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How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

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Table of contents

The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

• Thesis statement
• Discussion of event/period
• Consequences
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement
• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
• Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
• Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
• High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
• Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
• Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
• Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
• Implications of the new technology for book production
• Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
• Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
• Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
• Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
• Summarize the history described
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

• Synthesis of arguments
• Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
• Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
• Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
• Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
• Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
• Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
• Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
• Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
• Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
• Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
• Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
• Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

• Point 1 (compare)
• Point 2 (compare)
• Point 3 (compare)
• Point 4 (compare)
• Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
• Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
• Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
• Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
• Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
• Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
• Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
• Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

• Introduce the problem
• Provide background
• Describe your approach to solving it
• Define the problem precisely
• Describe why it’s important
• Indicate previous approaches to the problem
• Present your new approach, and why it’s better
• Apply the new method or theory to the problem
• Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
• Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
• Describe the implications
• Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
• Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
• Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
• Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
• Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
• Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
• Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
• Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
• This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
• This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
• It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
• Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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• Tags: Academic Writing , Essay , Essay Writing

Writing an effective and impactful essay is crucial to your academic or professional success. Whether it’s getting into the college of your dreams or scoring high on a major assignment, writing a well-structured essay will help you achieve it all. But before you learn how to write an essay , you need to know its basic components.

In this article, we will understand what an essay is, how long it should be, and its different parts and types. We will also take a detailed look at relevant examples to better understand the essay structure.

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What is an essay?

An essay is a concise piece of nonfiction writing that aims to either inform the reader about a topic or argue a particular perspective. It can either be formal or informal in nature. Most academic essays are highly formal, whereas informal essays are commonly found in journal entries, social media, or even blog posts.

As we can see from this essay definition, the beauty of essays lies in their versatility. From the exploration of complex scientific concepts to the history and evolution of everyday objects, they can cover a vast range of topics.

How long is an essay?

The length of an essay can vary from a few hundred to several thousand words but typically falls between 500–5,000 words. However, there are exceptions to this norm, such as Joan Didion and David Sedaris who have written entire books of essays.

Let’s take a look at the different types of essays and their lengths with the help of the following table:

How many paragraphs are in an essay?

Typically, an essay has five paragraphs: an introduction, a conclusion, and three body paragraphs. However, there is no set rule about the number of paragraphs in an essay.

The number of paragraphs can vary depending on the type and scope of your essay. An expository or argumentative essay may require more body paragraphs to include all the necessary information, whereas a narrative essay may need fewer.

Structure of an essay

To enhance the coherence and readability of your essay, it’s important to follow certain rules regarding the structure. Take a look:

1. Arrange your information from the most simple to the most complex bits. You can start the body paragraph off with a general statement and then move on to specifics.

2. Provide the necessary background information at the beginning of your essay to give the reader the context behind your thesis statement.

3. Select topic statements that provide value, more information, or evidence for your thesis statement.

There are also various essay structures , such as the compare and contrast structure, chronological structure, problem method solution structure, and signposting structure that you can follow to create an organized and impactful essay.

Parts of an essay

An impactful, well-structured essay comes down to three important parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion.

1. The introduction sets the stage for your essay and is typically a paragraph long. It should grab the reader’s attention and give them a clear idea of what your essay will be about.

2. The body is where you dive deeper into your topic and present your arguments and evidence. It usually consists of two paragraphs, but this can vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing.

3. The conclusion brings your essay to a close and is typically one paragraph long. It should summarize the main points of the essay and leave the reader with something to think about.

The length of your paragraphs can vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing. So, make sure you take the time to plan out your essay structure so each section flows smoothly into the next.

Introduction

When it comes to writing an essay, the introduction is a critical component that sets the tone for the entire piece. A well-crafted introduction not only grabs the reader’s attention but also provides them with a clear understanding of what the essay is all about. An essay editor can help you achieve this, but it’s best to know the brief yourself!

Let’s take a look at how to write an attractive and informative introductory paragraph.

1. Construct an attractive hook

To grab the reader’s attention, an opening statement or hook is crucial. This can be achieved by incorporating a surprising statistic, a shocking fact, or an interesting anecdote into the beginning of your piece.

For example, if you’re writing an essay about water conservation you can begin your essay with, “Clean drinking water, a fundamental human need, remains out of reach for more than one billion people worldwide. It deprives them of a basic human right and jeopardizes their health and wellbeing.”

2. Provide sufficient context or background information

An effective introduction should begin with a brief description or background of your topic. This will help provide context and set the stage for your discussion.

For example, if you’re writing an essay about climate change, you start by describing the current state of the planet and the impact that human activity is having on it.

3. Construct a well-rounded and comprehensive thesis statement

A good introduction should also include the main message or thesis statement of your essay. This is the central argument that you’ll be making throughout the piece. It should be clear, concise, and ideally placed toward the end of the introduction.

By including these elements in your introduction, you’ll be setting yourself up for success in the rest of your essay.

Let’s take a look at an example.

Essay introduction example

• Background information
• Thesis statement

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane in 1903 revolutionized the way humans travel and explore the world. Prior to this invention, transportation relied on trains, boats, and cars, which limited the distance and speed of travel. However, the airplane made air travel a reality, allowing people to reach far-off destinations in mere hours. This breakthrough paved the way for modern-day air travel, transforming the world into a smaller, more connected place. In this essay, we will explore the impact of the Wright Brothers’ invention on modern-day travel, including the growth of the aviation industry, increased accessibility of air travel to the general public, and the economic and cultural benefits of air travel.

Body paragraphs

You can persuade your readers and make your thesis statement compelling by providing evidence, examples, and logical reasoning. To write a fool-proof and authoritative essay, you need to provide multiple well-structured, substantial arguments.

Let’s take a look at how this can be done:

1. Write a topic sentence for each paragraph

The beginning of each of your body paragraphs should contain the main arguments that you’d like to address. They should provide ground for your thesis statement and make it well-rounded. You can arrange these arguments in several formats depending on the type of essay you’re writing.

2. Provide the supporting information

The next point of your body paragraph should provide supporting information to back up your main argument. Depending on the type of essay, you can elaborate on your main argument with the help of relevant statistics, key information, examples, or even personal anecdotes.

3. Analyze the supporting information

After providing relevant details and supporting information, it is important to analyze it and link it back to your main argument.

4. Create a smooth transition to the next paragraph

End one body paragraph with a smooth transition to the next. There are many ways in which this can be done, but the most common way is to give a gist of your main argument along with the supporting information with transitory words such as “however” “in addition to” “therefore”.

Here’s an example of a body paragraph.

Essay body paragraph example

• Topic sentence
• Supporting information
• Analysis of the information
• Smooth transition to the next paragraph

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane revolutionized air travel. They achieved the first-ever successful powered flight with the Wright Flyer in 1903, after years of conducting experiments and studying flight principles. Despite their first flight lasting only 12 seconds, it was a significant milestone that paved the way for modern aviation. The Wright Brothers’ success can be attributed to their systematic approach to problem-solving, which included numerous experiments with gliders, the development of a wind tunnel to test their designs, and meticulous analysis and recording of their results. Their dedication and ingenuity forever changed the way we travel, making modern aviation possible.

A powerful concluding statement separates a good essay from a brilliant one. To create a powerful conclusion, you need to start with a strong foundation.

Let’s take a look at how to construct an impactful concluding statement.

1. Restructure your thesis statement

To conclude your essay effectively, don’t just restate your thesis statement. Instead, use what you’ve learned throughout your essay and modify your thesis statement accordingly. This will help you create a conclusion that ties together all of the arguments you’ve presented.

2. Summarize the main points of your essay

The next point of your conclusion consists of a summary of the main arguments of your essay. It is crucial to effectively summarize the gist of your essay into one, well-structured paragraph.

3. Create a lasting impression with your concluding statement

Conclude your essay by including a key takeaway, or a powerful statement that creates a lasting impression on the reader. This can include the broader implications or consequences of your essay topic.

Here’s an example of a concluding paragraph.

Essay conclusion example

• Restated thesis statement
• Summary of the main points
• Broader implications of the thesis statement

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane forever changed history by paving the way for modern aviation and countless aerospace advancements. Their persistence, innovation, and dedication to problem-solving led to the first successful powered flight in 1903, sparking a revolution in transportation that transformed the world. Today, air travel remains an integral part of our globalized society, highlighting the undeniable impact of the Wright Brothers’ contribution to human civilization.

Types of essays

Most essays are derived from the combination or variation of these four main types of essays . let’s take a closer look at these types.

1. Narrative essay

A narrative essay is a type of writing that involves telling a story, often based on personal experiences. It is a form of creative nonfiction that allows you to use storytelling techniques to convey a message or a theme.

2. Descriptive essay

A descriptive essay aims to provide an immersive experience for the reader by using sensory descriptors. Unlike a narrative essay, which tells a story, a descriptive essay has a narrower scope and focuses on one particular aspect of a story.

3. Argumentative essays

An argumentative essay is a type of essay that aims to persuade the reader to adopt a particular stance based on factual evidence and is one of the most common forms of college essays.

4. Expository essays

An expository essay is a common format used in school and college exams to assess your understanding of a specific topic. The purpose of an expository essay is to present and explore a topic thoroughly without taking any particular stance or expressing personal opinions.

While this article demonstrates what is an essay and describes its types, you may also have other doubts. As experts who provide essay editing and proofreading services , we’re here to help. 

Our team has created a list of resources to clarify any doubts about writing essays. Keep reading to write engaging and well-organized essays!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an argumentative and an expository essay, what is the difference between a narrative and a descriptive essay, what is an essay format, what is the meaning of essay, what is the purpose of writing an essay.

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Structuring essays

On this page:

Once you've understood the assignment and prepared your argument, you need to decide how you're going to present your essay in a logical structure.

Use our quick guide to planning out an essay to help you decide where and what to include in you introduction, conclusion, and main body of your text.

Introduction

The introduction of your essay serves as a road map establishing the scope of the discussion and presenting the central argument that will be developed throughout the essay. This is a space to make a positive first impression of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. It will provide a solid ground for your assignment - providing you do everything you say you will .

Plan of Action

Your introduction should outline how the main body of your writing will proceed. It will give the reader a general idea of the theme of your work, why you think it is important, and where you plan to detail all of your arguments and ideas. By the end of the introduction you should have formed an outline for a coherent structure that your reader can follow.

Definition of Terms

Use the introduction to define specific terms related to the essay question to demonstrate engagement and clarity. For example:

This essay will explore the concept of 'social media' as platforms that facilitate online interactions among users.

Breadth of Discussion

Show the range of viewpoints relevant to the essay question. For instance:

Social media's impact on mental health outcomes is multifaceted, encompassing economic, social, and psychological perspectives. This essay will focus on the social and psychological aspects, particularly examining...

The main body of the essay elaborates on the points introduced in the introduction and develops arguments supported by evidence. It should me structured in paragraphs, and each paragraph should follow a logical sequence that build up to your conclusion.

Self-contained Paragraphs

Each paragraph should focus on a specific point related to the main argument. Start with a clear topic sentence that relates directly to the thesis statement.

• Unified:  All the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single idea (often expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
• Clearly related to the thesis or question being asked:  The sentences should all refer to the central idea, question or thesis, of the paper.
• Coherent:  The sentences should be arranged logically and should follow a definite plan for development.
• Well-developed:  Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph's central theme.

Provide Evidence

Support your arguments with evidence such as data, examples, or scholarly sources. For example:

Studies have shown a correlation between excessive social media use and increased feelings of anxiety and depression (Smith, 2020).

Relate Back to the Thesis

Ensure that each paragraph explicitly connects back to the central argument or the essay question. This helps maintain a clear and focused argument.

It is helpful to check your essay plan, your introduction and the conclusion as you go along to make sure everything adds up.

The conclusion brings together the key points of the essay and restates the central argument in light of the evidence provided in the main body. This is your opportunity to  synthesise  your ideas into a coherent conclusion,  summarise  what you have written, and  reiterate the thesis statement from your introduction.

Bring all your ideas together and address the question one final time in one concise paragraph. Here you will abridge what you have accomplished, (dis)proven, or demonstrated within your main body. It is your final chance to ensure that the reader has been provided evidence to establish the main point of the writing. It is also your final chance to explicitly illustrate how you have met the assignment brief.

Briefly summarise the main points discussed in the essay. Avoid introducing new information, but make sure to reference 

Restate the thesis statement, emphasising its significance in light of the evidence presented in the main body. This will help you make sure you have kept on-topic and achieved your aim. For example:

In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that social media can have significant impacts on mental health outcomes, particularly in relation to...

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This Reading Mama

Non-Fiction Text Features and Text Structure

*This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure policy for more information.

What are Text Features?

Text features are to non-fiction what story elements are to fiction.  Text features help the reader make sense of what they are reading and are the building blocks for text structure (see below). So what exactly are non-fiction text features?

Text Features and Comprehension

Text features go hand-in-hand with comprehension. If the author wants a reader to understand where a country is in the world, then providing a map helps the reader visualize and understand the importance of that country’s location. If the anatomy of an animal is vitally important to understanding a text, a detailed photograph with labels gives the reader the support he needs to comprehend the text.

Text features also help readers determine what is important to the text and to them. Without a table of contents or an index, readers can spend wasted time flipping through the book to find the information they need. Special print helps draw the attention of the reader to important or key words and phrases.

In my experience, readers of all ages, especially struggling readers tend to skip over many of the text features provided within a text. To help readers understand their importance, take some time before reading to look through the photographs/illustrations, charts, graphs, or maps and talk about what you notice. Make some predictions about what they’ll learn or start a list of questions they have based off of the text features.

Sometimes, it’s even fun to make a point to those readers who like to skip over the text features by retyping the text with no features and asking them to read the text without them first.  Once they do that, discuss how difficult comprehension was. Then, give them the original text and help them to see the difference it makes in understanding.

Find our free Nonfiction Text Features Chart !

Some Common Text Features within Non-Fiction

• Captions: Help you better understand a picture or photograph
• Comparisons: These sentences help you to picture something {Example: A whale shark is a little bit bigger than a school bus.}
• Glossary: Helps you define words that are in the book
• Graphics: Charts, graphs, or cutaways are used to help you understand what the author is trying to tell you
• Illustrations/Photographs: Help you to know exactly what something looks like
• Index: This is an alphabetical list of ideas that are in the book. It tells you what page the idea is on.
• Labels: These help you identify a picture or a photograph and its parts
• Maps: help you to understand where places are in the world
• Special Print: When a word is bold , in italics , or underlined , it is an important word for you to know
• Subtitles: These headings help you to know what the next section will be about
• Table of Contents: Helps you identify key topics in the book in the order they are presented

What is Text Structure?

Simply put, text structure is how the author organizes the information within the text.

Why do text structures matter to readers?

• When readers what kind of structure to expect, it helps them connect to and remember what they’ve read better.
• It gives readers clues as to what is most important in the text.
• It helps readers summarize the text.  For example, if we’re summarizing a text that has a sequence/time order structure, we want to make sure we summarize in the same structure.  (It wouldn’t make sense to tell an autobiography out of order.)

Examples of Non-Fiction Text Structure

While there are differences of opinion on the exact amount and names of different kinds of text structure, these are the 5 main ones I teach.

You can read more about each one on day 3 and day 4 of our Teaching Text Structure to Readers series .

1. Problem/Solution

The author will introduce a problem and tell us how the problem could be fixed.  There may be one solution to fix the problem or several different solutions mentioned. Real life example : Advertisements in magazines for products (problem-pain; solution-Tylenol)

2. Cause and Effect

The author describes something that has happened which has had an effect on or caused something else to happen.  It could be a good effect or a bad effect.  There may be more than one cause and there may also be more than one effect. (Many times, problem/solution and cause and effect seem like “cousins” because they can be together.) Real life example : A newspaper article about a volcano eruption which had an effect on tourism

3. Compare/Contrast

The author’s purpose is to tell you how two things are the same and how they are different by comparing them. Real life example : A bargain hunter writing on her blog about buying store-brand items and how it compares with buying name-brand items.

4. Description/List

Although this is a very common text structure, I think it’s one of the trickiest because the author throws a lot of information at the reader (or lists facts) about a certain subject.  It’s up to the reader to determine what he thinks is important and sometimes even interesting enough to remember. Real life example : A soccer coach’s letter describing to parents exactly what kind of cleats to buy for their kids.

5. Time Order/Sequence

Texts are written in an order or timeline format. Real life examples : recipes, directions, events in history

Note: Sometimes the text structure isn’t so easy to distinguish.  For example, the structure of the text as a whole may be Description/List (maybe about Crocodilians), but the author may devote a chapter to Compare/Contrast (Alligators vs. Crocodiles).  We must be explicit about this with students.

More Text Structure Resources:

• 5 Days of Teaching Text Structure to Readers {contains FREE printable packs for Fiction AND Non-fiction, as seen above}
• Fiction Story Elements and Text Structure
• Teaching Kids How to Retell with Fiction (Fiction Text Structure)
• Teaching Kids How to Summarize

• Our Favorite Nonfiction Series Books , perfect companions for working on text features/structures!

Enjoy teaching! ~Becky

The Structure of Non-Fiction Texts

Understanding the structure of non-fiction texts involves analysing how writers organise information, ideas, and arguments to effectively convey their message. Here's Revision World’s comprehensive guide to help you revise structure in non-fiction texts, along with examples:

Introduction:

Introduces the topic and sets the tone for the rest of the text.

Example: In an opinion article about climate change, the introduction might begin with a startling statistic or a thought-provoking question to grab the reader's attention.

This states the central argument or purpose of the text.

Example: In an argumentative essay on the importance of exercise, the main statement might be: "Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining physical health and mental well-being."

Body Paragraphs:

Present supporting evidence, examples, and arguments to develop the main idea.

Example: Each body paragraph in a persuasive speech about animal rights might focus on a specific aspect of the topic, such as cruelty in factory farming or the environmental impact of animal agriculture.

Transitions:

Connect ideas and paragraphs smoothly, ensuring coherence and logical progression.

Example: Transitional phrases like "furthermore," "in addition," and "however" signal shifts between different points or perspectives in an argumentative essay.

Counterarguments and Rebuttals:

Address opposing viewpoints to strengthen the argument.

Example: In a debate script about the benefits of renewable energy, the writer might anticipate and refute common objections, such as concerns about the reliability of solar power.

Conclusion:

Summarises key points and restates the main theme, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Example: In a documentary exploring the impacts of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems, the conclusion might encourage viewers to adopt eco-friendly practices such as reducing single-use plastic consumption and supporting organisations dedicated to ocean conservation.

Chronological Order:

Presents events or information in the order they occurred.

Example: A biography of Nelson Mandela might follow his life chronologically, from his childhood to his time in prison to his presidency of South Africa.

Cause and Effect:

Explores the relationship between events, actions, or phenomena and their consequences.

Example: In a journalistic investigation into the root causes and consequences of rising crime rates in urban areas, the article may explore factors such as socioeconomic inequality, lack of access to education and employment opportunities, and ineffective law enforcement strategies. It would then discuss the resulting impacts on communities, including increased rates of violence, property crime, and strained police resources.

Problem-Solution:

Identifies a problem or issue and proposes solutions or strategies for resolution.

Example: A policy brief on homelessness might outline the root causes of homelessness and recommend interventions such as affordable housing initiatives and support services for at-risk populations.

Comparison and Contrast:

Examines similarities and differences between two or more subjects or ideas.

Example: In a blog post comparing the benefits and drawbacks of electric cars versus traditional petrol or diesel powered vehicles, the writer may discuss factors such as environmental impact, cost of ownership, driving range, and availability of charging infrastructure. By highlighting both the advantages and limitations of each type of vehicle, readers can make informed decisions when considering their next car purchase.

Understanding the structure of non-fiction texts helps readers follow the flow of ideas and arguments, aiding comprehension and critical analysis. By identifying the components of structure and their functions, you can better appreciate how writers organise their writing to effectively communicate with their audience.

Reading Skills

Analyzing the text structure of non-fiction texts.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: June 26, 2023

Introduction

Exploring the world of non-fiction is like embarking on an exciting treasure hunt. Each piece of non-fiction literature presents a wealth of knowledge and perspectives to uncover. A crucial tool on this quest? Understanding non-fiction text structure. Grasping this concept can transform your reading experience, providing you a map to navigate the text’s content more efficiently.

What is Text Structure?

Text structure is how an author sets up what they’re writing. Think of it like a builder using a plan to make a house. An author uses a certain structure to share their thoughts in a clear way. This could be telling events in order they happened for a history story, showing a cause and then its effect for a science paper, laying out a problem and then its solution for a persuasive article, or looking at similarities and differences in a critical review.

Authors use these structures to make their text make sense and guide their readers. Knowing the text structure helps readers guess what comes next, understand complex ideas, and connect better with the text. It’s like a hidden support that keeps a text together and gives it its aim and meaning.

Why Should Readers Analyze Text Structure?

Analyzing text structure is like looking under the hood of a car; it shows us how things work and lets us see the hard work that goes into making it. When we look into how a text is structured, we get a chance to understand how the author thinks and how they built their story or argument. This doesn’t just help us understand the text better; it also improves our ability to think critically and relate to others

By spotting patterns, picking out main ideas, and getting the flow of thoughts, readers can feel more connected to the text, making reading more enjoyable. Plus, analyzing text structure helps readers have good conversations, write better essays, and, in a bigger sense, be more critical when they take in information. So, looking at text structure gives readers useful skills that they can use not just in school, but also in their daily life.

Common Text Structures

Understanding non-fiction texts involves recognizing their underlying structure. Let’s explore five of the most common text structures found in non-fiction:

• Cause and Effect
• Problem and Solution
• Description
• Compare and Contrast

Cause and Effect Text Structure

This kind of text shows how one thing leads to another. The cause is why something happened, and the effect is what happened as a result. You might see this in science or history books. These books carefully link an action or event (the cause) with what changed or happened afterward (the effect). Spotting this structure helps you understand the reason behind different events and processes.

Problem- Solution Text Structure

Texts using the problem-solution structure talk about a problem, then suggest ways to solve it. You’ll see this a lot in work about social, political, or environmental problems. These texts discuss a problem and then suggest possible ways to fix it. Knowing this structure lets you think critically about the suggested solutions to different problems

Sequence Text Structure

The sequence structure puts information in a certain order, often the order things happened. This structure is used a lot in history books, biographies, how-to guides, or instructions. It gives readers a step-by-step rundown or timeline of events. Spotting this structure can help you follow the chain of events or steps accurately.

Description Text Structure

Texts with a description structure give lots of information about a topic, often using words that paint a picture for the reader. These texts can be about anything from scientific ideas to historical events. They dive into the details to give readers a full understanding of the subject. Knowing this structure helps you visualize and understand complex ideas.

Compare and Contrast Text Structure

This structure analyzes the similarities and differences between two or more topics. It’s used to provide nuanced perspectives on multiple subjects. Non-fiction authors often use this structure to compare different theories, concepts, events, or entities. Understanding this structure can help you see different perspectives and make informed comparisons.

How to Analyze the Structure of Non-Fiction Texts

Now that you’ve learned about the different types of text structures, it’s important to understand how to determine the structure of a particular text. Analyzing the structure of non-fiction texts involves a few important steps.

Step 1 : Begin with an open mind and read through the text. Try to understand the big picture without focusing too much on little details.

Step 2 : Pay attention to how the author shares information. Are events told in the order they happened? Does the author talk about a problem and then suggest a solution? Or maybe the text gives a lot of information about one subject? Spotting these patterns will help you figure out the text’s structure.

Step 3: Try to think about why the author picked this structure. How does it help get the main ideas and themes across? How does it change how you understand the text as a reader?

Step 4: Link the text structure to the author’s goal or point of view. Ask yourself, “How does this structure support what the author is trying to say or do?”

By following these steps, you’ll get a deeper understanding of the text, which will help you understand what you’re reading and think critically about it. If you do this often, you’ll become a stronger, more analytical reader.

How Text Structure Contributes to the Author’s Purpose

A non-fiction author’s purpose or point of view can shape their text structures. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is a complex piece of non-fiction writing that integrates various text structures, as it addresses different aspects of the civil rights struggle. King’s purpose is shaped by the use of two primary text structures: problem-solution and cause and effect.

• Problem-Solution: Throughout the letter, King identifies various problems related to racial injustice and segregation. For instance, he discusses the problem of unjust laws and racial discrimination. He then proposes nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as solutions to these problems.
• Cause and Effect: King also uses the cause and effect structure to demonstrate the relationship between racial discrimination (cause) and the resulting civil unrest and protest (effect). He explains how systemic oppression leads to nonviolent resistance and protests, emphasizing that these actions are the effects of ongoing racial prejudice and inequality.

Understanding the structure of non-fiction texts allows you to appreciate these nuances and gain a more profound insight into the author’s message. Just like each author’s personal background and purpose shape a novel, these factors influence the structure and presentation of non-fiction works, making each one a unique contribution to our collective knowledge.

Text Structure Practice: Analyzing George Bush’s 9/11 Speech

Let’s use what we know about text structures to look at George W. Bush’s speech after the 9/11 attacks.

Read through the speech carefully. While you read, underline or mark important points and transitions.

Think about possible text structures. Think about whether ‘Cause and Effect’ or ‘Chronological’ structures might apply. In ‘Cause and Effect’, we would expect the text to talk about a cause (like the terrorist attacks) and then focus on what happened because of it. In a ‘Chronological’ structure, the speech would mostly be organized by time. However, while there are pieces of these structures, the speech doesn’t mainly follow them.

Confirm the text structure. Based on what you’ve looked at, figure out the main text structure. In this case, the speech’s focus on a problem (the attacks) and the suggested solution (actions for safety and unity) fits the ‘Problem and Solution’ structure.

Spot the ‘Problem’. In Bush’s speech, this is the 9/11 attacks. Pay attention to how he talks about the events and how they’ve affected the country. For example, the quote “Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.” identifies the problem.

Look for the ‘Solution’. Bush talks about this when he shares the steps being taken for the country’s safety and his call for unity and strength. A good example of this is in the line: “We go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.” This is where Bush is discussing bringing the country together, promoting unity, and encouraging strength.

By following these steps, you can dissect the ‘Problem and Solution’ structure of Bush’s speech. This approach will help you understand the speech’s purpose, see how it was designed to reassure a shocked nation, and grasp how the speaker encouraged unity and resilience in a time of crisis. Applying these steps to other non-fiction texts will enhance your comprehension and analytical skills, revealing deeper layers of understanding.

In this digital age, understanding how to analyze and comprehend non-fiction text structures is a crucial skill for students. By recognizing and understanding structures like Cause and Effect, Problem- Solution, Sequence, Description, and Compare and Contrast, you can unlock a deeper understanding of the texts you encounter.

Whether it’s a novel by a renowned author, an informative article, or a powerful speech like George W. Bush’s 9/11 address, recognizing these structures will empower you to grasp an author’s purpose, viewpoint, and strategy more fully.

Practice Makes Perfect

By analyzing non-fiction texts, you not only develop your reading comprehension skills but also gain a deeper understanding of the underlying ideas and themes. However, just like any skill, effective analysis of text structure requires regular practice.

Here at Albert, we offer engaging and comprehensive resources to help you perfect this skill. Our practice questions and reading exercises are specifically designed to hone your understanding of different non-fiction text structures.

For more practice with this essential skill, check out our Text Structure Practice Questions in our Short Readings course , designed to provide thorough, step-by-step practice. Readers at all ability levels may enjoy our  Leveled Readings  course, which offers Lexile® leveled passages focused on a unifying essential question that keeps all students on the same page regardless of reading level. Learn more about the Lexile Framework  here !

So, keep practicing, keep breaking down texts, and keep working on this important skill. Remember, every new text you read is a chance to get even better at analyzing.

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Understanding structure in non-fiction texts, recognising organisation and layout.

Non-fiction texts come in various forms, each with its own typical structure. For example, essays often follow a clear introduction-body-conclusion structure, while reports may be divided into sections with headings and subheadings. Articles might start with a lead paragraph that summarises the main points, followed by supporting paragraphs.

As you read, note the layout of the text. How is it organised? What sections can you identify?

Understanding Text Features

Non-fiction texts often include features like headings, subheadings, bullet points, captions and diagrams. These features serve specific purposes, such as organising information, emphasising key points or providing additional information.

• Headings and Subheadings – These are used to organise information into manageable sections. They give a snapshot of what the following section is about, helping you to navigate the text. 
• Bullet Points – These are used to list information in a clear, concise manner. They’re often used to summarise points, list steps in a process or highlight key pieces of information.
• Captions – These are short descriptions that accompany pictures, diagrams or graphs. They help explain what the visual element is showing and how it relates to the text. 
• Diagrams – These are visual representations of information. They can help explain complex ideas or processes in a simple, visual way.

Identifying the Argument or Main Point

In non-fiction, the author’s main argument or point is the central idea they want to communicate to their readers. This could be an opinion, a fact, a discovery or a perspective. It’s the ‘why’ behind the text – why the author felt it necessary to write this piece. The main argument or point is usually stated clearly in the introduction and then developed throughout the text.

For example, in A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, the main point is to explain complex concepts in cosmology to a general audience. This point is developed through detailed explanations and examples.

Try to summarise the main argument or point in one sentence. Then, identify how this point is developed throughout the text.

Analysing the Structure’s Contribution

The structure of a non-fiction text can contribute to its clarity, persuasiveness or impact. A well-structured text will present information in a logical and coherent way, making it easier for readers to understand and engage with the content.

Consider how the structure of the text affects your understanding. Does it make the argument clearer? Does it make the text more persuasive or impactful?

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Non-Fiction Text Structures

How are you doing with teaching non-fiction, informational texts? Do you feel you have a good grasp on expository text structures? With the Common Core ELA standards , students are expected to be proficient in reading complex informational texts. State assessments are also becoming more non-fiction focused, to evaluate student abilities in navigating these complex texts. So what can we do to help our students meet these standards?

The purpose of this post is to provide a few resources for teaching non-fiction, in preparation for the higher levels of achievement students are expected to reach! The ideas shared are perfect for upper primary grades, but can be easily adapted for earlier grade-levels. It is never to early to introduce non-fiction, so even if you are Kindergarten teacher you can start exploring the structures and helping your students build a foundation for content-area learning!

The Non-Fiction Text Structures

What are text structures?

Non-fiction text structures refer to HOW an author organizes information in an expository text. When faced with a new text, students can observe the organizational pattern of the text and look for cues to differentiate and pinpoint which of the text structures was used by the author. Students can then organize their thinking to match the structure of the text, allowing for effective comprehension of the subject matter.

Why are the text structures important?

Understanding non-fiction text structures is critical for “Reading to Learn” (i.e., reading for information). Students should be familiar with the five most common text structures and should be able to identify each structure using signal words and key features . Understanding which text structure is used helps students monitor their understanding, while learning the specific content that is presented. These text structures need to be explicitly taught in the classroom.

Introducing the Text Structures

It is important to note at this point that students need to understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction BEFORE jumping into learning about text structures. Please make sure your students have a good grasp of fiction/non-fiction features and can easily identify both.

There are five main text structures:

Description: 

• Sensory and descriptive details help readers visualize information. It shares the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a topic/subject.

Sequence & Order:

• Sequence of Events: Chronological texts present events in a sequence from beginning to end.
• How-To: How-To texts organize the information in a series of directions.

Compare & Contrast:

• Authors use comparisons to describe ideas to readers. Similarities and differences are shared.

Cause & Effect:

• Informational texts often describe cause and effect relationships. The text describes events and identifies reasons (causes) for why the event happened.

Problem & Solution:

• The text introduces and describes a problem and presents one or more solutions.

( Want a copy of the Non-Fiction Text Structures Student Reference Sheet? It is FREE download in my TpT store and also in my FREE resource library . If you’re already a subscriber, you may download the resource HERE .)

As with most concepts and skills, students benefit greatly from modeling and practice ! Becoming familiar with text structures involves interaction with a variety of informational texts. Perhaps you can begin with a book pass or non-fiction literacy centers to build their schema of non-fiction text structures. With these activities, students preview texts, make observations, and share their findings. To prepare, you will need to select a variety of books ahead of time for each text structure to place among the chairs (book pass) or stations.

( Subscribe to download this FREE Building Schema with Non-Fiction Text Structures Student Graphic Organizer. If you’re already a subscriber, you may download the resource HERE .)

Once students have interacted with a variety of books exemplifying each of the non-fiction text structures and have had the opportunity to build their schema by making their own observations,  you should then explicitly teach the text structures individually!

Some teachers prefer to teach text structures as ELA units (one day/week/month per structure), whereas some teach these in conjunction with non-fiction writing. It is your choice, so customize the instruction to meet the needs of your classroom! Keep in mind… the resources shared here are resource alone, and do not provide a program for instruction.

Digging Deeper into Text Structures

After students experience different text structures and organizational patterns, you should introduce one text structure at a time. Introduce each using a mentor text and by showing students how each text structure will guide them in collecting information. Through modeling and practice, students will learn which graphic organizers correspond to each text structure and how to complete them.

According to AdLit.org , teachers should teach text structures as a strategy for comprehension. A few ideas include:

• Showing examples of different paragraphs/texts that correspond to each text structure
• Examining topic sentences and key words that clue the reader in to a certain text structure
• Modeling using text clues to identify text structure during a text preview
• Model using graphic organizers to collect information
• Students use graphic organizers for each text structure to collect information.
• Model the writing of a paragraph that uses a specific text structure
• Students write a paragraph using a specific text structure

Analyzing Text Structure

The ultimate goal is for students to know how to analyze text to identify the text structure and choose the appropriate graphic organizer to go with it. Analyzing text involves previewing a text to observe the organization, features, key words, and any clues that may be helpful in determining text structure. A step-by-step guide may be helpful at first, to walk students through this process!

Students should also explore the common signal words and topic sentences that correspond with each text structure. Being able to identify signal words quickly during a quick scan of the text will help tremendously in preparing students for information collection. Use my text structure reference sheet to remind students of the signal words they may find for each text structure!

Writing with Text Structures

To reinforce student understanding of non-fiction text structures, consider bringing an informational text writing unit into your Writing Workshop! Students can study non-fiction as a genre of writing, and use various mentor texts as models for good non-fiction writing. After studying the key features and vocabulary of each text structure, students can practice integrating the structures into their own writing.

Retelling Non-Fiction Using Text Structure:

Are your students able to identify the text structures but not sure how to use them to retell an informational text? Do they retell non-fiction texts out of order or with a “bouncing brain”? Learn more about how I teach my students to retell non-fiction in my blog post Retelling Non-Fiction Using Text Structures.  Free sample materials are included!

Assess their knowledge of text structures using writing and informal assessment activities.

For example, students can complete a sort, matching the definition with the text structures to show their understanding of each of the five text structures. (An example is shared below!)

( Subscribe to download this FREE Scramble N’ Sort Student Practice/Assessment. If you’re already a subscriber, you may download the resource HERE .)

Additional Resources

Here are some websites and activities that may be of some help! Many are for upper grade-levels, but feel free to adapt materials to meet the needs of your students.

Lessons & Ideas:

• Text Structure Resources ( Literacy Leaders )
• Lesson Ideas & Sequence ( AdLit.org )
• Introducing Text Structures in Writing (Utah Education Network)
• Retelling Non-Fiction Using Text Structure
• Text Features & Structure ( This Reading Mama )
• Nonfiction Text Structures ( Teaching My Friends )

Activities:

Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR):

• FCRR Text Structure Sort
• FCRR Expository Text Structure

Additional Resources:

If you are looking for additional materials to support your instruction of non-fiction text structures, check out the resources I have created for each! Each instructional resource includes student posters/reference sheets, an original poem, graphic organizers, and student prompt cards.

April 19, 2012 at 8:22 pm

I used picture books to teach nonfiction text structures in my 6th grade classroom this year along with a book I purchased titled Non-Fiction Text Structures for Better Comprehension and Response. We are currently studying ancient Egypt and I have collected several picture books to go along with this unit. Every book we open that is nonfiction, we determine its structure.

Also, the series “You wouldn’t want to be: (an egyptian mummy, on a viking ship, etc) is great for teaching these structures.

May 1, 2012 at 11:03 am

You are one of the lucky winners of my five Non-Fiction Text Structure packets! I will be emailing you in the next day or so with your products! 🙂 Thanks for sharing the “You Wouldn’t Want to Be…” book series too. I just added many titles from the series to my “Book Room Wish List” for my building.

May 1, 2012 at 4:30 pm

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am so excited…I am normally not a winner when it comes to contests. I am excited to get your materials to use and am so glad to have mentioned a new series for you. I just learned about them at the NC Reading Conference in March.

I have shared your blog with many and placed a link to it from my facebook page.

Thanks again!

Randy themiddleschoolmouth.blogspot.com

April 20, 2012 at 6:40 am

As library teacher for k-4 school, I use non-fiction vs fiction in practically every lesson concerning the library, especially when teaching library organization and the Dewey Decimal System we use.. Thanks for this chance to win!

April 21, 2012 at 11:55 am

As a 4/5 looping teacher in a high poverty and large ELD population school, I focus a lot on basic fluency and comprehension/retell skills, but I have also been using a lot classroom magazines and nonfiction materials. My students are very well practiced in using subheadings, pictures, diagrams, and how to find the main idea and important details in texts, but I really want to do more with exploring the actual text structures to improve both their comprehension and their writing skills. These are the types of resources that would greatly benefit my class’s literacy skills. Thank you so much for the opportunity to win these fabulous books.

May 1, 2012 at 11:01 am

You are one of the lucky winners of my five Non-Fiction Text Structure packets! I will be emailing you in the next day or so with your products! 🙂 Thanks for participating!

April 21, 2012 at 6:48 pm

First, I would like to say “thank you”. You have inspired me to take an extra step in my daily teaching. I am a NBCT, and still struggle with finding reading strategies worthy of what little time I gave in my classroom. Living in a rural county with over 80% of the population qualifying did free/reduced lunch, u find myself stuck in a rutt of teaching vocabulary. I use as much non-fiction texts as possible (with visuals) because my students are lacking in background knowledge. I can see me utilizing these graphic organizers in my classroom this week! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with others.

April 21, 2012 at 9:51 pm

AMAZING Post on Nonfiction Text Structures! Thank you also for linking to me! 🙂

April 21, 2012 at 10:21 pm

I generally dont teach these text structures. We have a new reading curriculum and there is nothing included for this. We have been advised to follow the text quite rigidly. I will be using this post and resources next year! Thank you!

April 22, 2012 at 9:37 am

Great post! Definitely a 5-Star Blogger! Thanks for linking up!

Charity The Organized Classroom Blog

April 22, 2012 at 1:40 pm

http://balancedtech.wikispaces.com/Toolbox+-+Standard+Essay

Thanks, time for me to rethink the ones I use with my students:

Order of importance (or reverse order) Order of events (chronological) – Natural order – Climactic order – Reverse order – Flashback – Spatial order – Process order Reasons for followed by rebuttal of opposing view Classification order/ Order of generality Causes/Effects Similarities/Differences (Compare/Contrast) Examples to idea Idea to examples Problem to solution

April 22, 2012 at 2:57 pm

Wow!!! Incredible information. I teach non-fiction in the confines of our reading series but this is so much better! I will definitely be incorporating this next year as we get ready for the common core standards. Thank you so much for sharing!

April 23, 2012 at 6:22 am

Thank you for this blog post. I have used picture books and easy nonfiction to teach structures in 8th grade. I am currently preparing to teach a college level reading strategies class to those who will eventually become intervention specialists. Text structure is one of our topics and I have found your post very useful.

April 23, 2012 at 12:20 pm

I am a K-12 librarian who was assigned to teach 8th grade reading skills. I had to put in about 1,000 hours to prepare for it. This bookmark would have helped. But I need to mention two sources that changed the students’ world. They went on average from D- to B in their required science class as I implemented the non-fiction reading strategies in these two books: Richardson, Jan. The Next Step in Guided Reading. Scholastic, 2009. And, Robb, Laura. Teaching Guided Reading in Middle School, Scholastic, 2010.

They both stressed teaching how to ask good questions. Also how to rate questions (QAR.) This made the non-fiction we read spring to life, because the students had a purpose for reading each passage before they began. Then they asked questions during the reading, and then after the reading. It made every lesson fun.

April 24, 2012 at 6:56 pm

Thank you for sharing your teaching techniques. I must admit that I do not pay enough attention to nonfiction texts. However, your post has given me the practical tools to improve my instruction!

April 28, 2012 at 1:04 am

I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m taking a class called “Teaching Literacy in the Elementary Classroom” and for out final assignment I need to plan a reading comprehension lesson that focuses on a text structure. Thank you for posting all these wonderful resources.

April 28, 2012 at 6:59 pm

I’m new to 2nd grade after many years in fifth, so I’m still trying out ways to teach text structures. We do look for different text features in the nonfiction that we read – Scholastic News has been a good help with this.

April 29, 2012 at 4:20 am

I just found your blog & OH MY GOODNESS! I only wish I would’ve found it sooner. I love the non-fiction text post. You really did a great job of combining links into something usable! EXCELLENT JOB!

You are one of the lucky winners of my five Non-Fiction Text Structure packets! I will be emailing you in the next day or so with your products! 🙂

April 29, 2012 at 3:40 pm

WOW! So excited that I have found this blog!!! This will make my text structures next year soooo much better! When I do sequencing I give the students different sentence strips (even sometimes just pictures) and they have to arrange themselves in order to get the story, directions, etc…. Hope I’m one of the lucky winners! Thanks, for the great ideas,

[email protected]

May 1, 2012 at 11:00 am

Due to the great response to this blog post (and over 4,000 views in the last week and a half!), I’ve decided to award THREE winners for this giveaway. Winners were chosen at random using http://www.random.org . Congratulations to Neil Kavanagh, Sharnon Johnston-Robinett, and Randy Seldomridge! You are the THREE lucky winners of my five Non-Fiction Text Structure packets! I will be emailing you in the next day or so with your products! 🙂

May 1, 2012 at 5:46 pm

Thank you so much!!!! I can’t wait to share the books with my peers at school and start using the ideas in them with my students. It is so good to find great resources when school funding seems to be at such an all-time low.

December 2, 2012 at 7:58 pm

This was some of the most useful information I have ever found! I am a brand new teacher trying to introduce a non-fiction unit to my 5th graders that this was incredibly helpful!

March 23, 2013 at 10:24 am

I’m glad you found my website to be a valuable resource! Keep checking back. I’m always adding new websites and resources that will help us navigate non-fiction and CCSS with our students.

January 3, 2013 at 8:53 am

I am trying to revamp the way I teach non-fiction. I found the processes I have used in the past are not as effective as some of the options I have seen on this site. I am hoping to incorporate much of what I have seen here into my new Unit. Thank you for the wonderful suggestions!

March 23, 2013 at 10:22 am

I’m glad you found my suggestions helpful! I hope you were able to use some of the new resources in your unit. I would love to hear if there was one in particular that helped you the most!

February 25, 2013 at 9:21 pm

I’m not a “blogger” but came upon this great site while searching for what else but nonfiction text! I’ll be sure to share all this great info as well as your blog with some teacher friends!

Thanks! Theresa 5th Grade Teacher Newark Public Schools Newark, NJ

March 23, 2013 at 10:18 am

I’m glad you stumbled to my blog! Thank you for sharing with your colleagues, too. My goal is to share whatever I can with teachers as we navigate the CCSS and all these new initiatives! Let me know if you have any questions about text structures as you teach them. 🙂

March 13, 2013 at 6:49 pm

Hello! I normally don’t post on blogs! BUT I had to let you know that I bought all of your packets from TPT and used them in the unit I am currently covering on non-fiction text structures! I have pulled together your resources on each non-fiction text structure into an activity guide that we are using together in class! It has been great! Thank you for posting! 🙂

March 23, 2013 at 10:15 am

I’m so glad that you found my blog to be helpful! 🙂 Non-fiction text structures are hard for students to identify, but once they learn the features of each and how to differentiate between the structures, it helps tremendously with their comprehension. Let me know if you have any questions along the way!

November 12, 2013 at 2:50 pm

This is great!!! Do you have an assessment that goes along with these lessons?

November 12, 2013 at 3:07 pm

I don’t have any assessments. Sorry! I typically assess performance with graphi organizers and take notes on their ability to identify text structure. Rachel’s Lynette on Teachers Pay Teachers has text structure task cards I’ve used (multiple choice where students identify text structure of paragraph). Those might be helpful! Sorry I couldn’t offer any more!

February 23, 2014 at 9:39 pm

This is such an amazing website filled with so much useful resources! I wish I would have found it sooner but my kids this year will do so much better because I found this! Thank you!

March 7, 2014 at 7:27 am

I am having trouble finding text structure resources for fiction. I need the text structure for fiction stories that are personal experience stories such as Owl Moon. The resources I’m finding are all for fiction problem and solution stories. Can you help me with this? I’ve found resources for nonfiction personal experience text, but not fiction. Thank you so much for all you provide to us literacy teachers!!

March 10, 2014 at 7:26 pm

I often use Owl Moon as a mentor text for teaching narrative and memoir writing. It would be great for exploring and comprehending fiction text structures, too!

I don’t have a ton of resources for teaching fiction text structures beyond using story elements for retelling narrative texts. (Check out my free “S.T.O.R.Y.” packet for teaching story elements with narrative fiction –https://msjordanreads.com/2012/11/07/s-t-o-r-y-fiction-text-structure/).

If you’re looking for your students to explore different fiction text structures, I don’t have many resources for that. I came across a great blog by This Reading Mama with ideas for teaching fiction text structure. A lot of her focus is on the typical narrative text structures though — http://thisreadingmama.com/comprehension/text-structure/fiction-text-structure/

I’ll have to explore some more for fiction text structure resources. If there’s something specific you’re looking for, let me know! Email me at [email protected] if you have a need for specific resources.

February 2, 2017 at 5:33 pm

I so appreciate this information! I am not a teacher but I am a parent. My child is home with the flu and received his homework for the week. He could not remember what he’s learned with text structures so I Googled it. I was able to literally sit him down and teach him from the information I gathered from this page. God bless you and thank you for the detailed information. Now my child is able to bring in homework that is correct and accurate when you return to school on Monday.

February 3, 2017 at 3:19 pm

I’m so glad you stumbled across my blog and found the information to be helpful! Text structures can be difficult for students to learn and identify, and it makes my teacher heart happy to hear that my blog is a valuable resource to you, as a parent! Your child is lucky to a resourceful mom who is willing to work with him. 🙂

April 9, 2017 at 6:58 pm

Great resources, thank you!

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The Finest Narrative Non-Fiction Essays

Narrative essays that I consider ideal models of the medium

• Linguistics

Authors like , , , , , and epitomise this way of writing.

I'm not a Writer , but I write to explore other things – anthropology, weird cultural quirks in the web development community, interaction design, and the rising field of " tools for thought ". These things are all factual and grounded in reality, but have interesting stories twisted around them. Ones I'm trying to tell in my little notes and essays.

Perhaps you're the same kind of non- Writer writer. The playful amateur kind who uses it to explore and communicate ideas, rather than making the medium part of your identity. But even amateurs want to be good. I certainly want to get good.

Knowing what you like is half the battle in liking what you create. In that spirit, I collect narrative non-fiction essays that I think are exceptional. They're worth looking at closely – their opening moves, sentence structure, turns of phrase, and narrative arcs.

The only sensible way to improve your writing is by echoing the work of other writers. Good artists copy and great artists steal quotes from Picasso.

You may want to start your own collection of lovely essays like this. There will certainly be some Real Writers who find my list trite and full of basic, mainstream twaddle. It probably is. I've done plenty of self-acceptance work and I'm okay with it.

Twaddle aside, the essays below are worth your attention.

by Paul Ford

Paul Ford explains code in 38,000 words and somehow makes it all accessible, technically accurate, narratively compelling, and most of all, culturally insightful and humanistic.

I have unreasonable feelings about this essay. It is, to me, perfect. Few essays take the interactive medium of the web seriously, and this one takes the cake. There is a small blue cube character, logic diagrams, live code snippets to run, GIFs, tangential footnotes, and a certificate of completion at the end.

by David Foster Wallace – Published under the title 'Shipping Out'

Forgive me for being a David Foster Wallace admirer. The guy had issues, but this account of his 7-day trip on a luxury cruiseliner expresses an inner monologue that is clarifying, rare and often side-splittingly hilarious.

He taught me it is 100% okay to write an entire side-novel in your footnotes if you need to.

by David Graeber

Graeber explores play and work from an anthropological perspective. He's a master of moving between the specific and the general. Between academic theory and personal storytelling. He's always ready with armfuls of evidence and citations but doesn't drown you in them.

by Malcolm Gladwell

This piece uses a typical Gladwellian style. He takes a fairly dull question – Why had ketchup stayed the same, while mustard comes in dozens of varieties? – and presents the case in a way that makes it reasonably intriguing. He's great at starting with specific characters, times and places to draw you in. There are always rich scenes, details, personal profiles, and a grand narrative tying it all together.

Some people find the classic New Yorker essay format overdone, but it relies on storytelling techniques that consistently work.

by Mark Slouka

by Joan Didion

1 Backlinks

On opening essays, conference talks, and jam jars.

Nonfiction Essay

Nonfiction essay generator.

While escaping in an imaginary world sounds very tempting, it is also necessary for an individual to discover more about the events in the real world and real-life stories of various people. The articles you read in newspapers and magazines are some examples of nonfiction texts. Learn more about fact-driven information and hone your essay writing skills while composing a nonfiction essay.

10+ Nonfiction Essay Examples

1. creative nonfiction essay.

2. Narrative Nonfiction Reflective Essay

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3. College Nonfiction Essay

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4. Non-Fiction Essay Writing

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5. Nonfiction Essay Reminders

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6. Nonfiction Essay Template

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7. Personal Nonfiction Essay

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8. Teachers Nonfiction Essay

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9. Creative Nonfiction Assignment Essay

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10. Nonfiction Descriptive Essay

11. Literary Arts Nonfiction Essay

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What Is a Nonfiction Essay?

Nonfiction essay refers to compositions based on real-life situations and events. In addition, it also includes essays based on one’s opinion and perception. There are different purposes for writing this type of essay. Various purposes use different approaches and even sometimes follow varying formats. Educational and informative essays are some examples of a nonfiction composition. 

How to Compose a Compelling Nonfiction Essay

When you talk about creative writing, it is not all about creating fictional stories. It also involves providing a thought-provoking narrative and description of a particular subject. The quality of writing always depends on how the writers present their topic. That said, keep your readers engaged by writing an impressive nonfiction paper.

1. Know Your Purpose

Before you start your essay, you should first determine the message you want to deliver to your readers. In addition, you should also consider what emotions you want to bring out from them. List your objectives beforehand. Goal-setting will provide you an idea of the direction you should take, as well as the style you should employ in writing about your topic on your essay paper.

2. Devise an Outline

Now that you have a target to aim for, it is time to decide on the ideas you want to discuss in each paragraph. To do this, you can utilize a blank outline template. Also, prepare an essay plan detailing the structure and the flow of the message of your essay. Ensure to keep your ideas relevant and timely.

3. Generate Your Thesis Statement

One of the most crucial parts of your introduction is your thesis statement . This sentence will give the readers an overview of what to expect from the whole document. Aside from that, this statement will also present the main idea of the essay content. Remember to keep it brief and concise.

4. Use the Appropriate Language

Depending on the results of your assessment in the first step, you should tailor your language accordingly. If you want to describe something, use descriptive language. If you aim to persuade your readers, you should ascertain to use persuasive words. This step is essential to remember for the writers because it has a considerable impact on achieving your goals.

What are the various types of nonfiction articles?

In creatively writing nonfiction essays, you can choose from various types. Depending on your topic, you can write a persuasive essay , narrative essay, biographies, and even memoirs. In addition, you can also find nonfiction essay writing in academic texts, instruction manuals, and even academic reports . Even if most novels are fiction stories, there are also several nonfictions in this genre.

Why is writing nonfiction essays necessary?

Schools and universities use nonfiction essays as an instrument to train and enhance their students’ skills in writing. The reason for this is it will help them learn how to structure paragraphs and also learn various skills. In addition, this academic essay can also be a tool for the teachers to analyze how the minds of their students digest situations.

How can I write about a nonfiction topic?

A helpful tip before crafting a nonfiction essay is to explore several kinds of this type of writing. Choose the approach and the topic where you are knowledgeable. Now that you have your lesson topic, the next step is to perform intensive research. The important part is to choose a style on how to craft your story.

Each of us also has a story to tell. People incorporate nonfiction writing into their everyday lives. Your daily journal or the letters you send your friends all belong under this category of composition. Writing nonfiction essays are a crucial outlet for people to express their emotions and personal beliefs. We all have opinions on different events. Practice writing nonfiction articles and persuade, entertain, and influence other people. 

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Write about the influence of technology on society in your Nonfiction Essay.

Discuss the importance of environmental conservation in your Nonfiction Essay.

Have Questions? Call  (234)-281-4187

• Mar 16, 2022

Creative Nonfiction Structures (& Prompts to Try Them Out)

This month, Creativity Matters is digging into the ways you can explore creative nonfiction writing in your work. Even if writing a hard-hitting doesn’t interest you, there is a lot more to this diverse genre than most people think.

As we saw last week, everybody is “ready” to write creative nonfiction . It’s just a question of which topic suits your interests best.

But it isn’t just about having great topic ideas. Once you know what you want to write about, you need to consider what structure will best convey that topic to your readers.

Every topic you want to write about has a structure that fits it best. Your job is to find it.

Finding the Right Structure

Last fall, I went to see the Immersive van Gogh art exhibit in Cleveland, an interactive experience with van Gogh’s paintings that has been showing at different locations throughout the country.

The show does indeed immerse you in the artist’s work. Set in a cavernous, darkened room, van Gogh’s art paints itself across the walls and floor, places you in its settings, and allows you to get up close and personal with his most well-known work.

You can walk around the room, lie on the floor, sit on a cushion next to the walls, or sit on a bench, and the more times you sit through the show, the more opportunities you have to view it from different angles.

What caught my attention about experiencing van Gogh’s body of work in this manner was just how diverse his paintings are. Most people know him for the cool, calming shades of yellow and blue in The Starry Night , but this style doesn’t characterize all his work.

Van Gogh was known for using different color palettes depending on the subject he was portraying. For example, his paintings of the working class use darker colors, while his art inspired by natural settings and flowers explodes with lighter shades.

If he had reversed the two color palettes, it would have created an uncomfortable dissonance in his work—the difficult lives of miners and farmers would not come across as well with vibrant yellows, greens, and blues.

Van Gogh was also meticulous about his choice of medium, as he did not only colorful works, but simple sketches. His drawings using graphite and charcoal are less recognizable than his paintings, but convey so much about his subjects and natural settings that the use of color would detract from.

The point is that the real-life subjects you choose to write about can take any structure and use any media that will best communicate the ideas behind them.

The most thought-provoking essays play with form and structure in a way that creates a unified experience for readers, helping them to better understand the topic.

Here are a few creative nonfiction structures you can play with as you experiment with topics that intrigue you.

Frame Story

A framed essay features an opening and conclusion that connect in some way, providing bookends for the main story. You see this a lot in novels and films—think Old Rose in Titanic telling the sub crew about how her voyage on the ship changed the course of her life, or adult Gordy in Stand by Me writing his memoirs after learning that his childhood friend has been killed.

One way I like to use this structure is to think of a present-day event that triggers a memory from the past. Begin with the present event, then segue into the memory, then return to the present day at the end. The idea is that the introduction and conclusion should reinterpret the events of the past, showing how they remain relevant to your life today.

Lyric Essay

Nonfiction is a great genre for poets to try because it is inquisitive in the same way poetry is. Just as poetry can help uncover meaning through unique images and combinations of words, evocative language can also be used to explore your topics.

While frame essays are driven by storylines, lyric essays are driven by the musicality, tone, and rhythm of language. One experiment I’ve had some success with is to take a poem you’ve written and rewrite it as prose. You may find that it translates to this new structure word for word, or that individual phrases and images remain with new scaffolding in place.

I’ve written in the past about the importance of writing in other genres , and lyric essays are a great way for poets in particular to get their feet wet with nonfiction.

(NOTE: Do you want a free poetry workbook? You can grab one here .)

Hermit Crab Essay

I had a hermit crab when I was a kid, and once, I saw it change its shell. It was fascinating to see that for these fragile creatures, a shell offers protection and shelter, and that multiple different shells can fit that purpose.

I would even decorate the shells and leave them around its aquarium to see which ones it would pursue.

Hermit crab essays use different forms to portray deeply vulnerable and sensitive stories. They can, for example, take on the structure of grocery lists, postcards, letters, social media posts, personality quizzes, instruction sheets, how-to guides, and more.

Think of a genre apart from a traditional essay that you can use to convey the topic you want to write about, specifically, how you can use the conventions of the genre to explain it to readers.

Braided Essays

This nonfiction structure takes two or three ideas that may not appear related and weaves them together in interlocking segments, using numbers or white space to indicate a break between the sections.

I find that this structure can help you see the relationship between different things that come to mind when you think about your topic. Writing about those relationships can help you interrogate your thoughts on the subject, making you consider why these diverse subjects come to mind.

I’ve also discovered that braided essays work well when art is used as inspiration. Pick a work of art that inspires you—a book, movie, song, theatrical production, visual work, etc—and freewrite about what the experience of that art makes you think of.

Then, write an essay in alternating sections that relates that work to a particular experience or moment in your life.

There are many more structures for creative nonfiction, but these are the most fun to experiment with, and after all, that’s our goal for this Creativity Matters series.

Remember, your goal in using these prompts isn’t to write a completed essay or become a nonfiction expert. Your job is to have fun and see what you can make!

In the meantime…the Ultimate Writing Project Workbook can help you get started.

This free workbook contains prompts, worksheets, templates, and more cool stuff to help you work on your writing.

Plus, you get BOTH the fiction and nonfiction editions of the book when you sign up.

Click here to get more information and request your FREE copy!

Recent Posts

How To Come Up With Ideas For Your Writing Blog

3 Reasons to Write Nonfiction

Am I “Ready” to Write Nonfiction?

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The Creative Penn

Writing, self-publishing, book marketing, making a living with your writing

How To Write Narrative Non-Fiction With Matt Hongoltz-Hetling

posted on August 24, 2020

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:04:14 — 52.2MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

What is narrative non-fiction and how do you write a piece so powerful it is nominated for a Pulitzer? In this interview, Matt Hongoltz-Hetling talks about his process for finding stories worth writing about and how he turns them into award-winning articles.

In the intro, I talk about Spotify (possibly) getting into audiobooks and Amazon (possibly) getting into podcasts as reported on The Hotsheet , and the New Publishing Standard . David Gaughran's How to Sell Books in 2020 ; a college student who used GPT3 to reach the top of Hacker News with an AI-generated blog post [ The Verge ]; and ALLi on Is Copyright Broken? Artificial Intelligence and Author Copyright . Plus, synchronicity in book research, and my personal podcast episode on Druids, Freemasons, and Frankenstein: The Darker Side of Bath, England (where I live!)

Matt Hongoltz-Hetling is a Pulitzer finalist and award-winning investigative journalist. He's also the author of A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear .

You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript below.

• From writing for pennies an article to writing a Pulitzer – nominated article
• What is narrative non-fiction?
• How does narrative non-fiction differ from fiction?
• Where ideas come from and how to begin forming a story idea
• The necessity of being respectful of the real lives being examined and written about
• Portraying interview subjects with shades of grey
• Turning hours of source material into something coherent
• Finding the balance between story structure and meaning
• Knowing when an idea is appropriate for a book

You can find Matt Hongoltz-Hetling at matt-hongoltzhetling.com and on Twitter @hh_matt

Transcript of Interview with Matt Hongoltz-Hetling

Joanna: Matt Hongoltz-Hetling is a Pulitzer finalist and award-winning investigative journalist. He's also the author of A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear . Welcome, Matt.

Matt: Hey, thanks for having me on, Joanna.

Joanna: It's great to have you on the show.

First up, tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing.

Matt: I got into writing when I was eight years old and I wrote this amazing book. I don't want to brag, but I wrote this book about an elf that was fighting in a dungeon, and this elf had some items of a magical persuasion and used them to defeat all sorts of monsters. So, that was pretty awesome. And I've been writing stuff ever since.

I grew up knowing that I wanted to write, loving to read, all that. And then my career path never really seemed to go that way. I actually started a student newspaper when I was in college in the hopes that that would be primarily a writing occupation, but I found very quickly that it was more small business skills that were needed.

I was selling advertisements much more so than writing to fill the newspaper sadly. And so, at some point I had just got the pile of rejection slips that I think we're all familiar with. I just didn't really know how to go about getting into the industry.

I was literally writing articles for, like, 25 cents an article, these, like, ‘How do you fix an engine?' or not even an engine, nothing that complicated, but, ‘How do you clean a window?'

Joanna: Content farms.

Matt: Yes, right. Content farms. Yes. Thank you. But I was writing.

My wife encouraged me to submit an article for my local weekly newspaper in a small town in the state of Maine. And that led to me being able to write more articles, still for very small amounts, 30 bucks an article. And that led to me getting a full-time job as a journalist at a weekly newspaper in rural Maine.

And even though that was fantastically exciting for me, I always knew that I wanted to do more. And so, I was always pushing, looking for that next level that would allow me to write more of the stuff that I wanted to write. And so, that led to larger newspapers, and then magazine opportunities, and then magazine opportunities led to a book opportunity. Now, I'm happy that I am just on the cusp of publishing my first book. I'm very excited about that.

Joanna: We're going to get into that in a second, but I just wonder because this is so fascinating.

How many years was it between writing for a content farm to being a Pulitzer finalist?

Matt: That was actually the shortest journey that you can imagine. Within, let's say, two years of my first newspaper article. I wrote the article that led to my highest-profile resume point which was that Pulitzer finalist status. And that article was about substandard housing conditions in the federal Section 8 program. It's federally subsidized housing and it's meant to be kept up to a certain standard, and the article which I wrote with a writing partner demonstrated that it was not and that there were a lot of people at fault.

What really elevated that article, it was a good article and all of that, but what really got it that level of recognition was that it also turned out to be an impactful article. It happened to come at a time when other people were looking at the housing authority for various reasons. It really struck a nerve and our Senator, Republican Susan Collins of Maine, she took a very avid interest in our reporting and was motivated to encourage reforms of the national Section 8 system.

She was in a political position to do that because she held the purse strings for the housing authorities. And so, it happened to have this very disproportionate impact and because it led to a positive change for the Section 8 housing program in the United States.

I think the people in the Pulitzer committee must've loved the idea that this tiny little rural weekly newspaper where we had three reporter desks, one of which was perennially vacant, had managed to write a story that was really relevant to the national scene.

Joanna: Absolutely fascinating. And I hope that encourages people listening who might feel that they're in a place in their writing career where they're not feeling very successful and yet you bootstrapped your way up there to something really impactful, as you say.

We're going to come back to the craft of writing, but let's just define ‘narrative nonfiction.' Your book, A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear , which is a great title.

What is narrative nonfiction and where's the line between that and fiction or straight nonfiction?

Matt: Narrative nonfiction, the way that I think of it is i t's basically just like any other fiction book, or novel, or piece that you might pick up except for the events described in it actually happened .

When I think of the difference, it just seems, to me, to be such a small, tiny little difference between fiction and nonfiction because when you write fiction, you're starting with an infinite number of possible events to write about. And when you're writing nonfiction, you're starting with a universe of events.

You're starting with everything that ever happened in the entire universe. That's the material that you can draw on. It is so close to infinite that really, it's just a method of curation. You're going to select some of these facts and arrange them in an order that will create the same exact experience as a powerful piece of fiction writing.

A narrative piece emphasizes the same things that a fiction story would in terms of there's character arcs, there are transformations, there's setting. We want a climax, we want everything that you would want when you're writing a fiction piece.

Joanna: Interesting. And you said at the beginning that it's a tiny difference between fiction and nonfiction. And I'm like, ‘No, surely, this is the biggest separation.' So, I feel like people would have quite a different view on that, but it's interesting because you said there, ‘a method of curation,' and you select the facts, whereas with fiction, obviously, you make it up.

How can you curate truth in a way that serves your story but doesn't distort what really happened?

Matt: That's an excellent question. And I think you do have to be careful to keep things in perspective.

So, I was thinking, ‘What if I was writing about someone in the aeronautics industry or who was an astronaut or maybe someone else within the industry who is motivated by this idea that people want to,' or yeah, ‘that he would like people to colonize the stars?' That's, I think, a very common sci-fi-type theme, and it's also very apparent in the people who go into those fields.

And so, you might take a set of facts. I would ask that person, ‘What are some of the seminal moments in your career? What were the turning points? What were the important things that shaped you as a person?' And this was just an idea that I had, I would look at the amount of cosmic matter in our atmosphere. So, every time a meteor hits the atmosphere, we know it burns up, dust rains down on the earth and that dust becomes part of us. We breathe it in.

Then I would try to draw a timeline between some natural spike in the amount of cosmic dust in the air that might've gone into our subject's body, and that person's decision to get into aeronautics. So, you maybe get to describe that this fantastic spectacular event of a comet the size of a blue whale entering the atmosphere, burning up, raining dust down on, let's say, North America.

And this aeronautics person is 12 years old at the time, he's thinking about baseball, but then he goes to a museum two weeks later and he's breathing in more cosmic dust on that day than he would on an average day, and then he decides to become an astronaut.

You can paint a very poetic scene with that, but it's also very important that you're not actually suggesting or theorizing that the cosmic dust had anything to do with that person's decision.

It's a way to wax poetically about this character and to maybe access a greater idea which is that we all want to go colonize the stars to some extent. That's a very human thing. It appears in our very earliest writings on both fictional and non-fictional.

And you can talk about this amazing spectacular event, you can talk about this person's decision, and if you do it right, the audience will understand that you've just used this as a jumping-off point to explore some of these bigger concepts and cool narrative opportunities without actually saying in a false way that cosmic dust is what makes us want to go out there. So, I'm just saying that you can arrange those events in a way that gives it life, and vibrancy, and maybe some creativity.

Joanna: I like that example. And you brought up so many things that I'm thinking about there.

First of all is using the individual to highlight the universal. If you wrote a piece about how big the universe is or whatever, that's not narrative nonfiction. That might be one of your how-to articles back in the day. So, you've used someone's experience to highlight something universal.

Where do you start? Because this is a question that fiction writers think about all the time. Do you start with the theme of, say, space? Do you start with a character, say you met someone and you want to interview them, or are you starting with, in your case, I guess, a commission or are you starting with just your own curiosity and following where it goes? So, I guess, as you said, that you could write about anything in the whole world.

How do you decide what to write?

Matt: I've spent a lot of my freelance writing career trying to craft pitches that will convince editors to give me a green light and offer me compensation in exchange for a piece of writing. And so, that undergirding structure allows for all those sorts of scenarios that you posit.

I'm always keeping my eye out for things when something interests me and lights me up, then I try to think about how I can make that subject or person who has just lit me up into a pitch that is marketable. I saw a freestyle street rapper a few weeks ago and I was really into what he was doing. I just thought he was amazing because his shtick was that he would incorporate things about the world around him into his rhymes really seamlessly.

I thought, ‘Oh, this guy has got this really amazing talent.' And so then you start thinking like, ‘Is this something that I would pitch to maybe a magazine about rhyme and rhyme structure or is this something that might be more like…is this a cognitive or a neurological skill that he's developed and how might that fit into maybe more of a neuroscience type magazine or is this just a guy who's got the great American story of, he developed a skill on the streets as it were, and then launched it into a career, in which case, we have maybe more of a universal story that could appear in any major market magazine?'

I suppose usually what sparks my interest is a person but it's not at all uncommon for my interest to also be sparked by just a topic. And then I'm searching for those characters who can exemplify that topic.

Joanna: Your writing does focus very much on people and all characters, as you say, but I'm wondering where do you take it from then? How do you tease out the story? Do you interview them?

And again, when you have this material about that person, how do you highlight your story, but also respect the person because you might say that, so, you've got the pitch with the neurological aspect. So, you think, ‘Okay. I want to write about how his brain works differently to someone else, how he can do that,' but then you find out some awful thing and you think that, ‘Okay. How do I respect this person, but how do I also deliver on my pitch?'

How do we ask the right questions to make our characters real, but also be respectful, because this is real life you're writing about?

Matt: My own inclination and approach is typically to just jump in and that's often great because it allows me to maintain forward momentum and use real wishful positive thinking to just hope that everything's going to pan out.

But sometimes its failing is that I will go very confidently striding down what turns out to be a dead end. And so, maybe I pitch this thing as a neurological sciencey story, and then a magazine editor says, ‘Yes, let's do this.' And so then I go back to the subject and I say, ‘I'd like to interview you,' and tell them what's going on.

And in the course of the interview, it turns out that they are not at all representative of the category of box that I want to put them into. And then I've suddenly got this big, awkward problem where I am looking for a different subject to satisfy the magazine editor and trying to get value out of my initial subject and my interview with him by placing him into something that is more appropriate for him. But when I get to that interview phase, I typically like to already have a commission in place before I do that because it's quite a time investment.

When I do interview someone, I like to make them very lengthy, in-depth interviews. Rarely do I talk to someone for less than two or three hours. And in the course of that two or three hours, my interview style is to not necessarily focus too much on asking the right questions so much as just unlocking how they see themselves and what is important to them, and get them talking about what lights them up.

And by not having a very firm idea of where I want to lead a subject, and being flexible in what they can say, what I find is that I often wind up with a really interesting story that maybe doesn't quite fit the mold precisely for where I thought it would go, but it's close enough that I can bridge that gap and the narrative is so compelling and good that nobody cares if there's maybe a slight sidetrack, a slight departure.

And as far as what if you find out something bad about someone while you're in the course of that interview? You're interviewing a person and they suddenly put the interview on pause and speak very sharply or meanly to their spouse or child and suddenly you get the feeling like, ‘You know what, this isn't really actually a very good person.' So, what do you do there?

I think it is very important to acknowledge the bad in people. And it's almost a necessary component. If I am not writing something both bad and good about a person that I'm writing about, then I know I'm not really doing a very good job because I don't know any people who are 100% good and I don't know any people who are 100% bad.

Oftentimes, if I'm talking to someone who we might think of as the hero of a narrative, they're doing good work, we're spotlighting them because of some amazing accomplishment they've done, I think it's really important to throw in a couple of negative character traits or details that will add a note of reality to your writing.

And conversely, if I'm interviewing someone who has committed murder or if I'm interviewing them because they're a bad person, then I'm always really looking for that redeeming quality because some murderers have just had a very bad day or gone through a very bad period in their life and maybe had some disadvantages in the first place.

Even though they've done this terrible, awful thing, there's still some context that you can provide that humanizes them. I think that most of my subjects, I think, appreciate that. Certainly, I've written about some people who've been very unhappy with how they've been portrayed. But I think most people appreciate it when you portray enough facets of their character that their true personality comes through.

Joanna: I've not done this kind of writing. So, I find it fascinating. I've been doing this podcast for 12 years and I have many, many, many hours and a lot of transcripts of material and I've thought many times, ‘It'd be great if I could go through and find all these snippets and turn this into something.' Working with transcripts is really hard. You just mentioned, you have a three-hour interview. So, presumably, you're recording this and you're taking notes as well.

How do you turn all this source material into an article? What's your curation and what's that process?

Matt: I am the kind of person who hates to throw things out. My wife will tell you that that can drive her nuts. And the same is true of my writing. I like to start with everything that has been said, even in a three-hour interview, and then just slowly apply criteria that squeezed some things out.

I always wind up with more material than will fit in the space that I have allotted. And then that encourages me to try to cram more words and more facts into smaller spaces and that results in this real efficient distillation. I think that's another good thing maybe about not being too goal-oriented when you write.

What I typically do is I'll interview someone, we'll have the three-hour interview. I've got copious notes, I got an audio transcript. If I am feeling up to it, I will transcribe every word of that audio interview which is grueling. Sometimes I will use one of those online programs that will convert it and spit out a transcript for you. And that transcript is never perfect, but you can make it perfect by listening and going through. And then I just slowly go through and clean it up.

Often, it's not like writing at all. It's like just fixing things. I might go through it and just correct all the typos in my transcription. And then I might go through and remove all the garble and then I might go through and anything that seems like a cohesive thought, I might put quotation marks around and put on the, ‘he said,' or the, ‘she said.'

Then I will maybe strip out, I'll say, ‘Oh, here, this person talked for 10 minutes about their mother and they were actually quite redundant, but here, this one time they said it, it was the most striking of the eight times they said the same thing.' And so, I will move those other seven iterations down to a notes section at the bottom.

And in this way, I am slowly shrinking and squeezing the text that is there. And if there are things that they've said, points they've made that are important, but that they didn't say it particularly well, then I might write a paraphrase and put the originals down in my notes section.

And then at some point, I will create a series of categories that represent different areas of the story, and then I will sort all of their quotes into those different categories. And all of this stuff that I've just talked about is very mechanical. So, even if you're not feeling particularly inspired, you can go through this rote, brute-force process and nibble away, and nibble away, and nibble away.

What you find at the end is that you actually have the bones of a story.

Often, the story will also involve going through the same process with multiple people and other sources of information, but once you've arranged all that stuff under the subheadings, and then you start to rearrange things within those sections, you find that you are suddenly, magically two-thirds of the way there.

Joanna: That's fascinating. I want to ask about this Pulitzer thing because I know everyone's so interested. And really, this is one of those prizes that is, for many people, a life goal, and you've actually won other awards. You're a multi-award-winning writer.

What's interesting to me is you talked about a story that made an impact. Substandard housing conditions is not the most inspirational thing for most people, but it's interesting. Presumably, you're not winning these prizes for your beautiful sentence structure.

For those authors who obsess with grammar and exact sentences, where's the line between that and story and meaning?

Matt: I think it is all-important including the sentence structure. I always take the position that grammar, and grammar is not really all that important other than in the service of making points very clearly. I really tend to take these very esoteric grammar points and just chuck them out the window because I want somebody to be able to understand what I'm saying.

Oftentimes, adhering very strictly to the rules of grammar impedes the knowledge of the layperson who I want to be able to read, and digest, and appreciate my article . I don't want to poo-poo sentence structure too much. I think there are so many articles written that you're trying to break through the noise of, and stand out in some way. I think the stories that I've been awarded from various organizations and for various things, they've all gone through the same basic process as many of my stories that have not been so recognized and have not turned out necessarily all that good.

But for whatever reason, there was a perfect alignment where the person that I happened to be talking to happened to exemplify that issue just right and the setting happened to work out and the climax of their personal story… there's a lot of just happenstance, I suppose, in that once you've been commissioned to write a story, you're writing that story.

And sometimes the material will support a real cracker-jack breakout story. What's more often is that as you go through the process, you hit an obstacle that you have to smooth over in some way and you turn in a very serviceable, perfectly good story.

But the things that I think really allow it to break through and get head and shoulders above tend to be things that are out of your control. You're going to do your very best job of research, you're going to do your very best job of writing, you're going to use all the good phrases, you're going to exert full control of your mastery of time and space, you're going to jump around in the narrative if that's in the timeline rather, if that's what the narrative calls for.

If you want to focus on the beating of a fly's wings, for some reason, you will do that. If you want to jump back into prehistory, you'll do that. And after you've employed all of those tricks and techniques to craft the very best story that you possibly can from the material, sometimes the material itself will just harmonize perfectly and get you to that place to achieve that potential that you hoped that you could. It's a little bit of luck and magic, I suppose. We can't always summon it or bottle it.

Joanna: Coming to the book, A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear , which, again, I love the title. It's great. What was it about this idea that made you decide to turn this story into a book-length project rather than a long-form article?

How did you know, ‘Right, I'm going to write a book about this?'

Matt: I was first commissioned for an article on the same topic. The story for those who don't know, it's about a group of libertarians which is a fringe political movement within the United States and their emphasis is on personal freedoms and personal rights.

This national group of libertarians decided to come to one small town, and just take over the town, and turn it into their utopia. Soon after they tried to enact this kind of crazy heist of the town, the town started experiencing bear problems. And so, the book is about how those things are connected.

I was initially commissioned to write an article based on the unusual bear activity that was seen in that town. I was interviewing a woman for my local newspaper about her difficulties in accessing VA benefits. And she was what we stereotype as a crazy cat lady. She was a little bit of a shut-in, she had a bunch of cats milling around, and I asked her about her cats because it's a good icebreaker, and I like cats.

She said, ‘I used to let them outside, but that was before the bears came.' I was like, ‘Oh, well, that sounds really interesting. Forget about the VA. Tell me about bears.' She just started talking about how a bear had eaten two of her cats and how the bears had become very bold and aggressive and were doing weird things.

I started asking around town, asking other people if they had also had bear experiences that seemed unusual. And when I had a feeling for what was going on in that town, I pitched the magazine article and I was really excited to get this magazine article. I really wanted to do a great job on it because ‘The Atavist Magazine' is a good platform and I knew that it would help me to make the case to other magazines that I could write really good narrative stuff.

I went back to town and went through all the interview process and all of that. And when I wrote my first draft for that magazine article, it was 32,000 words. And they would have accepted 4,000 words. So, the article, which I was very happy with, was still very much of a compromise of what I wanted to say about this bizarre situation involving libertarians and bears in this town.

I got in a couple of the best anecdotes including a situation where a bear fights a llama, but there was so much left unsaid, so many colorful things. In that case, I just had this massive trove of colorful materials sitting in my pocket. I knew that there was a very large narrative there because I had already written probably half of the book-length on it. So, it just seemed very natural to write a book about it.

Joanna: Is it a comedy?

Matt: I would call it a dark comedy. There is a lot of very funny stuff, I think, and I do stray into the comedic quite a bit. But there are also some very, kind of, weighty issues. A woman gets attacked by a bear. That's not funny, but there's also just all sorts of goofy stuff.

The llama thing is great. There's one situation where there are two old women who live next door to each other on a hill, and one of them is absolutely terrified of bears. Every time she cooks steak inside, she won't go outside for a day because she's afraid that the bears will smell the steak on her. And meanwhile, her neighbor has been feeding the bears doughnuts for 20 years and has a crowd of bears sitting outside her home waiting for her to come out with doughnuts and buckets of grain twice a day.

There's just a lot of really absurd situations that I was privy to. And I milk them for all I've got.

Joanna: That's so funny. It's so funny there because, of course, the truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. And I guess that's what you're doing with narrative nonfiction is you are finding these stories.

We're almost out of time, but I do want to ask you because in your original email to me, you said, ‘I think a lot of writers start off like I started out, isolated and bereft of helpful connections and not the person who is going to schmooze at an event or something.'

How you have managed to do these things and even interview these people and get over those initial issues?

Matt: I think for most of my life, even while being very passionate about writing, I never felt like I was plugged into the writing community. I feel like everyone who went to get an advanced degree in writing, their professor could hook them up and their former colleagues would go out and join the industry and in places that would be helpful to them.

I just felt, like, really locked out of all of that. And schmoozing is definitely helpful, but, Joanna, I know that there's a certain component of your audience that is never going to schmooze because it's not their thing, and if they try really hard to force themselves to schmooze, they will sound like they're someone who's trying really hard to schmooze, right? It's just not going to be in everyone's nature and it wasn't in my nature.

I think even though the non-schmoozers have a disadvantage relative to the schmoozers, the non-schmoozers can get by on the basis of purely professional relationships which is what I did. As a journalist, I did develop a certain skill set in talking to people, but I've never been the guy at the cocktail party of other writers and editors who is like, ‘Hey, hire me for your next opportunity.'

I think for me, the key was to always I started small, I started writing for newspapers. I sent endless pitches and queries with different ideas and I slowly got better at sending those pitches . And every time a story of mine turned out that was something that I was proud of, that turned out pretty good, I added that to my portfolio.

And when one editor gives you a chance, lends you that sympathetic ear and gives you a chance to write for the next tier of publication that you're interested in, if you satisfy that editor, you may not have schmoozed them, but you have a working relationship with them. If they're happy with your work, that's all you need.

If you don't have the ability to schmooze your way into that, you still have an editor that you're working with. And perhaps you can ask that editor if they have other people in the industry who might also be willing to look favorably upon a submission from you where you're not just in the slush pile.

And you go through that process 100 or 1,000 times, and if you pay attention while you do it, you walk out of it with a group of a dozen editors that you can send a pitch to who have some idea of who you are and whether or not they like your work and your writing. And you're just always working to increase that circle of editors who look on you favorably.

Over the years, what I found and was very happy about was that those editors also bounce around from one position to another. Every time someone you know moves from one publication to the other, you want to try to maintain some contact with their initial publication and approach them in their new position and see if that might allow you to expand your horizons a little bit.

It's an iterative, slow process. It's not as easy as going to a cocktail party or a bar and palling around with the people who hold the reins to these publications, but it does get you there.

Joanna: That's great advice because I know I'm an introvert, many people listening are introverts, and knowing that the long-term professional approach is great. I think that's true if it's people submitting to short stories or if people want to get into traditional publishing, then all of that's quite true.

Where can people find you and your work and everything you do online?

Matt: Oh, thank you so much for asking. You can find me on Twitter @hh_matt . If you Google my name, you'll get to my website at matt-hongoltzhetling.com , and you can find my book, A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear , on Amazon, any major online retailer, and through the publisher which is PublicAffairs, a subsidiary of Hachette.

Joanna: Fantastic. Well, thanks so much for your time, Matt. That was great.

Matt: Joanna, thank you so much. This has been fantastic.

Reader Interactions

August 24, 2020 at 4:19 am

You always ask great questions Joanna but you outdid yourself this time on a topic I knew nothing about. That bear book sounds fascinating!

August 24, 2020 at 8:47 am

Thanks, Julie! Glad you found it interesting 🙂

August 9, 2024 at 8:26 am

Very interesting and insightful. Makes me want to go around, look for stories, inteview people and start writing an article or a book.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

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The Creative Nonfiction (CNF) genre can be rather elusive. It is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an inciting moment, rising action, climax and denoument, just like fiction. However, nonfiction only works if the story is based in truth, an accurate retelling of the author’s life experiences. The pieces can vary greatly in length, just as fiction can; anything from a book-length autobiography to a 500-word food blog post can fall within the genre.

Additionally, the genre borrows some aspects, in terms of voice, from poetry; poets generally look for truth and write about the realities they see. While there are many exceptions to this, such as the persona poem, the nonfiction genre depends on the writer’s ability to render their voice in a realistic fashion, just as poetry so often does. Writer Richard Terrill, in comparing the two forms, writes that the voice in creative nonfiction aims “to engage the empathy” of the reader; that, much like a poet, the writer uses “personal candor” to draw the reader in.

Creative Nonfiction encompasses many different forms of prose. As an emerging form, CNF is closely entwined with fiction. Many fiction writers make the cross-over to nonfiction occasionally, if only to write essays on the craft of fiction. This can be done fairly easily, since the ability to write good prose—beautiful description, realistic characters, musical sentences—is required in both genres.

So what, then, makes the literary nonfiction genre unique?

The first key element of nonfiction—perhaps the most crucial thing— is that the genre relies on the author’s ability to retell events that actually happened. The talented CNF writer will certainly use imagination and craft to relay what has happened and tell a story, but the story must be true. You may have heard the idiom that “truth is stranger than fiction;” this is an essential part of the genre. Events—coincidences, love stories, stories of loss—that may be expected or feel clichéd in fiction can be respected when they occur in real life .

A writer of Creative Nonfiction should always be on the lookout for material that can yield an essay; the world at-large is their subject matter. Additionally, because Creative Nonfiction is focused on reality, it relies on research to render events as accurately as possible. While it’s certainly true that fiction writers also research their subjects (especially in the case of historical fiction), CNF writers must be scrupulous in their attention to detail. Their work is somewhat akin to that of a journalist, and in fact, some journalism can fall under the umbrella of CNF as well. Writer Christopher Cokinos claims, “done correctly, lived well, delivered elegantly, such research uncovers not only facts of the world, but reveals and shapes the world of the writer” (93). In addition to traditional research methods, such as interviewing subjects or conducting database searches, he relays Kate Bernheimer’s claim that “A lifetime of reading is research:” any lived experience, even one that is read, can become material for the writer.

The other key element, the thing present in all successful nonfiction, is reflection. A person could have lived the most interesting life and had experiences completely unique to them, but without context—without reflection on how this life of experiences affected the writer—the reader is left with the feeling that the writer hasn’t learned anything, that the writer hasn’t grown. We need to see how the writer has grown because a large part of nonfiction’s appeal is the lessons it offers us, the models for ways of living: that the writer can survive a difficult or strange experience and learn from it. Sean Ironman writes that while “[r]eflection, or the second ‘I,’ is taught in every nonfiction course” (43), writers often find it incredibly hard to actually include reflection in their work. He expresses his frustration that “Students are stuck on the idea—an idea that’s not entirely wrong—that readers need to think” (43), that reflecting in their work would over-explain the ideas to the reader. Not so. Instead, reflection offers “the crucial scene of the writer writing the memoir” (44), of the present-day writer who is looking back on and retelling the past. In a moment of reflection, the author steps out of the story to show a different kind of scene, in which they are sitting at their computer or with their notebook in some quiet place, looking at where they are now, versus where they were then; thinking critically about what they’ve learned. This should ideally happen in small moments, maybe single sentences, interspersed throughout the piece. Without reflection, you have a collection of scenes open for interpretation—though they might add up to nothing.

What Is a Paragraph: Definition, Structure, and Function

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that develop one main idea . It typically consists of a topic sentence stating the main point, followed by supporting sentences with details and examples, and often ends with a concluding sentence. This paragraph structure is essential to understanding what a paragraph is and how it functions in writing.

Definition and structure of a paragraph

• Basic paragraph definition : A paragraph is a series of sentences focused on a specific point or topic , answering the question "what is a paragraph"
• Topic sentence : Usually the first sentence, stating the main idea
• Supporting sentences : Elaborate and explain the main idea
• Concluding sentence : Wraps up the point of the paragraph
• Length : Typically 6-8 sentences in academic writing, but can vary based on topic, audience, and purpose

Key characteristics of a paragraph

• Unity : Covers one main idea , a fundamental aspect of what a paragraph is
• Coherence : Presents logical and coherent thoughts developed from one sentence to the next
• Specificity : Provides specific details and examples related to the topic sentence
• Indentation : In academic writing, the first line is often indented five spaces , contributing to the overall paragraph structure

Types of paragraphs

• Academic paragraphs : Used in essays and research papers, following standard paragraph definition and structure
• Answers to specific questions
• Sections in reports (e.g., feasibility studies, performance reports)

Function and importance of paragraphs

• Organizing ideas : Helps structure thoughts and information into coherent units, a key aspect of what a paragraph is
• Supporting thesis : In essays, paragraphs work together to support the overall thesis
• Aiding readability : Well-structured paragraphs make text easier to read and understand
• Facilitating skimming : Clear topic sentences allow readers to quickly grasp main points

Cognitive aspects of paragraphs

• Working memory : Well-structured paragraphs reduce cognitive load on readers, enhancing understanding of what a paragraph is and its purpose
• Schema activation : Conventional paragraph structure helps readers activate relevant mental frameworks for processing information

What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that develop one main idea. It typically consists of a topic sentence stating the main point, followed by supporting sentences with details and examples, and often ends with a concluding sentence. This structure helps organize thoughts and information into coherent units.

What is the basic paragraph definition?

The basic paragraph definition is a series of sentences focused on a specific point or topic. It answers the question "what is a paragraph" by presenting a unified set of ideas that work together to convey a single main point or theme.

What are the core components of paragraph structure?

The core components of paragraph structure include:

• Topic sentence: Usually the first sentence, stating the main idea
• Supporting sentences: Elaborate and explain the main idea
• Concluding sentence: Wraps up the point of the paragraph

How long should a paragraph be?

In academic writing, a paragraph typically consists of 6-8 sentences. However, the length can vary based on the topic, audience, and purpose of the writing. The key is to fully develop the main idea while maintaining coherence and unity.

What are the key characteristics of a well-structured paragraph?

The key characteristics of a well-structured paragraph include:

• Unity: Covers one main idea
• Coherence: Presents logical and coherent thoughts developed from one sentence to the next
• Specificity: Provides specific details and examples related to the topic sentence
• Indentation: In academic writing, the first line is often indented five spaces

How to Write a Research Paper

What Is a Sentence Fragment: Definition, Types, and Corrections

How to Make a Sentence Longer: Techniques, Tools, and Tips

What Is an Annotated Bibliography

What Is a Foyer: Definition, Purpose, and Features

What Is the Dependent Variable

How Do Authors Use Pacing to Build Tension in a Story?

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Course Syllabus

Experimental Forms

Explore new structures, hybrid forms, and nonstandard narrative perspectives, and discover a variety of strategies for innovation in nonfiction writing..

What are the limits of creative nonfiction? what point does an essay leave the world of fact and enter the realm of fiction or poetry? Are the borders between these genres rigid and unyielding, or are they porous? How can a writer move seamlessly between them during the course of a single essay in order to communicate more effectively the complexity of his or her experience? In this class, you will explore a variety of strategies for innovation in nonfiction writing. You’ll study new exhilarating developments in the genre, encountering the work of many contemporary practitioners of the craft, and discuss which subjects lend themselves to these cutting-edge techniques. You will learn about experimental structures, hybrid forms, and nonstandard narrative perspectives, writing one short 500 word vignettes and one 3,000 word essay.

How it works:

Each week provides:

• writing prompts and/or assignments
• discussions of assigned readings and other general writing topics with peers and the instructor
• written lectures and a selection of readings

Some weeks also include:

• opportunities to submit a full-length essay or essays for instructor and/or peer review (up to 3,500 words)
• optional video/tele conferences that are open to all students in Week 2 (and which will be available afterwards as a recording for those who cannot participate)

To create a better classroom experience for all, you are required to participate weekly to receive instructor feedback on your work.

Week 1: Experimental Structures—Breaking the Rules

Most essays proceed in a linear, chronological fashion— And then we did this, and then we did that . Throughout the week, you’ll talk about strategies for deviating from this standard structure in order to dramatize complex, multifaceted stories. Among other things, you’ll discuss nonstandard essay structures, including: fragmented chronology; flashing backwards and flashing forwards; braided storylines; and the bookended essay. You will practice these techniques by writing a 500-word micro-essay that deploys one of these innovative structures.

Week 2: Hybrid Forms—Incorporating Other Genres

Oftentimes essayists forget that you don’t have to rely solely on your memories to construct an essay. The class will overlook the other textual sources that inform your experiences—the assorted testimonies that can be in conversation with your own interpretations of events. During the week, you’ll talk about how your essays can be a collage of other genres, appropriating material from newspaper articles, poems, song lyrics, business brochures, diary entries—whatever—in order to locate the meaning of your experiences. You’ll talk about how these sources can be integrated effectively into your essays.

Week 3: Nonstandard Narrative Perspectives—Letting Go of the First Person

Writing creative nonfiction doesn’t always mean excavating the terrain of the self. There are countless examples of essayists who have done enough research and have taken enough care to tell other people’s stories compellingly and sensitively. This week, you’ll talk about strategies for writing about other people’s experiences. You’ll review narrative perspectives used by fiction writers to animate the lives of your characters—particularly, second-person, third-person-omniscience, and third-person-close—and you’ll discuss ways you can use these perspectives in nonfiction writing. You will also submit a 3,000 word essay this week. The submission should respond to one of the assignment prompts and draw on the lectures and class discussions.

Week 4: Revision—Recalibrating the Methods of Your Experiment

Whenever you use a nontraditional approach, you must make sure that it contributes to the success of your essay. This week, you’ll talk about how you can determine whether the experiments in your essays are necessary and worthwhile, and how you can adjust your approach to best serve the purpose of the piece. You will also share your Week 3 essay with a small group of classmates for Peer Critiques.

Week 5: Publishing

While some experimental structures will offend classical tastes, increasingly these strategies have been accepted by major literary magazines and publishing houses. This week you’ll discuss print venues that are interested in experimental work. The lecture will also talk about matching your aesthetic sensibility with those of the right magazine. More generally, the class will talk about expectations for the submission process, as well as strategies for increasing your chances to land your work in print.

Four ways to structure a nonfiction book

There are multiple ways to structure a nonfiction book. The right structure can be the secret to writing well and quickly. Some writers take years to finish their books, some take months, and some take weeks. Believe it or not, some can even finish their book in a few days .

When you clearly structure a nonfiction, not only will your readers love you, but you’ll boost your credibility as an author who’s written a damn good book.

Yet the most common issues my editing team and I see in our clients’ books are related to structure. Their chapters don’t have a logical flow. They have repeated the same ideas several times throughout the book. They have rambled and gone of on tangents (sometimes for thousands of words at a time). And there are gaping holes in their content – holes their readers will need filled in order to get the most value from their book.

But you’re not a writer, and this is probably your first (if not only) book. Isn’t it expected that your first draft will need a lot of work.

In most cases, yes – you’ll need a good editor to overhaul your draft. However, if you spend the time to structure a nonfiction book properly, you'll know what to include and where. You'll also avoid much of the heartache that can come in rounds of edits and rewrites. Ultimately, you’ll make the writing and editing process easier, faster and cheaper.

So how should you structure a nonfiction book? Here are four of the best structures, as well as some tips to help you decide which is right for you.

1. Structure a nonfiction book: The how-to book

Often structured as X steps to achieve a certain result, in a how-to book you teach your readers how to do something using your unique process. If you own a service business and work with clients or groups, this will probably be a good choice. You'll already have a process you take your clients through to achieve a certain result. (Note: you may not realize you have a process at first. But look deeper and you’ll find the common threads that exist for every client – this is the beginning of your step-by-step process.)

How do you structure a how-to book?

If you’re wondering how to write a how-to book, the good news is that this is the simplest ways to structure a nonfiction book:

• 1 Introduction
• 2 First step
• 3 Second step
• 4 Third step
• 5 Fourth step
• 6 Fifth step
• 8 Conclusion

Start with your introduction, finish with your conclusion, and then each chapter in the middle should cover one of the steps your readers need to complete, or topics they need to address, to achieve the results they want.

How do you organise those chapters?  Check out my other article on chapter structure .

Who does it well?

Some great examples of client how-to books include  Property Prosperity  by  Miriam Sandkuhler , which goes through seven steps to investing like an expert or  Secret Mums’ Business  by  Angela Counsel , which takes mums in business through six steps to create balance in their lives. Some how-to books with a slightly different structure include Elizabeth Gillam’s  Would You Like Profits with That?  and  Adam Hobill’s   Nail It! , which take their readers through broader processes that take place in phases (e.g. Nail It! , which gives you the ins and outs of building a home, takes readers through the Idea Stage, through to the Design, Quote and Build Stages), and each phase is broken up into areas or steps.

2. Structure a nonfiction book:  The essay (aka "thought leadership") book 

Rather than taking readers through a process to achieve a certain result, this book is more persuasive, focusing on making your case for something you believe in. This can be an excellent way to structure a nonfiction book for entrepreneurs who:

• 1 Have a highly customised process that can’t easily be broken into steps.
• 2 Have a highly involved process with many steps that happen at the same time, so they are difficult to explain in a sequence (this often happens with very large corporate projects).
• 3 Work in a field that isn’t widely understood or accepted.

How do you structure an essay book?

Unfortunately, while these books can be very powerful, they are much more challenging to write than how-to books. The reason for this is because the content you include, and how you organise it, is very dependent on your research, meaning it’s less formulaic.

So how do you write an essay book? Here are the major points to cover:

• 1 Discuss the problem facing your industry/society – expanding on this with evidence that demonstrates the prevalence of the problem.
• 2 Introduce your solution to this problem – expanding on this with evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of your solution.
• 3 Introduce your framework at a high level.

To give a client example, Graham Hawkin’s book  The Future of the Sales Profession   is a cross between a thought leadership book and a how-to book – Part 1 shares the history of sales, and how B2B sales professionals have gotten where they are today. Part 2 shares the problems facing the industry – not least of which is a prediction that 20% of B2B sales professionals will find themselves without a job by 2020. And Part 3 gives a high-level overview of Graham’s framework, which teaches readers how they can protect themselves from the impending cull.

Another example of this type of book is Lissa Rankin’s Mind over medicine , which makes the case for the power of the mind to heal our bodies.

3. Structure a nonfiction book: The list book

The bulk of the content in this type of book comes from a collection of elements related to a certain topic. This is a very accessibly type of nonfiction book, especially if you aren’t pushing a strong idea or opinion, like in a thought leadership book. The challenge with this type of book is filling in some content between the list elements to link them together cohesively and add value as the curator and expert author.

How to write a list book

While a list book is a great way to gather a lot of content without needing to write much from scratch, the challenge is that a book where you’ve simply enumerated a list of items doesn’t make the most engaging reading experience.

Your job as the author is to give your readers the information they need in a format that’s easy to digest, and adding context and insight that helps them make productive use of what you're sharing.

I recommend grouping your list items into themes (which can form your chapters), then adding context to each theme through your chapter introductions and conclusions.

What does this look like?

• 1 Write an introduction that shares the main message you want to convey through your book.
• 2 Group your list items into common themes/areas relating to that message.
• 3 Add an introduction to each theme/area explaining what is to come, and a conclusion that gives your reader context about how they can make best use of the list in each chapter.
• 4 Curate the list items so each item is useful and provide enough description and detail about each item for your readers to understand each one, and consider adding call outs and key takeaways so it’s easier for them to find what they need.
• 5 Finish with a conclusion that summarises how the complete collection of items in the book can be used and gives your readers some ideas about where to go from here.

If you’re determined to write a list book, I highly recommend reading Stacey Platt’s What's a Disorganized Person to Do? , which is an example of a list book done well. The book lists "317 Ideas, Tips, Projects, and Lists to Unclutter Your Home and Streamline Your Life", all grouped by room.

4. Structure a nonfiction book: The Parable (including Memoir) book

The parable sounds pretty self-explanatory – it’s just you telling a story, isn’t it? Yes, it is telling a story (perhaps your story, in the case of a memoir), but you need to do it in a way that people will want to read about it.

How to write a parable or memoir people will want to read

Simply, your parable can’t just be a chronology of events. You need to be clear on a single message you want to share or story you want to tell, and share the experiences that are relevant to that message or story.

For the story approach, think of the parable as sharing a single chapter of the hero's life. Ask yourself, when did that chapter begin? When did it end? What did the hero learn along the way, and how will it benefit your readers? Having a container around what you’re going to share will help you stay on track.

For the message approach, you need to be very clear on the message you want to share. Is it about regaining self-love, building a successful business, or adapting to a new culture? Once you are clear on your message, break it into subtopics you want to discuss. Then, for each of those subtopics, think about how you're going to tell the story so that it effectively lands that message.

When it comes to the ‘share a chapter of your life’ approach, one great memoir is Llew Dowley’s  Crazy Mummy Syndrome , which shares her story of postnatal depression, from trying for her first child to raising $10,000 for the Black Dog Institute. Because Llew focused on this single part of her life, rather than her life in general, she ended up with a powerful narrative.

For the message/theme approach, I love  Almost French by Sarah Turnbull. In the book, Sarah shares her experience of meeting a Frenchman in her late 20s and moving to Paris. The main message or theme of the book is adjusting to the new culture and, after a few positioning chapters about the initial move, her chapters each discuss a different area of French life – etiquette, fashion, food, pets and more. In each of those chapters, she shares a number of anecdotes related to the chapter topics, as well as her reflections on the French culture. If you love France or travel stories, I highly recommend it.

Can I mix and match book structures?

Regardless of which book type you choose, the key thing is to pick one type and stick with it – you can’t change your mind halfway through and expect a great result. If you do change your mind and think a different type of book would be better for your business, often it’s better to start again than to try to mould your old content into a new shape.

Now I know what you’re thinking,  can’t I tell a parable in a ‘how to’ book?  or  can’t I use lists in a thought leadership book?

Yes, sometimes content can cross genres. However, the difference is how it’s used. While you might have chapters detailing a particular life experience in your memoir, in your ‘how to’ book it would be a short example used as evidence to illustrate a certain point, rather than going into the same level of depth. Either way, you need to commit to one type of book.

Ready to write your book?

Awesome! This post is based on a chapter from the best-selling books Entrepreneur to Author by Scott A. MacMillan and Book Blueprint  by Jacqui Pretty . Order a copy or download the first two chapters for free at entrepreneurtoauthor.com and grammarfactory.com/bookblueprint .

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