Sometimes, nonfiction writing gets the bad rap of being boring. People may think that a book meant to present information can’t possibly be that interesting or engaging. However, it is absolutely possible to write gripping and enthralling nonfiction that leaves the reader desperately turning the pages and then wanting more once they’re finished reading.
Learning how to write an introduction that hooks the reader and a conclusion that keeps the reader thinking after they’ve finished the book is key. When you can get the reader to keep going and leave them craving more, you have written a nonfiction title that not only presented information, but did it in a way that was incredibly enticing!
What are some strategies you can use to write an introduction that hooks the reader into reading more of your nonfiction book?
1. Make the reader care about the subject matter.
A great way to ensure people keep reading your nonfiction book is to make them really, truly care about the subject matter. Find ways to make the reader care about what you’re discussing and the points you’re making. When a reader cares about what you’re saying, they’re going to feel themselves craving more information. Whether you appeal to their intellect, emotions, or self-interest, finding ways to make the reader personally care about the topic ensures that they will keep reading to learn more.
2. Use the word “you” somewhere in your introduction to make a personal connection with the reader.
A person is more likely to connect with something that they feel is “speaking” to them. In the context of your nonfiction book, this can be achieved by using a more personable writing style – for example, writing in the second person can help the reader feel like you are speaking directly to them. This kind of personal connection helps them relate to what you’re saying because it feels like you’re telling it specially to them.
3. Present some particularly enthralling statistics to pique the reader’s interest.
Another fantastic way to start your nonfiction book off strong is to include some particularly enthralling statistics about the topic in the introduction. When faced with factual, statistical information that is surprising – or even downright shocking – a person’s curiosity is piqued, making them want to continue reading. However, make sure the statistics and facts you’re using to do this are indeed relevant and factual to the book’s overall topic. If your statistics or facts are too shocking or outlandish, they may be just that…shocking and outlandish.
4. Get your main point across clearly within your introduction.
A reader is more likely to be hooked into reading more if they understand exactly what your book is going to discuss and explore. Don’t bury the lead – instead, get your main point across clearly in your nonfiction book’s introduction, leaving no guesswork about what your book is going to discuss.
5. Ask the reader some thought-provoking questions that are directly tied to the nonfiction book’s subject matter.
Thought-provoking questions are another great way to kickstart a reader’s curiosity. If you ask some thought-provoking questions in the introduction, you’re going to get the reader thinking because they’ll want to explore those questions and find answers for them.
6. Include some real-life examples or detailed anecdotes to help the reader contextualize what the nonfiction book is going to explore.
Taking your nonfiction book’s subject matter and connecting it to the real world is a fantastic way to hook a reader into reading more. Taking the subject matter of your book and connecting it to real-life situations and anecdotes is an excellent way to interest readers because it puts your nonfiction book’s topic into perspective for them.
What are some strategies you can use to write a conclusion that makes your nonfiction book memorable?
1. Appeal to your readers’ emotions.
Making your readers feel something at the end of your book is a good way to ensure that they remember the book long after they finish reading it. Human emotions are strong, and if you can appeal to your readers’ emotions through your subject matter, they will likely remember the information you shared quite clearly.
2. Issue some sort of “challenge” for readers to take the information they gleaned from your nonfiction book and use it.
Challenging your readers to use the information shared in your nonfiction book is another great way to make your conclusion memorable. Some topics naturally lend themselves for “calls to action” – for example, challenging readers to care more about the environment after exploring climate change in your nonfiction book is a great way to help them remember why the topic is so important.
3. Make sure you’re synthesizing your nonfiction book’s main points rather than merely summarizing them.
A good conclusion should not merely summarize what was discussed – it should draw it all together to create some greater meaning. Make sure your conclusion relates your main points altogether to reconnect to your main topic. It helps put the information in a usable context for readers, making it far more likely that they’ll remember why your information is important and why they should care about it.
4. Revisit your nonfiction book’s main point in the conclusion.
While you don’t want to merely summarize your nonfiction book’s main points in the conclusion, it is important to briefly revisit it as you synthesize everything together. This little reminder of the book’s main point is good for packaging and presenting the entire book neatly to the reader as they prepare to finish it, making it more likely that they’ll remember your key points and why they’re important afterward.
5. Help your readers imagine what the future can look like with the information your nonfiction book presented as part of the context.
Remind your readers that the information from your nonfiction book doesn’t necessarily end there. For example, if your nonfiction book explores a facet of history, make connections to the present and future for them. Realizing that your nonfiction book’s topic and information doesn’t end on the last page of the book is a great way to ensure that they will remember it long after they finish reading. Helping readers realize that nonfiction books are collections of real, relevant, and meaningful information makes them far more memorable.
6. Ask rhetorical questions to help your readers keep thinking about your nonfiction book’s points, information, and context in their own lives.
Being able to connect the information and topics presented in a nonfiction book to your own life is a major way to ensure that you’ll continue thinking about it after the book ends. As soon as information becomes personally relevant to your own life, you are far more likely to remember it. It will also make it easier to apply the information into real-world context.
Asking some rhetorical questions is a good way to make these kinds of connections happen between the information you presented and the readers. As readers read the rhetorical questions and begin contemplating them for themselves, they will begin to see how the information applies to themselves and the world around them, making it far more likely that they’ll think about it often.
I hope you found these quick tips helpful in crafting your intriguing intro and compelling conclusion!