Use words to make a picture rather than just explain things, as is so prevalent in nonfiction. I learned this lesson best when I traveled in Siberia with Russian evangelists. Grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning, and focus all your efforts on keeping them interested. Either way, writing a book takes time, perseverance, commitment, and dedication. Before you begin writing, put together an outline to organize your thoughts. Christian nonfiction is filled with jargon. On the contrary, nonfiction is usually more difficult. Use almost any short grabber, then dovetail into your main point by using one of these words: “but, however, in spite of, nevertheless, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet.” It works like this: Nuclear energy is the most potent physical power on earth. If your goal is to solve problems, your book should provide readers with an action plan for things to do and things not to do. This article answers the "what is a prologue?" Here are some techniques: ■ Tell a short personal or historical story. If you’re targeting a particular audience, you may need to consider whether their lifestyles might affect their enjoyment of your book, and keep that in mind while you’re writing. This is the ancient formula: ■ Tell them what you’re going to tell them. The KJV and myriad catechisms, creeds, and councils have exacerbated the problem, each spawning their own freshly minted terms. These cookies do not store any personal information. My Russian brothers used a different term to describe the same spiritual event. Much easier than writing fiction, right? You spill your coffee into your laptop, or maybe it’s stolen. Christian nonfiction includes a wide range of material, including specific theological topics (doctrine), Bible studies, biography, Christian living, “how-to”, self-help, sermons, essays, journalism, travel writing, art, history, and science, among others. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. (As with most commandments, you may be able to dance around one or two, but you'd better have a good reason.). Your free checklist will help ensure that your self-publishing efforts are a success. What are you showing them? If you find a “gap in knowledge,” a term used often when writing a thesis or dissertation, research as you continue to write. But it is crucial to do a thorough housecleaning. Nonfiction does not need to read like an academic paper. Instead, write with vitality. What is the mistake that most Christian writers make? But that’s how you take control of reader attention. That requires the discipline and focus of a Ninja. Nonfiction is a fertile field for Christian writers. Don’t just read those other books to see how they stack up against yours; you might pick up information that will give you ideas for expounding on your text. Sometimes not knowing where you’re going when you start out can actually improve the outcome of the book. Offsite options include Dropbox and Google Drive or Docs. Tips for self-editing. Sadly, may Christians tend to fabricate or manipulate alleged facts to support their preexisting bias, and that is always wrong. You can take side-trips if you wish, but with a framework you can always get quickly back on track. Potential readers will not pick up your book or read your blog post unless they sense there is something in it for them. I described the result of conversion as being “saved.” That is American Christian jargon. We get enough of that from mass media outlets, and Christian writers need to be above that. This means we may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through one of these links. What are you hoping to achieve with your book? Is it your goal to instruct, inform, persuade, entertain, or explain? More Ways to Use Fiction Techniques in Nonfiction. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. ■ Don’t be afraid to use different techniques to hold reader interest. Are you writing to young professionals, middle-aged Baby Boomers, or an intergenerational audience? Nonfiction books and blog posts are the heart of Christian writing. Zoom in. The key to good nonfiction writing is taking readers from the known to the unknown. Pan to show the surroundings so they see the context. Novels that most of us read while in school probably opened very differently than successful novels of today. An outline also eliminates so-called writer’s block. Give your readers a “wide shot” to get the big picture. And they don’t know much (that’s why your book or post is important to them), so you have to start simple. When it comes to humanizing nonfiction, you do it best when you put your personality into your writing. Christian nonfiction writers have an obligation to be factual. But with nonfiction, the story you’re telling has to maintain some sort of structure in order to satisfy readers. Much of it comes with our love/hate relationship with the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. Here are five nonfiction tips and tricks you can use to write a Christian nonfiction book or blog post that people will want to read. That approach is annoying. But saved from what and for what? 7. They said Christ “rescued” people. Christians love their jargon, but readers hate it. Seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? We know it is a yearning to know Christ or to know him better. The All-Important Opening. State that thesis at the beginning and then support it with factual data. Google and Amazon can be your allies in discovering other books that are saying the same thing you’re saying. Self-publishing means keeping track of all the details. If you plan to self-publish, nailing down your goal isn’t as daunting as it will be if you intend to pitch your book to a publisher. Toss out all jargon. Will readers understand the language, terminology, or subject matter, or will you need to include details and definitions to make the book more useful to a wider audience? This is an exciting way to think about writing a nonfiction book or blog post. Revising your thesis. Yet, many movies are based on true stories. Home | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | FTC Disclaimer | Copyright & Trademark Notice | Advertise on CWT | About | Contact CWT. Make notes and decide methods you’ll use to fill in that research gap. You provide practical steps about how to do that with factual information from the Bible, research, and the authentic experiences of historical and contemporary people. In addition, we are an Amazon Associate and earn from qualifying purchases. One of the most important things to know is related to you, the writer. If you create a somewhat detailed outline and do research to flesh it out, you’ll never have writer’s block. Go through your copy and eliminate as many recurrences of “that” you can find. If your goal is to teach, your book should leave readers feeling confident that they have learned what they had hoped to learn. Start with a hook like this: “I don’t believe I will see my mom in heaven” (if your mother was an unbeliever). Our goal as Christian writers is to draw people into a new Christ-centered life that starts now and is everlasting. It can be a theological topic, Bible study, biography, sermon, essay, or whatever. Knowing the audience you’re writing to is closely aligned with knowing your goal. Everyone immediately understands what it means to be in peril and to be rescued. People are already on the prowl for answers. Intend to meet a particular need or solve a problem for your reader. May 10, 2020. Christian nonfiction includes a wide range of material, including specific theological topics (doctrine), Bible studies, biography, Christian living, “how-to”, self-help, sermons, essays, journalism, travel writing, art, history, and science, among others. Nonfiction is factual. Nonfiction has the power to educate and inspire others about a wide range of topics. Fiction entertains, but nonfiction informs and inspires. A segue is a transitional sentence, a word bridge, that smoothly and cleverly links the grabber to what you intended to say, even though it may be on a different topic. To be effective, nonfiction Christian writers must: ■ Be motivated to meet a genuine need in the lives of others. I’m not talking about inserting your opinions into your nonfiction writing. Identifying supporting arguments. There may be 10,000 books and 100,000 blog posts on a mundane topic like “How to build a patio deck.” The element that makes your book or blog post different, and more interesting, is your personality. Required fields are marked *. They start with an assertion. What is the key to good nonfiction writing? Limiting your subject. “Sinners are going to burn in hell forever.” This assertion is true, but the point is that a stark declaration like that repels readers. Take them from basic to higher knowledge in easy steps. Honey, not vinegar. Your email address will not be published. It is both an honor and a responsibility to write Christian nonfiction. No, you are not writing a script; you are writing prose, but visualizing it in your mind in a cinematic way. Fiction can benefit from letting the story develop organically as the characters develop, and it can take twists and turns along the way. The chapter headings (in the case of a book) and headings and subheadings in books and blog posts are like breadcrumbs for the reader to follow. Will the readers in your audience have plenty of time to read a complicated, in-depth book, or will they be looking for straightforward tips in small portions that are easy to digest quickly? See the full FTC Compliance Notice here. The Creative Nonfiction (CNF) genre can be rather elusive. You can remedy them sooner rather than later. What benefit do you want that to be? Jesus expressed the most profound theological truths in simple stories, and you can do that too. This TIP Sheet addresses the following steps common to any kind of non-fiction writing: Choosing a subject. One of the most common errors I see is writers you preface their work with scripture verses, usually several full quotes, not just the references. As you approach your book or blog post, think of it as a movie. They are lost without a map. That’s why Christian nonfiction writers want to examine how they write and break bad habits. You can arrange and rearrange subsections as you write, but without a basic road map, your writing can go off track easily. 9. We love the beautiful Shakespeare-like flow in some places, but we hate its archaic words and twisted syntax. If your goal is to write a bestseller and the market is flooded with direct competition, find a way to make your message unique, oppositional, or somehow different from what other writers are saying. You don’t need to sensationalize titles or content when you are meeting real needs. See like a movie camera—make your writing cinematic. Things happen. Nonfiction writers focus on the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” of a particular topic, person or event. As a Christian writer, you have the capacity to infuse the Christian perspectives and values into all topics. Readers are captivated by this style of writing. As you write you’ll add to the outline, adding or removing subheadings. That means there should be no opinion stated as fact, and no facts used that has not been confirmed using multiple reliable sources. Be authoritative and straightforward. Understand boundaries. If English class scared you away from outlines, a bulleted list will work. That’s not true. It is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an inciting moment, rising action, climax and denoument, just like fiction. Use all five senses—writing is the only medium that is able. If you’ve poured yourself into writing something fantastic and it doesn’t make the bestseller lists, you should know that you haven’t wasted your time. So-called writer’s block is only evidence that a writer has failed to plan their writing project properly. But a fluid approach to writing nonfiction doesn’t always work well. Amazon is packed with nonfiction books that are essentially brain dumps and rambling trains of thought. If you’re writing fiction, you can let the plot meander as it grows, let characters develop at their own pace, and even change direction along the way. All moms have these stories, and they are enjoyable and helpful to readers. It enables us to teach and help others, and the income from nonfiction, which supports our writing ministry, can be far greater than fiction. Are you writing to people who will already understand the basics of what you’re talking about, or will your readers be starting from scratch? Your thesis is that it is possible, even in our crazy, carnal, deluded world. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. question and may help you decide whether or not to write a prologue. Do not blur nonfiction and fiction. Nonfiction writers gather confirmed facts from reputable books, newspapers, journals, interviews, and other research, and then present it to readers in an organized way. If you’re in the throes of a writing frenzy, you might want to back up every five minutes! The job description of a nuclear physicist includes an excellent understanding of mathematics, computer software skills, and the ability to manage people and projects. Writing strong topic sentences that support the thesis. Nonfiction books and blog posts are the heart of Christian writing. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Every writer has a story to tell, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. The first step to success with any endeavor is to clearly identify your goal. 8. When you do begin writing, be passionate. This non-directive approach works with all assertions that Christian writers tend to make. If you just start writing nonfiction without a clear purpose in mind, all that effort may be wasted. Every writer has a story to tell, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. Nevertheless, there are a lot of intermediate longings along the way. Nonfiction does not need to read like a dry academic paper. As a Christian nonfiction writer, you must start with a thesis, a point of view. History and technology, people and places, geography and archaeology, religion and meditation, biographies and memoirs, gardening and cooking—no matter the subject, nonfiction books help readers solve problems, examine new viewpoints, learn about abstract or tangible things, and discover ways to improve their lives. Build your images in linear fashion. The topic doesn’t matter. You might decide to approach your information from a perspective you hadn’t considered. Connect your information to real people or real events, so readers can relate. Know how to tell your story. You must be able to convey what’s in it for them in your title, introductory content, and the points you make in each chapter or section. by Dorothy Wall from The Writer. Fiction entertains, but nonfiction informs and inspires. Crafting a thesis statement. An accurate title and salient content will attract readers like a magnet. You don’t need to figure out all the intricate details before you start writing, but you do need to identify your reason for writing in the first place. Just make sure there is a tasty morsel under each heading so they keep following the path you have set before them. How to write a children's book. The non-Christians won’t get into your content, and Christians don’t like being treated like imbeciles. Your intention in writing a book or blog post is essential. Backup options include a flash drive and saving to a cloud. It has the potential to help people to live better lives today and to influence their eternal destiny. Break each part into scenes. Preachers waste time and the attention of their congregation unraveling KJV words rather than the spiritual principle at hand. As Christians, we realize that people have a deep yearning they don’t understand. Share the love with other Christian writers. Then zoom in on details. 6. When you structure your ideas, you are able to state your thesis at the start, provide an interesting story to cement the idea, then break down your thesis into headings and subheadings, so your thoughts are easy to follow. It can be as detailed as you want to make it, but you should at least have a list of the salient points you want to discuss, arranged in a logical and cogent progression of thought. Or you can choose to write with passion and emotion in an effort to convince readers to agree with you. Do they understand what they see? An outline helps you see holes in your presentation of the content. That includes things like letting your personality shine through or using cinematic techniques. See the jump from nuclear physics to writing? How do you do that? You accidentally overwrite your whole manuscript. Your email address will not be published. That insults all readers. ■ Eliminate Christian jargon from all your writing, including those on theological topics. This last tip is for every writer; actually, for anyone who uses a computer. Knowing your audience will influence every aspect of your book. It is taking readers from the known to the unknown. That is the power of the segue. Or you can present information from more than one viewpoint to encourage readers to do their own research and make their own decisions. Keep the following 12 commandments in mind. That problem does not exist in translations that use words people already understand. If so, you can choose to use language that will appeal to a broad group of people in hopes of swaying opinions or viewpoints. As you write, you must continuously ask yourself, “How can I make this point more clear and interesting to my reader?”. You can then proceed with the same line of thinking as the “burn” assertion but to greater effect. Another example. The method is always the same. You can even decide halfway through the book to change how the story ends. Write with intentionality. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Your insight and humor have value. This is sound educational theory and serves writers well. They count for almost nothing. An outline is like a map. Many nonfiction writers create an outline or a table of contents. When you outline your book or blog post in advance, you can systematically move through your topic, and that serves readers well. You have direction. People read nonfiction books to be educated. Structure your nonfiction writing project for your readers, not your own needs. For example, you may write a book about living close to the Lord. And all documentaries are nonfiction films. Your personality quirks, along with your unique experiences, are what make your writing exceptional. Accept to continue, I think “writer’s block” is a fake malady. You don’t need to convince others that your personal bias is correct. Novels are commonly made into films and original screenplays are based on imagination. A clear nonfiction structure enables a writer to lead the reader down a clear path, not a tangled trail. You won’t have to explain your purpose to anyone besides yourself. 10. They have Bibles and don’t need long quotes from you. Properly structuring your book or blog posts enables you to be more interesting. I copy edit many Christian books. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Pan the surroundings. Employ digression to explain. Most Christian writers are so used to using theological jargon that they don’t recognize it. How do you humanize facts? This page contains affiliate links. ■ Strike a balance between spirituality, humanity, and your subject matter to help people effectively. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a721f61f8c0892e51a1d94c072fbe44c" );document.getElementById("dc5808078d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); I accept the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. It comes when you share your personal experience with God’s grace as you once used the wipes in the bag in an odd, precarious, or funny situation. I have been writing for three decades, have mentored hundreds of writers, and I think “writer’s block” is a fake malady that some people use for dramatic effect. They even go into the Greek to explain KJV terminology. Imagine that your readers are viewers. All Rights Reserved. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Sadly, many Christian writers think they must be somber and rigid when they share Christian values. That’s a huge jump, right? Bait your audience. This resource provides an introduction to creative nonfiction, including an overview of the genre and an explanation of major sub-genres. It is, “for example.” That is the most potent nonfiction writing phrase of all. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Christian nonfiction books sell like hotcakes, and blog posts that deal with real-life issues get a large number of visitors. In the past, an author was allowed the luxury of giving the…. What is the gold standard when it comes to transitions? Are you writing because you want to make a point, make your family proud, or make some money? Someone, somewhere, will read your book and be glad they did. If your purpose is to share information, readers should feel rewarded by the new information. Take a reader from what they know to what you want them to know. That item alone can put your book on a successful sales course. But if you’re planning to seek traditional publishing, you’ll have to write a convincing proposal. How to Get Your Book the Most Exposure from Your 7 Kindle Keywords. Distinguish between facts and opinions and be very clear about each. You can write almost any kind of grabber for a chapter introduction, blog post, or for headers or sub-headers if you master “the segue.”, Merriam-Webster defines segue this way: “to make a transition without interruption from one activity, topic, scene, or part to another.”. An understanding of your intended readership can dictate the language you use, the way you present information, the tone you take, and even the layout and cover design of your book. Tips For Writing Books For Younger Children, 15 Tips For Self-Editing Your Children's Book. Even if your audience is already familiar with what you’re writing about, decide whether to use language that will make your content understandable and useful for any audience. Think about scene, setting, characters, dialog, and any comedy or drama you may be able to inject into your writing. ■ Structure your writing to enhance clarity. If you began with a clear purpose, made your case to the audience you had in mind, and said what you wanted to say, then your readers should have gotten some benefit from reading your book. Copyright © 2007 - 2020 by ChristianWritingToday.com. However, writing skills seem far less clear to most new writers. A simple shift like this makes a massive difference in reader comprehension. Use your words to make pictures. A novel prologue can help or harm. Thus, nonfiction writers can and should use cinematic techniques to write nonfiction books and blog posts. Great fiction grabs you right at the beginning and doesn’t let your attention go … A nuclear physicist understands how to turn vibrating atoms into the electricity that converts your bread into toast. if you are are a Christian mommy blogger, your thesis may be, “Your Diaper Bag Needs These Six Items.” That meets a need and solves a problem. Sadly, most of it does. Writing a Book. Is your book is about a controversial subject? Read, read, and read some more. Scene, description and dialogue are already well-known tools in writing creative nonfiction and memoir, but here are 4 additional techniques to consider. Simply put, the takeaway from your book should be the fulfillment of the goal you identified before you started writing. If readers are asked to describe your book, what do you want them to say? No, not from what you know, but what they know. The only way you can structure nonfiction to meet this need is to create an outline. What strategy grabs people and keeps them reading? We usually associate fictional stories with movies. Think about Point-of-View (POV). Writing fiction can be an adventure where you don’t know where you’re going until you get there. Imagine it as a movie and let the scenes unfold. Most people don’t understand. But when you’re writing nonfiction, there are a few things you must know from the outset. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Fiction … Get to your point at the start, for heaven’s sake, and proof-text later if you must. However, putting your positive personality into your nonfiction writing makes your writing unique. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Where are the Christian values in that?

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