How To Write Non-Fiction That Sells
Nothing turns a reader off more quickly than a
list of dry facts and figures. Good fiction writers always show
rather than tell but it's worth remembering that the technique can
work for non-fiction too. Follow this advice and your articles will
make compulsive reading.
When writing general interest material, often you can't avoid dealing
in numbers. How big? How heavy? How many miles? To help the reader
to absorb this information, why not make it more enticing? I could
tell you that a dripping tap can waste 1,800 litres of water per
month but wouldn't you be more amazed to learn that this is equivalent
to twelve full baths? When you do quantify your data, choose the
appropriate units of measurement. While a contemporary (or European)
audience will appreciate the fact that the largest recorded snake,
an Indonesian reticulated python, measured 10 metres long, the over
sixties market might be more impressed by its length of 32 feet
and nine and a half inches. In certain cases you could even decide
to leave the measurements out all together - "the record breaking
snake stretched further than five tall men lying head to toe!"
Write about the past using dates and well known events to put the
information into a historical context. The birth of your subject
in 1620 may not mean much to readers. Point out that he was working
in London at the time of the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the
day to day reality of his life comes into focus. Timescales are
another handy tool, especially for illustrating the effort involved
in great human achievement. Most people know that Sir Christopher
Wren was responsible for the beauty of St. Paul's cathedral in London.
The fact that the building took over 35 years to complete emphasises
the enormity of his vision.
Travel writing is one area that requires hard facts but these can
best be supplied using fact boxes (known as sidebars). The heart
of the article should concentrate on bringing the destination directly
to the audience. Use all of your senses to report on the surroundings
and remember that every detail counts. Prospective travellers will
want to know that baths in the hotel are dirty or that Spiro's restaurant
serves the juiciest kebabs. Add dialogue to the mix with a few local
phrases spoken by well defined characters. Travel writing is your
chance to be creative as skilful imagery will capture the scenery
but beware of clichés. Rather than "the sun went down
like a fiery red ball", try "the sunset spread across
the clouds like spilt wine over crisp linen."
Human interest sells so be prepared to use it. Interview real people
and let them build up your topic. Direct quotes uplift a feature
in the way that dialogue enlivens fiction. Give your spokesmen character.
While you might not take the tabloid route of "busty blue-eyed
twenty something", readers will gain insight on learning that
a quote came from a forty two year old nurse with six children or
a silverware expert from Colchester. Don't forget to humanise dusty
historical figures with personal details. The scientifically minded
can appreciate Sir Isaac Newton's grasp of gravitational forces.
Who can resist the suggestion that when engrossed in a challenging
problem he sometimes forgot to get out of bed for days at a time?
Marketable non-fiction is tight on word count and heavy on facts.
Add value to a piece by referencing further sources of information.
A list of relevant books, websites, stores, addresses or telephone
numbers doesn't take up much space but gives your article depth
and keeps the reader thinking about the subject long after they've
reached the last sentence. The work is also more likely to be retained
for future reference - a plus point for the publisher.
If you apply these principles to your non-fiction writing, it won't
only be readers who can't put it down - editors will be hooked too.
Louise Dop is a successful Freelance Writer and Technical Author.
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