A compelling start to your non-fiction book is essential for engaging a reader’s interest. After you gain their interest, keep it by including stories and anecdotes to illustrate the learning points.
You might think stories are only appropriate for fiction books, but stories engage people’s emotions and create memories that stick much better than plain facts and data. I’m one of those folks who loves data but presenting a chart full of numbers will make most people’s eyes glaze over and get them thinking about the next coffee break. When you present that same data in a story, it automatically becomes more interesting.
Watch Hans Rosling turn 120K data points about the health and wealth of 200 countries over 200 years into an entertaining and engaging story:
Stories have been used to pass on knowledge for generations and are part of our earliest memories. They engage our imagination and encourage us to think in new ways. Stories can help people see what’s possible and encourage them to take action.
According to Paul Smith, author of Leader as Storyteller, stories have qualities that make them effective regardless of the type of learning a person prefers.
One effective way to present a story or anecdote is to follow a three-act process, just like fiction:
- In the first part of the story or Act One, set the stage by giving the background and the players involved.
- In the second part of the story, or Act Two, discuss the challenge the main character has to overcome and the steps they took to overcome the challenge or solve the problem. This is where you can help the reader identify and empathize with the main character of the story especially if they’re struggling with the same challenge.
- In the third part of the story, or Act Three, describe the ‘Aha’ moment. Tell the reader what worked, lessons learned, and how they can apply the resolution to their personal situation.
When crafting stories or anecdotes follow these guidelines:
- Start with the end in mind. Decide on the core message or learning point you want to share with your reader. Distill it into one compelling sentence and keep it in mind as you’re writing the story.
- Make the story personal. Stories that show the struggles, failures, and barriers you had to overcome show your vulnerability and make you appear more authentic and accessible. Every good story should contain conflict, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
- Include details to help the reader understand the context of the story. Help them visualize what you’re talking about but don’t add unnecessary information.
- Don’t be the hero of your story. Make it about the lesson you learned. If you talk about how great you are, you will lose your reader. You want to encourage them to create a deeper belief that they can make their lives better by applying the learning point.
When to use stories in your non-fiction book:
- At the beginning of the book to explain why you decided to write the book
- When you need to explain a difficult concept
- At the end of a chapter to reinforce a learning point
Types of Stories:
- Anecdotes that describe your experiences
- Case Studies and Success Stories that showcase clients
- Historical stories about the industry or key contributors to the industry
- Fables and parables that use your client avatar as the main character
Start collecting a file of stories and anecdotes so that you can include them in your writing.
Further Reading:
Harvard Business Review – How to tell a great story
Forbes.com – How to tell a good story
