Connect the Dots: Why the Non-fiction Writer Should Connect Everything

As in the fiction story, non-fiction allows for the ideas to meet the page. We can write down ten ideas and put them all into one article. We can choose five of the ten and write separate articles. As long as the non-fiction writer remembers to connect the dots (in other words, connect all the important points) they are relatively free to do what they want with a story. This article is less about putting five or ten ideas into one piece, and more about finding ways to connect several ideas within one article, essay, or book.

Fiction writers are told to find a theme for their stories, and stick to it. The same is the case with the non-fiction writer. The journalist should not shove a bunch of ideas into one piece, because there usually is not room. But the essayist can play with their ideas just as much as their language. The feature article writer needs to balance the ideas, focus the piece in other words, if they seek publication. Connecting the dots is important, because jump around will lead to either the editors denying the piece, or the readers putting it down.

There is no reason for either the editor or the reader to be confused by a piece. The writer should find the general idea first, fiction writers call it theme, and see which ideas apply to that. If we are writing a history article on one battle, we can refresh the readers minds on previous battles, and how each fight changed the war. This is a good example because we are applying each idea the main focus of the piece. We could be writing an opinion piece as well, for a magazine or newspaper. We can bring up various topics and relate them to the main thesis.

There is nothing wrong with any of this. We will need a thesis, and we can apply everything else to it. The fiction writer has more worries because the non-fiction essayist can play on just about anything, even in a single article. Fiction has more freedom on one hand, but the non-fiction piece is usually shorter, and so, will take less time. We can have ten articles written by the time the fiction writer connects the dots on his or her short story.

The advantages are there. Once we connect our main points together, we find the article flows well. We need to be weary of a piece jumping around. The novelist can discuss many things, but the non-fiction writer should consider separating each idea into a separate articles. Connect the dots and watch what happens.