Challenges of telling a good story in nonfiction writing

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Nonfiction writing involves storytelling and relies on surprising insights to engage readers. Similar to fiction writing, nonfiction requires planning and structuring the story to lead to a convincing conclusion. Good nonfiction writing involves planting seeds and using headfakes to engage readers. While the thesis of a nonfiction book remains intact, sometimes important chapters may be forgotten and need to be included later. Overall, nonfiction writing combines the process of discovery with a clear understanding of the story's direction.

As a novelist, Jennifer Lynn Barnes has earned acclaim from critics and fans alike – her series The Inheritance Games has sold over a million copies. Before she became a bestselling author, she was a leading researcher in psychology on what draws us to fiction – and how it affects us. Jennifer and Adam discuss the psychology of reading and writing, fiction and fandom, and the role of imagination in the stories we love most. Then a special guest co-host (Adam’s daughter!) asks Jennifer about creativity, her favorite characters, and what makes a piece of writing original. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts