Steve Wozniak
Co-Founder of Apple | National Medal of Technology | National Inventors Hall of Fame | James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian | Author of iWoz
Will Storr
Bestselling Author, A Story is a Deal & The Status Game | Award-Winning Journalist | Storytelling & Behavioral Science Expert
Why do some stories sell, lead, and move people — and others fall flat? Speaker Will Storr is the bestselling author of The Science of Storytelling, The Status Game, and A Story is a Deal, an investigation into how the human brain is wired for narrative and status. He turns neuroscience and evolutionary psychology into a working toolkit for marketers, leaders, and brand teams who want their messages to land — and stick.
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Will Storr biography
Bestselling author speaker Will Storr is an award-winning British journalist and the author of some of the most influential popular non-fiction of the past decade — from The Science of Storytelling and The Status Game to A Story is a Deal. He has built a global reputation for translating cutting-edge findings from neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and social science into practical frameworks leaders, marketers, and creators can actually use.
Will’s reporting has appeared in Esquire, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and The Sunday Times Magazine, and has taken him to civil-war zones in Guatemala and South Sudan, remote Aboriginal communities in Australia, and conflict reporting on multiple continents. The Independent has called him “one of Britain’s most versatile and committed journalists.” His memoir-investigation Selfie: How the West Became Self-Obsessed was praised by The Financial Times as “a triumph” and by The Sunday Times as “approaching genius.”
From the page to the boardroom
His talks are based on a body of work that examines a single question from multiple angles: why do humans behave the way we do? The Science of Storytelling reverse-engineers the brain to show what makes a great story land. The Status Game argues that our search for status — not money or power alone — silently shapes politics, work, friendship, and online life. A Story is a Deal, his most business-focused book, lays out a framework for using storytelling to motivate teams, sell ideas, and lead with charisma, drawing on examples from Apple’s advertising playbook to ancient ritual.
As a speaker, Will Storr has guided executives, marketers, brand teams, and creative leaders inside companies and conferences around the world. He turns dense academic research into a tight, surprising narrative — and gives audiences a sharper toolkit for telling the kind of stories that change behavior, build brands, and move people to act.
Will Storr Speaking Videos
Will Storr - The Science of Storytelling
Will Storr - How And Why We Play Social Status Games
Will Storr Keynote Topics
Stories shape our beliefs, our identity, and the decisions we make at work and at home, yet very few professionals can explain why one story lands and another bounces off. Drawing on his bestselling book, Will Storr reverse-engineers the human brain to show what actually happens when we hear a story — from the moment of curiosity to the change in behavior. The session unpacks the cognitive machinery behind great myth, fiction, journalism, and brand storytelling, and translates it into a working toolkit for leaders and communicators who need their narratives to move people.
Modern life pushes us to optimize ourselves — our looks, our wealth, our happiness, our personal brand — and the pressure is making people miserable. Based on his acclaimed book Selfie, Will Storr traces the long history behind today's obsession with the perfect self, from Ancient Greek ideals to Silicon Valley's promise of self-actualization. The talk pulls together history, psychology, economics, and neuroscience to explain why individualism became our defining cultural ideology, what it costs us, and how leaders, marketers, and parents can push back without abandoning ambition.
Money and power get the attention, but Will Storr argues that what truly governs human behavior is something quieter and far older: status. In this keynote, he draws on The Status Game to show how our hunger for social position runs through everything from hunter-gatherer tribes to modern offices, online platforms, cults, and conspiracy theories. The session explains why people behave self-destructively when their status is threatened, why some workplaces become political minefields, and what leaders can do to design status systems that fuel performance instead of poisoning it.
Most storytelling advice in business is folklore. Will Storr's most business-focused book, A Story is a Deal, replaces the folklore with a framework grounded in evolutionary psychology and neuroscience: a story is a transaction in which the audience trades attention and trust for a payoff. In this talk, he shows leaders, marketers, and brand teams how to design that deal — from the opening hook to the change in behavior they want at the end — with examples ranging from ancient ritual to Apple's advertising playbook. A practical session for anyone who has to sell an idea, a product, or a vision.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Will Storr
Why Will Storr?
In a market crowded with storytelling speakers, Will Storr stands apart for one reason: depth. He is a working investigative journalist with the discipline to dig into neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and behavioral economics, and the writing chops to turn that research into ideas that actually land on stage. His books — The Science of Storytelling, The Status Game, and A Story is a Deal — have become reference material for marketers, brand teams, and senior leaders. Book Will Storr through Aurum Speakers Bureau to give your audience a serious, evidence-based session on why people believe what they believe — and how to talk to them about it.
What are Will Storr's most famous books?
Will Storr is best known for The Science of Storytelling, a Sunday Times bestseller that reverse-engineers great stories using neuroscience and psychology; The Status Game, his investigation into how the search for status drives politics, friendship, and online life; A Story is a Deal, a practical guide to using storytelling to motivate, persuade, and lead; and Selfie: How the West Became Self-Obsessed, a critically acclaimed look at the modern self.
What is The Status Game about?
In The Status Game, Will Storr argues that human behavior is largely driven by an ancient, mostly unconscious search for status — not just money or power. He shows how this status drive runs through hunter-gatherer societies, modern workplaces, and online platforms, and how it explains everything from creativity and innovation to violence, moral panics, and conspiracy theories. The book offers a practical framework for understanding why people act the way they do at work, in groups, and online.
What kind of events does Will Storr speak at?
Will Storr is most often booked for marketing and brand summits, leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, and creative-industry events where storytelling, persuasion, and behavioral science are central themes. He works particularly well for organizations rebuilding their narrative, launching a new product, or asking their teams to communicate ideas more effectively. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Will Storr to your stage with a session tailored to your industry.
How to book Will Storr as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Will Storr as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Will Storr's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Will Storr or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Will Storr speaking fee?
Will Storr speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Will Storr to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Will Storr.
How can I contact Will Storr?
We only work with Will Storr on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Will Storr and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Will Storr speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Will Storr for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Will Storr for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Will Storr is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Will Storr for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
