Building Blocks of Nonfiction Writing

Simple techniques to write stories readers love.

A one thousand-word article with an average amount of research takes me at least two to four hours to draft, write, edit, and revise. Writing articles people want to read takes time and hard work.

To engage, inform, and entertain the reader, you need a plan and specific techniques.

Even after writing full-time for nine years, I still remind myself to stick to the basics of clear writing. After all, effective writing is not only what clients pay me to produce; it’s what readers want.

However, I need to create articles in a reasonable amount of time, so I’ve developed a system that can streamline the process of creating nonfiction articles.

First, let’s remember our goals for writing.

• You want the reader’s life to be enriched or impacted by reading your article.
• The story should be original and human-centered.
• Show you have experience and knowledge about the subject.
• And the story must be structured and written correctly.

We’re writing for the reader, not ourselves.

Next, it’s helpful to make a simple plan.

What are you planning to write about? This is the premise, the main point of your article. Summarize your piece in one or two sentences.

For example, I’ll use an imaginary topic: This will be a 1200-word article about getting my first dog as an adult. My health improved because I walked more; I’m less lonely because I made friends at the dog park, and Trixie and I began visiting seniors in a nursing home.

Even if you’re sharing a personal story, you’ll have some key points you want to keep in mind.

Every story needs a hook, the opening paragraph that entices the reader to keep going. I often look for a personal anecdote, a startling statistic, or a question the reader may have.

Consider the essential facts you want to include when writing an educational article. If it’s a personal essay, think about the events or thoughts you want to include and their logical order.

And remember to include a conclusion, where you wrap things up and tie your thoughts to your opening premise.

Nonfiction can include the same elements as fiction.

Plot. Rise and fall of action. Scene. Conflict. Resolution. An essay should have a narrative arc: beginning, middle, and end.

The plot is similar to the premise of your article. All the paragraphs in your article should logically follow a path of ‘first this happened, and therefore the next thing happened.’ It’s easy to get off track and include events or facts that don’t add to your story.

Even if you don’t remember the exact words, writing a scene is more compelling than simply telling the reader what happened.

Returning to my invented dog story, imagine I’ve already told you how lonely I am after my divorce. Finally, I’ve decided to get a dog. At the animal shelter. On Christmas Eve.

Those are the facts, but what if I create a scene with dialogue?

Only one kennel worker was visible as I peeked into the grey cinder block building at the shelter.

“Where is everyone,” I asked the single worker spraying down the floor.

“Not many lonely folks lookin’ for a dog on Christmas Eve, I reckon,” she said. Catching herself, she added, “No offense, ma’am.”

“None taken. I am alone, that’s for sure. Which dog has been here the longest? That’s the one I want; the one nobody else wants.”

Depending on my goals and outline, I may next transition into a statistic about how many people are lonely on Christmas. Or that many senior dogs never find a home.

Or I can add personal reflection about how I felt as I knelt in front of Trixie’s cage, identifying with an older abandoned dog if it’s a memoir essay. For example, as I left the Shelter that dark night in December, I could never have guessed that scruffy little dog would lead me into a brighter future.

An article contains many building blocks.

And just like Lego bricks, the writer arranges them in various ways.

I can open with a SCENE. (a scene contains action.)

Add INFORMATION (only 25% of senior dogs are adopted compared to 60% of younger animals, according to Pet Pardon.)

SCENE W/EMBEDDED INFORMATION (Trixie was twelve years old and looked like she stepped out of a Doctor Seuss book but became a Therapy Dog.)

As I continue my article, I can mix and match to entertain and inform my reader. For example, I can use blocks such as:

INFORMATION >SCENE>SCENE>SCENE W/EMBEDDED INFORMATION

Between each block, include transitions to ease the reader from one thought to another.

An example: As I left the Shelter that dark night in December, I never could have guessed that scruffy little dog would lead me into a brighter future.

That statement can segue into a new section about my life with Trixie.

Tweak your title and subtitle after you finish your article.

Often, once you’ve finished your essay or article, you will have gained more insight into the topic.

I want the title to include the premise of my story. For this article, I wanted to form a mental image of using structural elements as the building blocks to create readable articles, so that’s included in the title.

Even if the story is personal, for instance, if I were writing the dog story, I’d include my premise: An Abandoned Old Dog Restored the Life of a Lonely Woman. Sometimes, you can be more lyrical or metaphoric, but titles depend on the publication’s requirements.

Reading well-written articles and essays and looking for the building blocks is great practice.

Try out your skills on this well-written short article and see how the author integrated these elements: How Running Keeps Saving My Life Again and Again.

From my painful experience, taking time to plan before you write will make writing for publication immensely more rewarding while saving hours of revision and frustration.

Cindy combines a passion for writing with over thirty years of business experience. If you’d like information on her personal coaching, get in touch.