As a ghostwriter and editor, I’ve worked with many authors who set out to write a work of nonfiction. Typically, the story is centered around a lesson they learned or impactful stories from their life. One of the things I can almost always count on to happen will be the author going down memory lane and retelling something that seems so significant to them but has no place in the reader’s journey. How do you avoid these rabbit holes when writing nonfiction? Map out your journey!
1. Start with Your Why
Every great nonfiction book begins with a purpose. What is the mission of your story? What do you hope to accomplish by writing this down and sharing it with the world? In short, why are you writing this?
Clarify your why will help you map out the journey you will be taking your reader on.
Exercise: Using this template, develop a solid reason for your writing. Hello, I’m [insert your name]. My story helps [who is your target audience] [insert your main theme or reader takeaway]. I choose to write about this because [insert why is this theme near and dear to your heart].
Example: Hello, my name is Nicole Donoho, author and storytelling coach. My Journey of a Storyteller workbooks help students articulate their thought and learn to communicate with confidence through the art or storytelling. When I first began writing, I received lots of encouragement but little guidance on how to improve my skills. For this reason, I provide students with applicable knowledge to enhance their storytelling.
This exercise is merely a guideline to get your started. Know who you are, why you are writing about this topic and who you want to impact.
2. Outline the Content
Divide your content into manageable chunks that provide structure.
- Start with an engaging introduction that establishes the problem or topic you will be discussing.
- Develop a theme for each chapter that ties into the problem or topic. Chapters can also include references from experts, scriptures, and personal stories.
- End with a conclusion that reinforces key takeaways.
Pro Tip: When writing nonfiction, you’ll want to consider writing the introduction after you’ve finished your first draft. Any reader will tell you that the first thing they read in a story will get them engaged or have them walking away. If you wait until you have finished the first draft you will have a clearer vision of the entire message and this will help you write an engaging introduction.
3. Dump it All Out and Pretty it Up Later
“I’m not an expert”, “I don’t want them to think I know it all”, “I don’t want to call anyone out”
These are the things I hear most when working with nonfiction authors. Many of the authors I have worked with have overcome traumatic pasts or had unexplainable life-changing experiences. I always remind them that their story is their story. This means that everybody will not understand it and everybody will not support it. Which is why the first thing I told you to establish before outlining was who you were writing for and why you were writing.
Pro Tip: If your story contains real life events and people, start out using the actual details and names. It is much easier to change names and places to respect, or protect, others after the story is written than to keep all these details straight during the writing process.
4. Set a Deadline and Stick to It
Nonfiction often puts the author in a space of vulnerability. Nobody wants to be vulnerable so nonfiction authors will often sabotage their author journey with any excuse they can find. Another reason nonfiction authors will delay their writing journey is because their actual journey has only just begun.
What do I mean by this? They have experienced something significant and impactful. They decide they want to share this newfound knowledge with the world. Then, as they begin writing, they realize they are learning new things and want to add to the story.
Life is all about growing and learning new things. If you start on a manuscript and are still working on the manuscript six months later, you may have learned new things to apply to the manuscript. This will mean that you’ll be rewriting things. For this reason, it is best to stick with the simplicity of the original message for the first story and consider writing a second story to expand upon the original lesson if you choose to later down the road.
Pro Tip: Firstly, when working on a nonfiction manuscript to deliver a message, focus on an audience of one. Who is your ideal reader? What message would you like them to walk away from the story with? Now accept that everyone will not grasp the same lesson you received. Give them the freedom to find their own change through the words you write.
Secondly, set a hard deadline to have your first draft completed. I recommend 12-16 weeks. Anything beyond this will have you overthinking your delivery and complicating the message.
From Inspiration to Impact
Nonfiction writing is about educating and inspiring others. Keep your focus on the impact you wish to make with the story you are writing. In the comments, share your “Why” statement. I want to know who you are, what you are writing and why you are writing it.