Beauty and the brain

Where do ideas come from? This book, published after the author died of brain cancer, tries to figure that out scientifically. While not, strictly speaking, about writing, this review is well done with animated illustrations. It’s a thought-provoking long read.

Leonardo’s Brain: What a Posthumous Brain Scan Six Centuries Later Reveals about the Source of Da Vinci’s Creativity | Brain Pickings

http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/11/17/leonardos-brain-leonard-shlain/

“If you can’t say anything nice …”

How do your characters speak to each other? It could make a difference in how long they stay together. Lots of writers — not just of romance novels — have demonstrated an instinctive understanding of this in their work.
This long-read from Atlantic talks about research into couples’ behavior, but about half-way in you’ll find four categories of talk to apply to your characters.

Masters of Love – Atlantic Mobile

http://m.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/happily-ever-after/372573/