Everything You Write Is A Story

I often use the word "story" when referring to one's writing. Admittedly, I often think of one's writing as a traditional fictional prose narrative, but in a sense, everything you write is a story.

Standard fiction and creative nonfiction are functionally the same. These are stories. But really, all nonfiction is a story of sorts. A biography has to be compelling; it is more than a collection of facts. Anything short of a scientific report should be a compelling story (why else would anybody read it?). And, even within scientific reports, you are still telling a story. There is an introduction where we learn players and setting and struggles. There is a journey. There is a moment of truth, and there is a conclusion. The Scientific Method is the same as the storytelling method.

Keep this in mind when you write, no matter what you write: You are telling a story. You need to be interesting. You need to lead people from sentence to sentence, thought to thought. You probably have a point to make and that's fine. Make your point, but don't make it a chore.

Yes, every genre will have its own nuances, but the principles remain the same. Good storytelling is good storytelling. So, if you are writing something, tell a good story.