jordan, screenwriter, Life on Mars and Hustle

Even for a convinced sceptic, John Yorke's book, with its massive field of reference from Aristotle to Glee, and from Shakespeare to Spooks, is a highly persuasive and hugely enjoyable read. It would be hard to beat for information and wisdom about how and why stories are told

Dominic Dromgoole, Artistic Director, The Globe Theatre

This book is intelligent, well written, incisive and, most of all, exciting. It is the most important book about scriptwriting since William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade

Peter Bowker, screenwriter, Blackpool, Occupation and Eric & Ernie

Part 'How-to' manual, part 'why-to' celebration, Into The Woods is a wide-reaching and infectiously passionate exploration of storytelling in all its guises ... exciting and thought-provoking

Emma Frost, screenwriter, The White Queen and Shameless

Into The Woods is an amazing achievement. It has a real depth and understanding about story, a fantastically broad frame of reference and it's interesting and absorbing throughout. Full of incredibly useful insights, every TV writer should read the first chapter alone

Simon Ashdown, series consultant, EastEnders

Testing the adage that "in theory there's no difference between theory and practice but in practice there is", this is a love story to story -- erudite, witty and full of practical magic. It's by far the best book of its kind I've ever read. I struggle to think of the writer who wouldn't benefit from reading it -- even if they don't notice because they're too busy enjoying every page

Neil Cross, creator/writer of Luther, Crossbones and writer of Dr Who, MI5

Books on story structure are ten a penny but Mistah Yorke's is the real deal

All script-writers will want to read Into The Woods. All plots and archetypes BUSTED

Got to say Into The Woods by John Yorke is marvellous. The prospect of another screenwriting book made me yawn, but its terrific ... It's a great read, wise and cogent, and a must for all screenwriters

A mind-blower ... an incredibly dense but very readable tome about the art of storytelling ... Really worth a read

I don't always enjoy books on writing, but Into the Woods by John Yorke is brilliant on story structure.

Ken Follett, author of 'The Pillars of the Earth'

In his brimmingly insightful, stimulating study of how stories work, Yorke compellingly unpicks how a whole range of films, plays, novels and fairy tales all display the same archetypal structures . . . His book, in telling scores of stories in such a fresh, enlightening and accessible manner, is a gripping read from beginning to end

The best book on the subject [of storytelling] I've read, tells us everything we need to know about it. Yorke's analysis is superb

A mightily impressive opus, both hugely informative and highly educational.  I love the way it's populated with so many examples - the many combinations of both mass market and the slightly more esoteric  giving a something-for-everyone feeling. A brilliant work

Peter James, best-selling author of NOT DEAD ENOUGH and LOOKING GOOD DEAD

Yorke sets out to analyse the patterns behind storytelling, explaining why the fundamentals of narrative have remained the same from Aristotle to Aaron Sorkin. A great starting point for anyone wanting to create a story

I've just read a book about professional writing which has genuinely helped me. It's for those who are serious about avoiding bad 'How To' books and want to raise their game, and it's more intelligent than most of the others. John Yorke's Into The Woods: How Stories Work And Why We Tell Them is a genuine game-changer and has helped me put past bad habits to rest

Christopher Fowler, Author of Bryant and May

Into The Woods is utterly brilliant

Love storytelling? You need this inspiring book. John Yorke dissects the structure of stories with a joyous enthusiasm allied to precise, encyclopaedic knowledge.  Guaranteed to send you back to your writing desk with newfound excitement and drive

Chris Chibnall, creator and writer of Broadchurch and The Great Train Robbery

Into The Woods is brilliant. One of the best books on script writing out there . . . I loved the book. Inspiring

Dominic Mitchell, creator and writer of In The Flesh

There is no end of books that instruct us on how to write the perfect screenplay, but few that delve more deeply into the art of storytelling than this erudite volume

Its strength is Yorke's acute perception of the wellsprings of universal narrative structures relevant to all artistic activities

Terrific . . . It's a great read, wise and cogent, and a must for all screenwriters

David Eldridge, writer of Festen and In Basildon

It's a great read. It makes me smile and say 'Yes!' aloud. Only this and PG Wodehouse do that

Lucy Gannon, writer/creator of Soldier Soldier, Peak Practice, Frankie, The Best Of Men

Not How 2 Write them but how stories work. John Yorke's Into the Woods: A 5 Act Journey into Story is brilliant, illuminates &amp; explains

Susan Hill, Author, The Woman In Black, I’m The King Of The Castle

I'm only 70 pages into John Yorke's Into the Woods but it's already helped me crack two stories

Andy Diggle, former editor of 2000AD, comic book writer for Marvel, DC

Yorke is aware that the world is not suffering for lack of prescriptive screenwriting manuals. Instead, with Into the Woods, he takes a scalpel to narrative structure - dissecting protagonist, antagonist, inciting incident, crisis and so on - before asking how and why this underlying shape still holds audiences spellbound like a fairytale witch. "A story is like a magnet dragged through randomness," Yorke writes, but while he elegantly untangles the deepest roots of storytelling, he also honours the human need for truth and sense with some more superficial questions: why do series tend to "jump the shark" round about season three, for example, or why is clunky exposition - particularly in medical dramas - so appallingly comical? Sit comfortably, then begin

I absolutely love this book. It's incredible and so well written. I keep trying to find fault but so far no joy - It's so good

Matt Charman, writer Bridge of Spies (dir Stephen Spielberg); Black Work (ITV)

[John Yorke's] writing book is arguably possibly almost as good as mine, all right it's loads better shut up

David Quantick, Author of HOW TO WRITE EVERYTHING

Probably, in the hackneyed phrase, "the last book on screenwriting you'll ever need." He is very good at debunking the claims of some screenwriting gurus, all of whom are busy trying to sell you their own particular brand of snake oil. It's truly excellent

Of all the books I've read about story construction and the art of fiction, this one is the most comprehensive and concise

John Collee, writer on 'Master And Commander', 'Happy Feet', 'Creation', 'Walking With Dinosaurs'

John Yorke is a producer, consultant and lecturer on all forms of narrative – from speech writing and advertising to drama – and the author of Into the Woods. As former Head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely reviewed and critically acclaimed TV dramas, from EastEnders to Shameless, Life on Mars and Wolf Hall.

We all love stories. But why do we tell them? And why do all stories function in an eerily similar way? John Yorke, creator of the BBC Writers' Academy, has brought a vast array of drama to British screens. Here he takes us on a journey to the heart of storytelling, revealing that there truly is a unifying shape to narrative forms - one that echoes the fairytale journey into the woods and, like any great art, comes from deep within. From ancient myths to big-budget blockbusters, he gets to the root of the stories that are all around us, every day.

John Yorke

His analysis in this instance soars precisely because it escapes into the real world… gleaning joy from unlikely but convincing connections... Yorke's dismantling of how these stories work on us as citizens feels like a public service, granting literacy at a moment of bewildering global rupture

In this invaluable book, John Yorke uncovers the narratives that help us make sense of the world – and offers an antidote to paint-by-numbers screenwriting manuals. You'll learn something new on every page

Helen Lewis author of The Genius Myth

A masterpiece . . . genius - funny and wise and occasionally profound

Billy Ivory, writer, Made in Dagenham

Truly excellent, and the best book on "story" that I have ever read. I love the places it took me to. It is a tremendous achievement

Jimmy McGovern, screenwriter, The Street and The Accused

It’s a dazzling rocket of a book that launches you on a headlong journey through time and space in pursuit of incredible, surprising truths showing how story shapes our worlds and our lives

Rob Williams, screenwriter for Killing Eve & The Man in the High Castle

We’re all made of stories — and made by them. No one understands this more deeply than John Yorke — and no one writes about it with greater insight and urgency, or more entertainingly. This is a wonderful book

Neil Cross, creator of Luther and The Iris Affair

Brilliant and Illuminating... John Yorke's Into the Woods is the second best book I know on theories of narrative structure. The best is John Yorke’s latest Trip to the Moon

John Collee, screenwriter of Master and Commander

I loved this... an endlessly fascinating exploration of how story and structure shape not only the television and films we consume, but also our lives... I feel immeasurably more intelligent having read it!

Matthew Barry, screenwriter of The Guest

As a fellow story geek, I was captivated... It’s a properly impressive piece of scholarship, and above all, a highly compelling read. A real page turner

Few people can understand or explain so clearly the essence of drama and storytelling as John Yorke

Peter James, author of The Hawk is Dead

A triumph... in this brilliant sequel to Into the Woods, John Yorke digs deeper than ever, unearthing how stories shape the way we think, feel and act in the world. Few writers think about narrative with such courage, curiosity, compassion and dazzling clarity

Simon Lancaster, speechwriter and author of Connect

A riveting and prescient account of how stories work, and why that matters now more than ever. It gripped me like a thriller. And left me desperate to sit down and write - no mean feat

Peter McKenna, writer and creator of Kin

I loved this deep dive into the power that stories have on every part of our day-to-day lives. I learned a lot and took many notes. Just utterly fascinating

Eddie Hamilton, Oscar nominated Film Editor of Top Gun: Maverick and four Mission: Impossible movies

Genuinely dazzling. Yorke’s panoptic understanding of narrative is peerless, and his ability to corral his breadth of knowledge into such a cohesive and readable whole is little short of a magic trick. Mischievous, profound, and thought provoking, it’s both a remarkable achievement and - as you’d expect for a master of storytelling - an incredibly enjoyable read

Justin Young, Head writer of Sanditon

We live in a world of stories. From politics to religion to Colleen Rooney’s Wagatha Christie tweet – there is infinite power in a well-crafted tale. Trip to the Moon is a beautifully woven story about stories. It deftly explores how meaning is made, how narrative helps us learn, heal and maybe even find ourselves

Daisy Coulom, showrunner of Granchester

An uplifting meditation on why stories are, in the end, the most human thing of all. Lucid, dazzling, challenging, and somehow hopeful…when the going gets bleak, I will return to this book again and again. Trip to the Moon is a journey every writer needs to take

Declan Lawn, co-creator and writer of Blue Lights

A miracle of a book. Makes you rethink every story you ever heard, every novel you’ve ever read, every movie you've ever seen

Matt Charman, Oscar Nominee of Bridge of Spies

This book has everything, and in five acts too. You will remember why bedtime stories captivated you and realise why the latest season of a TV hit falls flat. Even if you believe you write with no formula, this revelatory book will illuminate the hidden patterns of your imagination. Persuasively argued and compellingly written, Trip to the Moon serves as a timely reminder of the power of story to unite us across cultures, space and time

Kim Sherwood, author of A Spy Like Me

John Yorke has succeeded in codifying meta-concepts that I’ve intuited my whole career, but was never quite able to capture accurately. I dare say, Trip To The Moon has managed to teach this old dog some fundamental new tricks about story

Andrew Stanton, co-writer of Toy Story , Finding Nemo and Wall-E

Understanding the True Power Of Story

To command narrative is to control a sometimes frightening power. What is it that turbocharges some tales, and how is it possible to harness that potency? 
 
John Yorke’s groundbreaking bestseller, Into the Woods, revolutionised our understanding of story structure. This new book delves deeper into how to put that structure to work in the world. Trip to the Moon takes us on a journey not just through drama and fiction but through politics, religion and non-western narrative. Through these terrains, Yorke seeks out the role of story in all our lives, examining how to utilise its lessons to create life-changing tales – and, in a world aflame with conspiracy theories, to guard ourselves against their darker purpose too. 
 
Revealing the artful symmetry and underlying principles that connect Summer beach reads to Classical Chinese poetry, superhero flicks to Russian arthouse, and classical rhetoric to state propaganda, Yorke makes dazzling connections that show how stories have the power to transfigure the chaos of our existence into a new equilibrium, and make the world anew.

John Yorke

Praise for Trip to the Moon

His analysis in this instance soars precisely because it escapes into the real world… gleaning joy from unlikely but convincing connections... Yorke's dismantling of how these stories work on us as citizens f ...

In this invaluable book, John Yorke uncovers the narratives that help us make sense of the world – and offers an antidote to paint-by-numbers screenwriting manuals. You'll learn something new on every page ...

A masterpiece . . . genius - funny and wise and occasionally profound

His analysis in this instance soars precisely because it escapes into the real world… gleaning joy from unlikely but convincing connections... Yorke's dismantling of how these stories work on us as citizens f ...

In this invaluable book, John Yorke uncovers the narratives that help us make sense of the world – and offers an antidote to paint-by-numbers screenwriting manuals. You'll learn something new on every page ...

A masterpiece . . . genius - funny and wise and occasionally profound

His analysis in this instance soars precisely because it escapes into the real world… gleaning joy from unlikely but convincing connections... Yorke's dismantling of how these stories work on us as citizens f ...

In this invaluable book, John Yorke uncovers the narratives that help us make sense of the world – and offers an antidote to paint-by-numbers screenwriting manuals. You'll learn something new on every page ...

A masterpiece . . . genius - funny and wise and occasionally profound

Books by John Yorke

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