How to Write Narrative Nonfiction

Using Fiction Techniques to Bring Your Nonfiction Writing to Life

Jun 4, 2008

By using the sort of narrative writing techniques normally associated with fiction writing, you can bring dynamic life to a nonfiction article or nonfiction book.

Whether you're writing action, writing dialogue, or writing descriptions involving the five senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, touch—the same features that grip readers in great fiction can also be used in nonfiction writing to draw in readers by dramatize key points, illustrating messages in ways that even the simplest, clearest expository writing cannot do.

Writing narrative scenes is a skill many nonfiction writers don't develop fully. But once you've developed that ability, you can use it to help make your nonfiction writing come alive.

Keep these points in mind when writing narrative nonfiction:

Report. If at all possible, take notes as the events you'll write about are happening. Keep your eyes and ears open for the small telling details that will make the scene come alive in the reader's mind.
Reflect. Before writing about it, process and re-create the scene in your own mind, jotting down notes as to yourself as it unfolds.
Refine. Strip away irrelevant details and unnecessary dialogue, to bring the scene into the sharpest resolution.
Capture the action! When describing what happened, use active verbs as much as possible. Aim to choose the absolutely most precise verb to capture each action. Employ passive verbs only for pacing purposes.
Involve the senses. Summon not just sight but also sound, feel, taste, and touch. Using the five senses helps put the reader in the scene.
Be specific. Just as you did with your action verbs, use adjectives and adverbs to describe things precisely.
Be judicious. Don’t overuse adjectives and adverbs, however, lest you overburden or fatigue the reader. One thoughtfully chosen adjective, or the precise action verb in place of a less precise one modified by an adverb, will do the job better than strings of descriptive words.
Add some dialogue. Place the reader within the scene by letting him or her hear the characters in it. Writing dialogue, however, should not be overdone. Tell the story in your own narrative voice until you really need a line or two in someone else’s voice to vary the pace or underscore a point. People in the scene should only speak when the words they have to say demand to be heard.
Write in four dimensions. Create scenes that are not just fully fleshed in three dimensions but that also move through space or time. A scene should end up at a different place or time than where or when it began.
Pace it. Try to develop an awareness of the rhythm of the story you are telling. Use short, punchy sentences and paragraphs for fast-paced action; longer sentences and paragraphs for a slower unfolding of events.

Start trying to use these techniques judiciously in your own nonfiction writing. You'll be surprised by the positive results. People writing novels or writing short stories will also benefit from these tips.

(Looking for more great writing tips? Check out "How to Write Reviews," "How to Write a Research Article," and "How to Interview: Tips for Writers.")

The copyright of the article How to Write Narrative Nonfiction in Writing for Non-Fiction Genres is owned by Norman Kolpas. Permission to republish How to Write Narrative Nonfiction in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.