![]() ![]() You see short paragraphs and a lot of white space. Look at any post on The Write Life: The content is top-notch, but it’s all packed into short sentences and easily understandable vocabulary. Provide even more value for your reader by cutting the content down into easily digestible bites. Have you ever given up on an article or instruction manual because its wording frustrated you? If you have great content, don’t encrypt it. So read some Hemingway or Dickens, reconnect with the emotional side of your writing, and stir up your audience’s feelings! 4. Power words can evoke vibrant emotions, and emotion will keep the reader’s eyes glued to every single word of yours. Palpable words draw the reader into your text more effectively, so he experiences them instead of simply reading them.Ĭertain words like ”confession” or “magic” are emotionally charged power words that hit your audience strongly. Any noun of something you’re able to touch physically is better than something you can’t touch. The less abstract your nouns, the better. Instead of writing “double-digit percent fluctuations,” write, “a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs.” Metaphors are also an interesting way to add some spice. The antidote: use more imagery, more emotion and more personality. Snooze!) They often employ a certain “code” of complex sentence structures and foreign words to make them seem more credible and expert-like. (Think of the last academic paper you read. Use emotional languageīad nonfiction pieces are overly factual and prosaic. When you’re writing about the phases of the moon, why not begin the post like this: “Did you know that on the moon, you would only weigh 16.5 percent of your weight on Earth?”īy using one of these strategies, you have a better chance of catching your reader’s attention - and keeping it. You could start with an interesting or funny thought, too. If you write an article about how to save money, how about a start with “Isn’t it frustrating that at the end of any given month, there is no money left in your wallet?“ That’s how you put yourself in the reader’s shoes, to make her identify with you and your article. You could also ask a question that moves your audience. Before he knows it, he will be halfway through your article. ![]() Take a look at the storytelling tips above and make sure to always keep the reader wondering what’s next. One strategy is beginning with a little personal or historical story. In today’s multimedia world, attention is the number one commodity.ĭoes your first sentence make the reader want to read the second? Does your second sentence evoke curiosity for the third? Here are a couple of options for beginnings that I found worked best for my blog: She could also just close her browser and go watch TV. If your article is online, it’s in direct competition with thousands of other articles your reader can choose from all of them instantly, and mostly for free. Why not do the same with your nonfiction? Great fiction grabs you right at the beginning and doesn’t let your attention go until the end. Just two or three additional sentences is often enough to help your words hit home for the reader. Your post or essay will be stronger and more relatable if you include little examples, experiences and comparisons.įor example, instead of saying “Spinach is healthy,” you could tell a story about a runner who improved his performance by eating a lot of spinach. We remember stories much better than abstract rules, formulas or concepts. At lunch, we tell our newest stories to our co-workers at night, we tell fanciful tales to our kids and then consume suspense from our flatscreens. Humans have been fascinated by stories since the dawn of time. Take a page from your favorite fiction writer and adopt these five nonfiction writing tips. There’s no doubt: If you want to hook your audience, some story techniques come in extremely handy. How to write a nonfiction book using fiction techniques Thompson was a master at crafting tight, compelling fiction, and he used these very same fiction techniques to become one of the most highly acclaimed and fascinating nonfiction writers in history. ![]() Thompson’s work and you will know better. One wants to entertain, the other one mainly educates.īut take a look at Hunter S. Do fiction and nonfiction writing have anything in common?Īfter all, their goals are fundamentally different. ![]()
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