“Put Samantha Shad’s book at the top of your reading list. Not just because of the masterfully delivered scientific data that demonstrates how the act of writing can provide solace for heart, body and soul, but especially for the hard-won wisdom that teaches how we can all manifest the confidence to create conscious choice in our lives.”

“The Write to Happiness, hands down, is the best book on the craft I’ve ever read. Every writer must add this to their collection.”

“This brilliant book takes Story from its source in human development, through its connections to neuroscience. It is the most comprehensive melding of current thoughts on brain plasticity and Story’s ability to affect our lives. I’d recommend The Write To Happiness to anyone who is serious about being a writer as well as to anyone who is serious about becoming a happier person.”

“Readers prepare yourselves for an adventure. You are facing a master storyteller who challenges the reader with a book on reading and writing fiction. Things get even more exciting when Samantha Shad dives headfirst in brain sciences that participate in the creative process. This should be a warning for the reader to buckle their seatbelt for what Joseph Campbell once called the hero’s journey. Ms. Shad is a storyteller (or mythmaker) on a hero’s quest through a jungle of dangerous facts and poisonous footnotes. Follow her path and you will definitely enjoy, and perhaps profit immensely by following her on a journey into creativity and imagination.”

“This treasure of a book is a delight-to-read tool that shows how we can use our innate talent to tell stories to reprogram our lives. First prescribing the elements of a good story and showing how we can find them in our own lives, Ms. Shad then points to the latest scientific studies to authenticate her methodology. If you have a problem in your life that you can’t seem to solve, this is the book for you.”

“The Write to Happiness: How to Write Stories to Change Your Brain and Your Life” should be considered essential reading for anyone seeking to write either for their own personal and private benefit or for publication and the benefit or entertainment of others…. unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing collections”

“Writers who seek to accomplish more than churning out formula productions, and who are not above more than a bit of self-examination and improvement along the way, will find The Write to Happiness a leader in many ways. It employs a compelling, personal touch to capture vignettes and examples from life that illustrate why some books and authors are standouts in not only their fields, but their lives.”

Wish I’d read this book forty years ago…. I could’ve spent a lot more time on the Riviera!”

Veteran screenwriter Samantha Shad finds that stories are fertile ground for working out problems because narrative is the essential language of the brain. She packs a lot into her short, readable two-part book – showing first how to “write to happiness,” and then giving the scientific reasons why storytelling works for your brain. By pairing a step-by-step guide on how to write fictitious, therapeutic stories with a survey of neuroscience and storytelling conventions, Shad shows with great empathy that making up stories is how humans compose and understand their lives. The brain is geared for stories, so writing one – yes, now you can – is a powerful way to understand and resolve life’s dilemmas.”

“An intelligent, thoughtful, and thoroughly entertaining presentation of the best strategies and tactics for crafting the best stories. Samantha Shad is a master storyteller who now shows she is a master teacher as well. She knows how to unpack the powerful magic of story to help us all improve our use of story. I will refer to it time and again in my own work.”

“Samantha Shad shows us how each character in our story reflects a little part of ourselves and gives us the opportunity to sort out multiple approaches to our lives as we inspire the lives of our readers. As Shad writes, “Stories are problem-solving machines for the audience.” If you want the rules for writing to happiness this is the book for you. Not only does Shad show you how to do it, she also explains what’s happening in your brain as you engage your story, create your characters, follow them on their journey and, at the same time, have fun in the process.”

“Tickle your funny bone as you read about how to write your way to happiness. The medium is the message in Samantha Shad’s book Write to Happiness. While I was smiling my way through page after page of how to write a story, the arc of my first attempt at fiction became clear. If you want to write the next great novel, start here. Buy The Write to Happiness.”

“What a truly useful guide to someone who wants to write a book. ‘Take my hand,’ says Samantha Shad, ‘and let me show you how.’ Then, she not only explains how to write your book, she also uses examples and explanations to demonstrate how writing your book can improve your life at the same time. Amazing! Wish I had this book years ago. Read it cover to cover and am keeping it for future reference. Thanks so much for the opportunity.”