Write Non-fiction Stories That Move Readers to Action
Posted on 23 March 2010 by Victoria St. George
Talking recently with a client and working on his proposal for a sports psychology book, I realized something. We were going over the stories he could use to illustrate the points he wanted to make, and it dawned on me that for most self-help or educational books, stories/examples fall into three categories.
They are aspirational, inspirational, or motivational. Think about these three as you develop story ideas for your own non-fiction book …
- Aspirational stories are usually about public figures or people you’d look up to and aspire to be like. Prime examples: think of Lance Armstrong in the context of sports; Warren Buffett in finance; Nelson Mandela in politics; Mother Teresa in spirituality. When your audience reads such stories, they won’t necessarily think of themselves in the same category, but they may think it’s possible—they may aspire—to attain some of the qualities these great individuals demonstrate.
- Inspirational stories are tales of people who overcome the odds, ordinary men and women who do amazing things or who come from nothing to achieve greatness. The people who are at the center of inspirational stories may not be well known, but their journeys speak to our hearts. These stories often make us shake our heads in wonder at the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
- Motivational stories are about people just like us, who do the work and get the results we’d like to achieve. Examples of motivational stories include the small business owner who manages to stay afloat in today’s economy by applying certain financial disciplines; or the couple about to separate until they learn to speak each other’s “love language” and fall in love all over again; or the young athlete who’s cut from the local hockey team, who works with a new coach, improves his mindset, and goes out to win the game. When we read motivational stories, we think, “If they can do it, so can I!”
When you’re writing your non-fiction book or book proposal, all three kinds of stories can provide the emotional connection, powerful examples, and heartfelt inspiration that will encourage readers not just to enjoy your book but to apply its lessons to their own lives. Keep a file of stories that have inspired and motivated you, as well as tales of people you aspire to be like. You never know when you’ll need to write the perfect story to make your point!
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1 Response to Write Non-fiction Stories That Move Readers to Action
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Good, clean and informative…. simple… valuable! Thanks for the tips.