Story Writing 101 for Nonfiction Writers

In bookstores around the world, a menace lurks, eroding the power of nonfiction writers everywhere. Its name: The Mediocre Vignette. Countless knowledgeable experts weaken their own arguments by presenting dull, irrelevant, or confusing anecdotes.

Even in nonfiction writing, the ability to weave story well holds the communication together. Books on weight loss, articles on dental hygiene, and even commercials for rugged SUVs use story to communicate truth: Landon lost fifty pounds with this diet; two hundred people who brushed daily experienced the same result; if you buy this Jeep, Chuck Norris will want to be your friend. All these messages incorporate narrative. If we want to communicate effectively, we need to hone our narrative skills.

“Who can save us from this evil menace?” we cry. “I have a doctorate in my field, but nobody taught me creative writing. Maybe these illustrations will be fine the way they are.” Valiant friend, do not settle for mediocrity! With these six tips for structure, action, and imagery, you can rescue your manuscript from the wiles of The Mediocre Vignette.

Hook

Effective storytelling captures the interest of your reader, engaging their interests and felt needs. Take a moment to envision your target audience. What worries them daily? What intrigues them? What questions do they desperately want answers for? The values of your audience determine which stories you tell and how you introduce them. Invoking the story of a famous athlete may hook an audience of retired coaches, but it may cause the eyes of a horticulturist to glaze over.

Starting and Ending Points

To draw readers in, begin in the middle. Rather than dumping information (Caroline was born in 1975 to ex-hippie parents), lead with a character pursuing a goal that makes your reader ask, “What happens next? Why is Caroline hiding in the woods?” Once the scene has movement, weave in any exposition the reader needs to know about Caroline.

Equally important, a strong ending point emphasizes the theme and action of the story. Every story asks a question, and once the question is answered, extra information distracts from the theme. If the question of your story is “Will Caroline stand up to the school bully?” once she has succeeded or failed, the story ends. A paragraph at the end about how she grew up to be a renowned ice skater will derail the story’s message.

Movement and Action

Strong character goals and actions create engaging story. A woman who effortlessly wins international beauty pageants, brand new Lamborghinis, and the adoration of millions at every turn may inspire envy, but she’ll make a dreary story. But a character who wants something and overcomes obstacles to get it—even something as simple as a family Thanksgiving dinner—creates tension that hooks your reader. We long to know exactly what lengths Brenda is willing to go to for her perfect holiday meal. Will she stoop to threats? Blackmail? Because of her strong goal, we’re invested in her journey.

Sensory Details

Language and imagery derived from the senses help your reader experience the story with you. After drafting your anecdote, read back through it and look for all five senses. Have you given your reader the taste, smell, feel, sound, and look of the story? Double check for bland descriptors (“She smelled nice”) and spice them up with specifics (“She smelled like my grandmother’s kitchen—vanilla, cinnamon, and southern hospitality”).

Dialogue Word Choice for Character

Give your characters realistic speech patterns and vocabulary to increase the reader’s immersion in the scene. Language anachronistic to the era or the character’s personality pulls readers out of the moment. A five-year-old may use short sentence fragments, a nine-year-old may tangle five sentences together in one breath, and a ninety-year-old may stop and start several times before getting through a sentence. Where is your character from? How would local speech patterns color their habits?

Vivid Language

Strong word choice takes you beyond writing technique and into style; it elevates a writer from competent to artistic. Precise action verbs (“sprint” or “lope” instead of “run”) and clear imagery (“the mirror glistened with steam from the shower” instead of “the mirror was wet”) draw your reader into a vivid world with you. If lethargic sentences bog down your writing, check for bland verbs and vague images.

Take these tools and arm yourself against The Mediocre Vignette. With structure, action, and imagery, you can craft gripping narrative for your nonfiction.