{"id":2997,"date":"2024-01-08T12:36:06","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T12:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novlr.org\/?p=2997"},"modified":"2024-01-08T12:36:08","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T12:36:08","slug":"how-to-write-amazing-narrative-non-fiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/how-to-write-amazing-narrative-non-fiction\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write Amazing Narrative Non-Fiction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Narrative non-fiction brings to life true stories like historic events and personal experiences. It uses the techniques usually associated with fiction writing, such as plot<\/a>, character<\/a>, and detailed scene-setting<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This very popular genre informs the reader with facts and detailed accounts of real-life events, but is written in an engaging and dramatic way designed to grip the reader\u2019s attention and make the reading experience enjoyable. Narrative non-fiction is sometimes referred to as literary non-fiction or creative non-fiction.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why should you write narrative non-fiction?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is interesting and exciting about narrative non-fiction is that it can cover just about any topic. You might see it shelved in almost any section of physical and online bookstores. For example, narrative non-fiction can explore an unknown perspective on a historical event based on research that\u2019s only just been discovered. It can tell the story of an individual or a company\u2019s dramatic demise or it can paint an eye-opening picture of a particular political or social current affair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes good narrative non-fiction?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Often written by investigative journalists, historians, and sometimes biographers, works of narrative non-fiction are informative but they are also entertaining to read because the storytelling element is so important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conducting original and thorough research<\/a> is a cornerstone of good narrative non-fiction writing. When researching their subjects, writers will often conduct interviews with key people, obtain access to private diaries, read old newspaper articles, and search historical records in order to get the most accurate information about a series of events.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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High-quality narrative<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another cornerstone of great narrative non-fiction is the quality of the writing. Just like in fiction books, writers use dialogue and characterization to reveal character relationships and story development. Choosing to tell the story through specific scenes instead of simply summarizing the events that took place is what separates this form of writing from other types of non-fiction like history, reports, news stories, and biographies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The structure a writer chooses to tell the story in goes a long way to creating drama and suspense for readers. While straight histories or news reporting tend to tell events in chronological order, with narrative non-fiction you can be more playful. You can switch perspectives and timelines meaning that the story can be told in a more exciting and intriguing way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, a lot of books open with a scene set in the present day to show the reader where the story is now, and then they will go back in time to show where the story began. Other books may start with a scene in the middle of all the action and then go back in time to tell the story from the beginning, catching up with the events the opening started with before going beyond them to finish the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The right balance between fact and fiction   <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As this form of writing uses literary styles and techniques, writers sometimes use creative license to drive their story forward and make it more interesting. It\u2019s hard to create a completely accurate representation of something that happened a long time ago unless you have ample records of the event, like a recorded conversation or eye-witness account. Often, writers might elaborate on some details, using conjecture to fill in the blanks in the narrative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding the right balance between accuracy and creative license is important – you want to create a book that has integrity and is true to real life, but you also want to help the reader paint a picture of how something might have happened in the absence of concrete information. This should happen in an informed and subtle way, always noting where you\u2019re using conjecture, rather than writing it as truth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A defined author presence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When using conjecture to drive the narrative, the perspective of the writer becomes an important element. In narrative non-fiction writing, there isn\u2019t always a strong authorial voice<\/a> driving the narrative, but it is still present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authorial presence and voice is especially important when there has been a lot of original research and witness interviews. Investigative reporters will often comment on characters who they have tried to speak with, who they might even be writing about, and will often have a personal connection to the story. As an example, they might explain how they received an anonymous tip from someone and will therefore include their own involvement in the story. They become part of the narrative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Publication and audience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Narrative non-fiction is a very popular genre. Walk into most bookshops and you\u2019ll see it represented on shelves and on feature tables. Typically this space has been dominated by male writers but it\u2019s promising to see there are more and more female writers emerging in this space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Narrative non-fiction tends to be published in a Hardback format because of its literary qualities and often very topical subjects. It\u2019s a genre that is often very well reviewed in traditional media outlets like national papers. A year after the Hardback publication a Paperback format will typically be released. This new format will aim to reach more mass-market readers. Audio editions of narrative non-fiction tend to sell very strongly too, as readers who are interested in these kinds of narratives are usually big podcast listeners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for writing narrative non-fiction <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re developing a book proposal<\/a> that classifies as narrative non-fiction, it\u2019s helpful to ask yourself the following questions:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n