The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Nonfiction: Essential information on researching, organizing, and writing narrative nonfiction

Narrative nonfiction, also known as creative nonfiction or literary nonfiction, is true stories told using literary techniques and creativity. Narrative nonfiction essays are often featured in magazines such as Esquire , The New Yorker , Vanity Fair , and Harper's . Book-length narrative nonfiction works have grown in popularity since Truman Capote published In Cold Blood in 1965. Nonfiction works such as Into Thin Air , The Orchid Thief , The Perfect Storm , and Seabiscuit have smashed sales records and brought the genre into focus for the mainstream. With the rise of self-publishing and blogs comes a new generation of writers who want to tell their stories to a wider audience. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Writing Nonfiction gives narrative nonfiction writers the instruction and tools they need to elevate their storytelling to an art form that appeals to more readers. In this book readers learn: What narrative nonfiction is. The literary building blocks of narrative nonfiction. How to research nonfiction subjects. Tricks for remembering details of events from one's own life story. How to conduct interviews for a book or article. How to find inspiration when writing nonfiction stories. Word choice and grammar help. How to overcome roadblocks such as stalled motivation and inhibitions when writing about real, living people. How to craft several types of narrative nonfiction by example. How to find markets for their work and get published. In addition, author Christina Boufis interviews successful narrative nonfiction writers in many subgenres and gets their insights on what inspires them and how they overcome their own obstacles.

Look at the top-selling bonks and you'll set plenty of fiction, but an increasing number of nonfiction works are finding their way onto the list, too. More and more readers are picking up narrative nonfiction, making it the perfect time to share your story.

Chock-full of advice on telling your tale or someone else's, this helpful guide gives you everything you need to write real-life characters, compelling plots, natural dialogue, and captivating details. In it, you get:

An introduction to the genre, including personal essays, memoirs, and travelogues.

Advice on finding a subject, evaluating its story-worthiness, and structuring your work.

Tips for writing engaging yet true-to-life characters, scenes, descriptions, and more.

Simple suggestions for conducting research, interviewing people, and penning your first draft.

Guidance on finding the right market for your work and getting published.

In-depth interviews with successful nonfiction authors, including Susan Orlean.

The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Writing Nonfiction gives narrative nonfiction writers the tools they need to elevate their storytelling to the next level. This guide will define narrative nonfiction, list the literary building blocks and teach you how to research your desired subject. Next, you'll find tricks for remembering details of events to use later, how to conduct interviews, how to craft several types of narrative stories and how to create captivating prose. Plus, you'll learn how to find inspiration and overcome obstacles such as stalled motivation or inhibitions and finally, how to find markets to get your work published. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Writing Nonfiction provides tips and tricks to help you get started on your writing journey. Get all the tools you need to craft compelling creative nonfiction prose. This helpful guide gives you everything you need to write real-life characters, compelling plots, natural dialogue, and captivating details