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Content corner: how to find the story in the facts
This week’s genre focus is non-fiction.
Non-fiction is different from fiction in many ways, but at its core, it’s still storytelling. It’s just that with non-fiction, the story tends to be true.
I think this makes writing non-fiction harder than writing fiction. Because true stories don’t always follow the fairytale arcs we’re used to. Sometimes, the good guys fall short and secondary characters vanish without a trace.
So, how can you find the traditional ‘story’ in the facts? Sometimes, it means blurring the line between fact and fiction – perhaps combining lots of secondary characters into just one, or embellishing a friendship when it was in reality more of an acquaintanceship. Other times, it might mean introducing a whole new protagonist altogether – perhaps yourself, writing as you discover.
So – creative non-fiction writers – how do you find the story in the facts? Share your tips below!
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1 Reply
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I’ve recently been writing case studies for a client.
Now, many businesses produce case studies simply to say “we worked with so-and-so.” But, having been on the other side, knowing what potential clients are looking for in a case study, I approach this, very specifically, as story writing.
There is an initial state and an end state: a problem and a solution. But this does not a story make, nor a case study. There must be a challenge in between. Hence, I badger the client to provide details that can be massaged into a challenge. It is about digging to find an obstacle, real or perceived (in the case of a case study, a risk) and something that can be protagonised about.
And sometimes, there is a little massaging of perception (but not the facts) to make the story resonate with the target audience.