The kind of stories we read matters, because reading can affect who we are.

Although scientific research in this area is still young, I believe reading constructive, life-expanding fiction is an important component in a healthy lifestyle. That why when I write a story, I try to integrate 5 characteristics of life-expanding stories, which I believe promote 5 healthy reactions when you read them:

Stories teach, not just raw data, but wisdom. Ever since man gained the ability of thought 35 millennia ago, he has told stories. And modern research continues to reveal the constructive power of storytelling.

However, not all stories edify. Like psychotherapy, stories can comfort us or distress us. They can make us better people and better thinkers, or they can cause us to close off our minds and our thoughts. Stories can either educate or indoctrinate.

The stories I write are designed to do more than just entertain. They’re designed to help us grow, to expand our minds, to enhance the way we look at and lead our lives, and thereby to make our lives better. To accomplish this, I use a five-factor process for all my stories, based on the latest psychological insights.