Regardless of whether they are separate genres or not, the goal is always the same: true stories, written beautifully. In many ways, the rules for creative non-fiction are similar to regular non-fiction: they must be well-researched and accurate accounts of the subject matter.
Where the two genres differ greatly is in the actual portrayal of this subject matter. Rather than applying the journalistic practice of who, what, when, where and how, creative non-fiction uses literary techniques to create a vivid and engaging story. It recreates moments in time, presents fully realised settings and characters, and weaves all of these elements into a story that reads like a piece of fiction. Where non-fiction uses the facts to drive the piece, in creative non-fiction it is the writing and the way in which the facts are presented that serve as the vehicle for the story.
While it is true that any fact, event, situation or person can be turned into a great piece of writing, with creative non-fiction it is especially important that the subject matter is something that inspires and interests you. The facts of the story must be injected with life and colour, and this will always be easier to do if you are starting from a place of passion. Likewise, choosing which elements of the story to reveal and when to reveal them is crucial to the success of creative non-fiction.
In a journalistic piece, the reader wants all the facts right at the start, but in a creative piece, you can let the story simmer a bit, bringing the reader along with you as you eke out the details. A nonfiction book is not a personal essay or social media post. Remember too that you should be thinking of the book itself as a story a true story and aim to build your nonfiction writing with a story arc.
The best way to achieve this is to prepare your writing just like a fiction author would; with an outline or other story map. That way, when you finish writing your book will have a natural flow or direction that holds to common story structures. Because the design of the book can also contribute to the flow of the story elements. That might take the form of sections with clear titles or using your Headers to guide readers by reiterating the chapter title.
Maybe you pick a half dozen buildings to focus on and tear them down to expose the bones of each in their own chapter. Or you could tell the story of each building. The community they serviced, the people involved in designing the building, how they ended up on the job over other architects, and what that individual brought to the work.
More importantly, you might start in an earlier era and let the designs of one architect inform the designs of the next so that we can see the thread of similar ideas as they grow, change, and are used by generations. All while giving us the information you wanted to share about bank design.
Since I mostly write short fiction in my free time, this is either a friend, family member, or another author I think might like my story. That person is my audience for the writing session. The Keys to Writing a Nonfiction Book. Three steps to making your first nonfiction book a success. While you may know a lot about your topic and may be tempted to pack everything in there, you need to consider questions like: What do people who want to know more about this topic actually need to know, or want to know?
How much knowledge about the topic will they have prior to reading this book? What purpose will your book serve for them? Research One of the foundations of writing a nonfiction book is, inescapably, research, research, research! Credibility Nonfiction writing needs to be as accurate and as authoritative as possible. Spread The Word! A solution or outcome Just like any fiction book should have a resolution, your nonfiction book needs to lead to a point where the reader can take something away from it.
Examples or research to back up your belief Having personal experience with a topic is a great start to creating a solid nonfiction book. Inspiration Lastly, your book should carry a positive, uplifting tone that makes readers feel like they can accomplish what they set out to achieve. Nonfiction video. Share this story. Offline TDiane Nguyen. Thank you very much. Up 0 Down Reply More Cancel. Offline Derville Lowe.
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