Sharp Storytelling—More than Just Fiction – Tracy Crump

I am so happy that Tracy Crump has joined us again at the Storyteller Squad. Tracy is going to give us some great tips for writing nonfiction and tell us about her devotional book that releases June 1, 2021

Sharp storytelling skills are only important for fiction, right?

Not in my experience. I’ve published thirty anthology stories, scores of articles, and more than a hundred devotions and found that those same techniques enhance many kinds of writing.

Anthologies

Take Chicken Soup for the Soul®, for instance. They only publish true, inspirational stories (not even creative nonfiction allowed), but “true” does not mean a dull recitation of events.

Each Chicken Soup story creates a mini-novel and uses the same elements of any good story: action, dialogue, conflict, and resolution. Start with action to draw the reader in. Paint vivid pictures drawing on all the senses to create emotion and drama. Choose strong nouns and verbs, follow the mantra of “show, don’t tell,” and devise original figures of speech. Then “wrap it up with a bow,” as a friend often says. Chicken Soup editors even specify these practices in their guidelines. Telling a good story is key for them.

Articles

But surely we don’t use storytelling in magazine or newspaper articles. If we want to connect with our audience, we do. The best articles draw in readers with a story before moving into points about a particular topic. I’ve written about everything from animals at a wildlife center to a dad mercilessly teasing his children and from my work as a nurse to my days as a homeschool mom. Stories segued into discussions about internet safety, the incidence of deer/vehicle collisions, and a variety of other subjects. They could have been dead-dry articles, but the stories piqued readers’ interest so they craved more information.

Devotions

Strong storytelling fulfills an important role in devotion writing, too. Though writers may retell biblical accounts, the vast majority of devotions commence with a personal story. Either way, the same methods that make fiction pop bring a situation or character from the Bible to life. They also give readers a peek into our own lives, showing them how similar we are. Hooking the readers’ interest and making that all-important connection gain us the trust we need to discuss deeper spiritual issues.

In my book, Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness, I tapped into experiences from my work as an ICU nurse and as a caregiver for family and friends. Each devotion painted a funny or touching scene and related it to a biblical principle. The biggest challenge, of course, was keeping word counts to a minimum. Sticking to a theme for each devotion and writing tight helped me focus on only the part of the story needed to bring God’s message to the forefront.

Before you tackle a whole book, try honing your storytelling skills on shorter pieces in various venues. You may just find that novel got a little bit easier to write.

Great tips, Tracy!

• Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness, by Tracy Crump, releases June 1, 2021 but is available for preorder on Amazon.

I am very excited about this book. I’m sure it will bring God’s comfort to many people.

Thank you, Tracy, for visiting The Storyteller Squad.

BIO: Former ICU nurse Tracy Crump dispenses hope in her new book, Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness (CrossLink Publishing). Her writing has appeared in diverse publications, including Woman’s World, Focus on the Family, The Upper Room, and Guideposts books. Best known for publishing 22 stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her course on writing for the series is one of Serious Writer’s best sellers, and her popular newsletter includes story callouts. Tracy co-directs Write Life Workshops, speaks at conferences, proofreads for Farmers’ Almanac, and edits for private clients. But her most important job is grandma to four completely unspoiled grandchildren. Connect with Tracy through https://linktr.ee/TracyCrump.