Rule 2 In Nonfiction Writing
Rule 1 in nonfiction writing: Talk to the people who were there.
Rule 2 in nonfiction writing: Corroborate people's memories of the event with court records and other official documents.
Why there's a Rule 2: Occasionally a source will tell you a tall tale. Be skeptical.
Rule 3: Define your story with facts but remember that drama lies with people.
Rule 4: Be persistent because often people avoid talking about deep and sometimes painful memories.
Rule 5: Letters, diaries, journals and photos preserve people's thoughts and voices.
Rule 6: A credible author will value accuracy. The world's already full of innuendo.
Rule 7: Build a sense of place. Where did the event take place? In what social and political climate?
Rule 8: Read other …show more content…
Choose someone who tells you what works and what doesn't.
Final rule (15) in nonfiction writing: New opportunities emerge because once you publish more sources will step forward with more information. Revise if you can.
If you've read this far, consider this:
Writing nonfiction can be fulfilling, even fun, but it's not for everyone. Serious nonfiction writing depends on serious research. You don't want to put your name to something that's riddled with errors and mistaken assumptions. The more you research, the better you will write.
Some of the best nonfiction books delve into the people and influences behind tragic events. Earlier in this post I mentioned "In Cold Blood," the story of the murders of all four members of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, in 1959. The author, Truman Capote, wrote of the wretched lives of the two killers eventually hanged for their crime. "Circus Fire," by Stewart O'Nan, told the story of the deadly Barnum and Bailey tent fire in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1944. "Young Men and Fire," by Norman Maclean, captured the appalling deaths of 13 Smokejumpers in Montana in 1949.
Article Source:
Rule 2 in nonfiction writing: Corroborate people's memories of the event with court records and other official documents.
Why there's a Rule 2: Occasionally a source will tell you a tall tale. Be skeptical.
Rule 3: Define your story with facts but remember that drama lies with people.
Rule 4: Be persistent because often people avoid talking about deep and sometimes painful memories.
Rule 5: Letters, diaries, journals and photos preserve people's thoughts and voices.
Rule 6: A credible author will value accuracy. The world's already full of innuendo.
Rule 7: Build a sense of place. Where did the event take place? In what social and political climate?
Rule 8: Read other …show more content…
Choose someone who tells you what works and what doesn't.
Final rule (15) in nonfiction writing: New opportunities emerge because once you publish more sources will step forward with more information. Revise if you can.
If you've read this far, consider this:
Writing nonfiction can be fulfilling, even fun, but it's not for everyone. Serious nonfiction writing depends on serious research. You don't want to put your name to something that's riddled with errors and mistaken assumptions. The more you research, the better you will write.
Some of the best nonfiction books delve into the people and influences behind tragic events. Earlier in this post I mentioned "In Cold Blood," the story of the murders of all four members of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, in 1959. The author, Truman Capote, wrote of the wretched lives of the two killers eventually hanged for their crime. "Circus Fire," by Stewart O'Nan, told the story of the deadly Barnum and Bailey tent fire in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1944. "Young Men and Fire," by Norman Maclean, captured the appalling deaths of 13 Smokejumpers in Montana in 1949.
Article Source: