Writing Workshop: Putting the Story in Your Nonfiction

One challenge of writing non-fiction is creating an engaging story arc that keeps the reader focused and interested enough to keep reading. Much like fiction, our factual writing, whether memoir, biography, how-to, or informational, needs fiction-like story elements even though we are telling the truth. Good storytellers can make a trip to the grocery store sound like a journey to the Arctic or a skit from Saturday Night Live. Every story worth telling is about conflict and change, and we use a strong story arc to expose those crucial elements, using well-defined characters, visual settings, and lively action. In this workshop, writers will revisit the elements of story and apply them to their own writing.