The human brain is wired for stories. Research published in 2008 based on fMRI studies of the human brain as it processes stories suggests that the brain remembers and processes a well-told story as if the events in that story happened to the individual reading it in real life. This makes stories an ideal tool for initiating difficult conversations.
One of the things that happens when a person is reading or listening to a story is that the normal belief-based operating system that runs our brains suspends its core beliefs in order to adopt the beliefs of the main character or the primary narrator, at least for the duration of the story. The reader looks at the world through the eyes of the protagonist while experiencing their thoughts and feeling their emotions.
This sets the reader up to be ready to engage in conversation with others about the experiences that took place in the book. Because those experiences are tied to the main character’s life, and not to the reader’s personal experiences, it subtracts some of the emotional baggage normally associated with expressing their thoughts and feelings about situations involving topics like gender, money, race, religion, or sexuality.
When done in a group setting such as a book club, these discussions are based on a shared experience within the book that everyone participating can use as a framework for conversations about those topics. The events, characters, actions, and their outcomes form a common language that they can use to describe how they see and how they feel about things.
We are looking for existing book clubs whose members enjoy a challenge to step up and help us open the door to the difficult conversations by introducing the upcoming novel being published on our traditional publishing imprint, The Price We Pay, to its members.
We’ll offer participating clubs the following resources needed for their members to become LEADERS who reap the benefits of these difficult conversations:
- Magnetic Thought Leadership Training to equip them to lead these conversations in a way that creates an inviting, respectful space where all voices are recognized and seen as being of equal value.
- Lessons in how to hold difficult conversations that are productive and meaningful, where both sides feel respected and heard, yet challenged and encouraged to find room for compromise.
- A Study Guide to navigating the challenges of discussing sensitive topics in an inter-racial community.
- A community of like-minded individuals who are ready and willing to lend their support and encouragement along the way.
To discover more about the book and the movement behind the book — our novel approach to changing the conversation about race relations — visit our crowdfunding campaign page at https://ptppress.com/taking-a-novel-approach-to-change. #JoinTheConversation
You can also visit www.ptppress.com to learn more about PTP Press, which is Path To Publishing’s traditional publishing imprint.