Nonfiction Writing Tips
Be a Storyteller
People enjoy reading about other people's experiences--that's one reason they read nonfiction. Create a virtual reality for your readers by sharing real people (and animal) stories in your writing. This will help you capture readers' attention and breathe life into the details and facts.
EXAMPLE:
When Debbie Marvit-McGlothlin was about four months pregnant, her dog, Autumn, began licking at a dark brown mole she'd developed on the back of her thigh. "I didn't think anything of it at the time," she says, "because I have lots of moles." But Autumn persisted. When Debbie returned home from her night shift as a nurse, Autumn licked the mole. When Debbie slept during the day, Autumn licked the mole. "She'd lick it all day long," recalls Debbie. As the weeks rolled by, the two-year-old shepherd-hound grew more aggressive, scratching and biting at the site.Debbie mentioned Autumn's mole obsession to her doctor. "We can remove it if you'd like," he told her, which she did to play it safe. A few weeks later, Debbie learned the mole was melanoma--a severe form of skin cancer that can turn fatal if allowed to spread.
- from Phenomena: Secrets of the Senses (Little, Brown and Company, 2008)