Absolutely… to a certain extent. Fiction emphasizes creativity and imagination in order to construct believable characters, dialogue and plot. Nonfiction prepares you to write other elements of the novel, such as, narrative, description, or scene, and to blend them together seamlessly into a story. Nonfiction writing also prepares you for novel writing when you want to add layers or to increase the depth of your scenes.
However, if you pour too much of your nonfiction skills into your novel, it will take control of your fiction elements. I am guilty of making this mistake. Here are some symptoms to look out for when nonfiction writing has invaded your novel:
- When the narrative is excessively detailed with long descriptions and burdened with information not relevant to the plot;
- When your characters’ dialogue is spoken in complete and perfect sentences. Correct grammar is essential, but in writing fiction, a character who talks in occasional fragments will be more memorable and convincing than one who does not;
- The scene is too slow, like molasses, although the characters are in the middle of a fight, or arguing with each other. The scene is written in long-winded sentences, instead of fragments or short sentences, describing the action;
- Your characters take notice of and report every detail of the setting while they are in the midst of making an important or urgent decision, and
- The overall story is boring due to its perfectly written style—like academic writing.
Having the ability to write nonfiction, will influence how you write your fiction, especially your characters’ voice. Tread cautiously and be aware when you write narratives with too much detail. When writing a novel, focus on your creativity and less on factual matters. Your ability to distinguish between these two helps you to create a novel with three dimensional characters and vibrant and unforgettable scenes.
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