4 Ways to Start Your Nonfiction Book with Conflict

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

We all want a happy ending. But no life reaches a happy ending without some conflict. That’s why we need novels and nonfiction books. We want to see someone overcome the odds and win the victory, find their true love, or solve the crime. We want to find proven answers to real-life problems. And so we read. We investigate. We learn, and we grow.

Conflict is key to hooking our readers’ attention. If you’re writing a nonfiction book, you’re tackling an issue your target audience is facing. They’ll want to know what solution you offer to the struggle they’re having. So start your book with some conflict. In your introduction, show the problem you’re offering a solution to. You can do that with one of the four ways listed below. Talk to the reader as a friend, and offer hope.

Here are some tips for how to use conflict to start your book.

1. Make a contrast.

Share a goal (or an ideal) and then explore obstacles to that goal. Life is full of obstacles, but God doesn’t leave us without resources and help. Plus, He is our greatest resource to help us overcome the problems of life. When you start your book, contrast what you want the reader to shoot for and the obstacles that get in the way.

2. Ask a question.

Asking a question helps your book to have a conversational tone and to get the reader interested in what you’re saying. Start with something like: “Have you ever (tried to do this), but (this obstacle) hindered you?” Or, “Have you ever wanted to (do this), but you ended up (doing that)?” Phrase your question so that the reader can say, “Yes, that’s true,” or “Yes, I’ve been there.”

3. Share a personal story.

Readers need to know that you’ve been there too, that you’ve endured the kind of conflict you’re writing about and you’ve come to the other side (or you’re working on it). Share a story that stays on topic and illustrates the kind of conflict your book covers. Let them feel your struggle and your desire to break free or find relief. Don’t share too much personal detail that focuses on yourself, but tell enough to let them know you’re a veteran of this conflict. The advice and wisdom you share has been used (by you) and proven sound.

4. Use startling statistics.

Numbers and percentages can show that a problem is real and desperately needs to be addressed. However, when we start a book with conflict, we want to be sensitive to the struggles people face. So avoid using statistics or stories that shock. Instead, use them as a wake up call for action and so your readers know they aren’t the only ones facing this problem.

Think of the topic of your nonfiction book. Which of these four ways best suits it? 

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Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies, a ministry which seeks to connect people to God through His Word. She has taught the Bible to women and teens, and has published two Bible studies on winning life’s spiritual battles. Her newest release, Breaking the Chains, is a compilation on how to overcome spiritual bondage. Katy is also an editor and a designer of Refresh Bible Study Magazine. She makes her home near Atlanta, Georgia.