What Neuroscience Can Teach Us About Innovations in Our Storytelling

Hello there, Modern Authors,

After the summer hiatus writing the Profitable Author series, we're back with more of our Write Like a Thought Leader articles where I break down the architecture and approaches of some of my favorite books and authors.

This week, we're diving into Angus Fletcher, a friend and author who Oprah and Brene Brown both celebrated. Angus has a new book out called Primal Intelligence, which I haven't read (yet) but has been making the rounds in podcasts and my social feeds.

For this article, we're going to deconstruct the art of the reframe... one of the biggest skills today's modern through leaders harness.

Listen, many smart people will tell me "I'm not sure my ideas are original... hasn't this already been said before?" And the answer is... yes.

Most compelling things have probably been said before...
... but maybe not in the unique way you say it.

And this is where my buddy Angus can teach us something. Why great thought leaders can use the power of reframing to breath life into tried and true ideas and concepts.

Why You Need to Learn to Reframe

Most people think of books as old technology.

But Angus Fletcher, a trained neuroscientist and literature professor, argues the opposite: stories are the original mental machines, designed to spark emotions, invent identities, and help us solve the problems life throws at us.

In Wonderworks, Angus shows us that great storytelling isn’t just art, it’s an invention lab for the human brain.

And that’s what makes his writing so compelling.

It's the ultimate reframe... and one that has taken Angus to the peaks of intellectual discourse.

In this edition of Write Like a Thought Leader, we break down Angus Fletcher’s Invention Reframe Framework, a structure for writing thought leadership that blends brain science with emotional transformation.

If you're looking to build a unique twist on something ancient, old, well-trod, or already well-established, you'll appreciate how this framework can help your writing be memorable and different.

Why This Framework Works

Fletcher’s approach works because it flips the script:

✅ Starts with emotional problems, not intellectual arguments
✅ Uses literary tools (plot, character, metaphor) as emotional technologies
✅ Fuses science, philosophy, and story into one integrated narrative
✅ Doesn’t just teach, it transforms the reader’s internal state

This framework is perfect for writing that wants to evoke, not just explain.

When to Use This Framework

Best For:

• Thought leaders blending emotion, science, and story
• Writers in psychology, neuroscience, literature, or the arts
• Authors teaching new ways to feel, relate, or experience the world

Great Fit For:

• Books that explore creativity, identity, memory, or perception
• Coaching or therapy tools grounded in narrative methods
• Articles or talks about the future of the mind

If you want your writing to make people feel smarter and feel more human, this framework works.

The Invention Reframe Framework: Angus Fletcher’s Writing Structure

Angus’s chapters typically walk the reader through a narrative transformation, guided by a literary tool or invention. Think of each chapter as a self-contained upgrade for the brain.

Here’s how he does it:

1️⃣ Begin With a Mental or Emotional Struggle (400–600 words)

• Start by naming an emotional issue or inner experience (e.g., grief, uncertainty, isolation).
• Use second-person or universal framing: “We’ve all felt stuck…”

💡 Why it works: This hooks the reader through self-recognition and emotional resonance.

2️⃣ Tell the Story of an Innovation... the Reframe (500–800 words)

• Introduce a writer, work, or era that invented a new way to feel.
• Examples from Wonderworks: Sophocles invents catharsis, Dostoevsky invents moral doubt.

💡 Why it works: Makes literature practical. Reframes it as human technology.

3️⃣ Show How the Tool Works (400–600 words)

• Break down the narrative technique (e.g., stream of consciousness, unreliable narrator).
• Include concrete examples from the text.

💡 Why it works: Teaches something useful, but through art.

4️⃣ Layer in the Neuroscience or Psychology (500–700 words)

• Connect the tool to brain science or cognitive theory.
• Could include mirror neurons, memory encoding, default mode network.

💡 Why it works: Grounds the narrative in scientific legitimacy.

5️⃣ Compare It to a Modern Equivalent (400–600 words)

• Example: Link Homeric epics to Star Wars. Or Sophocles to Pixar.
• Show how the invention is still shaping us today.

💡 Why it works: Reinforces timelessness. Creates cultural relevance.

6️⃣ Invite Reader Reflection (300–500 words)

• Ask: Where do you see this in your life?
• Offer a journal prompt, visualization, or moment of pause.

💡 Why it works: Moves from learning to integration.

7️⃣ End With a Call to Emotional Action (300–500 words)

• Encourage the reader to try using the invention.
• Example: Use metaphor to reframe a fear. Or narrative to reconnect with a lost part of self.

💡 Why it works: Makes it personal. Actionable. Transformational.

Copy-and-Paste Chapter Outline Template

Title: [Insert Chapter Title] Word Count: 3,500–5,500

1. Emotional Struggle Hook (400–600)
2. Literary Innovation Story (500–800)
3. Technique Breakdown (400–600)
4. Neuroscience Layer (500–700)
5. Modern Parallel (400–600)
6. Reader Reflection (300–500)
7. Call to Emotional Action (300–500)

✍️ ChatGPT Prompt: Invention Reframe (Angus Fletcher Style)

“I’m writing a chapter using Angus Fletcher’s Invention Reframe Framework. Please help me:

• Start with an emotional or psychological problem the reader may face
• Tell the story of an innovation that helped resolve this kind of struggle
• Break down the narrative technique that was used
• Add neuroscience or psychology that validates the method
• Show a modern-day equivalent (movie, trend, book, ad)
• Invite the reader to reflect on how they’ve experienced this in their own life
• Close with a challenge or practice the reader can try today

Here’s what I’ve got: [Insert Your Content]”

Final Word for Modern Authors

Angus Fletcher reminds us: writing isn’t just about communication.

It’s invention.
It’s emotion.
It’s evolution.

His framework lets you build books that function like tools and innovations, but for the soul, practical, poetic, and deeply human.

Perfect for:

• Teaching transformation through art
• Fusing science and story
• Writing that rewires how we think and feel

Want to write books that shape minds? This is where to start. Take something ancient, old, well-trod, or already well-established, and build your unique twist on it.

It's one of my favorite things about great, modern authors... they aren't afraid of the past. They can often build on them for today's readers with the power of the reframe.

Happy Refaming y'all,

Eric

Originally published in The Modern Author newsletter.