Do Fiction Writers Make Good Non-Fiction Writers?

Posted by Marci Hotsenpiller Oct 28, 2009

“I’m a fiction writer…but also a certified general accountant.”

“I’m a poet…but also have a degree in horticulture.”

These are some of the things I heard from writers at the Surrey International Writers’ conference. I truly believe that writers are the most curious human beings on earth. If you chat for five minutes with a novelist or poet you’ll find the makings of a non-fiction writer somewhere within their experience. During the conference I had a chance to speak with NY Times bestselling author Bob Mayer about this. Mayer has published over 40 books, including fiction and non-fiction titles.

Suite101: Bob, do you believe that good fiction writers can become good non-fiction writers?

Mayer: The questions is: what type of non-fiction? Certainly good fiction writers should be able to write good narrative non-fiction, since the structure and elements are the same. If we're talking about self-help or other types of non-fiction, the transition is a bit more difficult. You lose the freedom of fiction in that case--just the facts, to quote a famous TV detective. Such non-fiction also has to be designed differently than traditional narrative structure (inciting incident, escalating conflict, crisis, climax, resolution for fiction). In non-fiction, your goal is to inform, educate and motivate. In fiction, your goal is primarily to entertain. Inform is secondary.

Suite101: As someone who has had success in both genres, which do you find easier?

Mayer: I've found that non-fiction is harder to organize, but easier to write since we are usually dealing with subject matter we are familiar with. Fiction is harder to write, but easier to organize. I like both, which is why I am now writing historical fiction, which is a hybrid of fiction and non-fiction. I'm weaving fictional characters into a historical setting. My history has to be correct as far as dates, events, etc, but the main storyline revolves around characters I've made up.

Suite101: What are your top "tips" for non-fiction writers?

Mayer: A lot of non-fiction writers are people who aren't naturally writers. They're writing non-fiction to support some other aspect of their life: speaking, consulting, teaching. I taught writing non-fiction last year at the National Speakers Association's conference in San Francisco. What really struck me was the difference between the personality types of speakers and those of writers. In fact, I would go so far as to point out that one of the 16 character types of the Myers-Briggs (INFJ) is “author” while the exact opposite (ESTP) is “promoter.” So promoting is a weak spot for fiction writers and writing is a weak spot for promoter/speakers.

There are ways around these problems. In the Warrior Writer course, I teach people how to 'lean' into their fears. Practice being your opposite Myers-Briggs character type. But the real key in writing non-fiction is to know exactly what your goal for the book (or article) is, write it down in one sentence, post it in your office, and every time you work, look at the overall, strategic goal and make sure everything you write supports that goal.

And ask for help. Writing fiction, I turn to area experts for information. For example, I am writing about horses but I know nothing about horses. At the conference, I found a woman who works with horses and am using her as my area expert. For non-fiction writers, there are plenty of editors out there who can help you. You don't have to do it alone.

NY Times bestselling author Bob Mayer has over three million books in print and is in demand as a leadership speaker and consultant. His latest book is Who Dares Wins: The Green Beret Way to Conquer Fear & Succeed. He teaches novel writing and improving the author via his Warrior-Writer program. He lives on an island off Seattle. For more information see www.bobmayer.org