behind the success of bestsellers, scientific explanations

Present on the 13 Heures set, Friday April 12, Damien Mascret, doctor and journalist at France Télévisions, is interested in reading, and more precisely in the secrets of successful books. For a book to appeal, the story must stimulate the center of attention. “We have now discovered, thanks to neuroscience, that there is a center of attention in the brain. It is this which decides that what is happening is worth paying attention to”explains Damien Mascret. “The bestsellers understand. They usually start with a very strong scene,” he adds.

The importance of consistency

For a book to be successful, the reader must also become attached to the protagonists. “For the magic to really happen, the mirror neurons in our brain must be activated”explains the doctor. “Basically, if the heroine is going to run out of air, you are going to hold your breath.”, he illustrates. Finally, to become a bestseller, a book must be coherent. “It’s important because it’s the theory of mind. (…) The theory of mind means that, once you understand the character, you understand their intentions”specifies Damien Mascret.