Solving the puzzle | Nicole Pope

Coming up with a brilliant idea for a book marks the beginning of an exciting creative journey. But it is just the start.

Fleshing out the initial theme and fitting its component parts into a well-structured outline is the next challenge. This is where many aspiring authors flounder. They struggle to connect the dots and feel overwhelmed.

It doesn’t have to be that way. When I worked as a journalist, conveying information effectively, usually under heavy pressure to meet a tight deadline, never felt easy, but it was a skill that I developed over time. For me, the trick was to identify how I would start my story. Once I had the first sentence or paragraph ready, I held the thread that would bring together all the pieces of information in my article.

Writing a nonfiction book involves a similar process, although authors have to juggle with larger amounts of research, interviews, notes, stories and facts.

But, fear not, there are ways to make this process easier. Planning before you start writing can save you a lot of energy and frustration. And it does not stiffle creativity. On the contrary, having a sense of direction will make the writing easier. Besides, you remain free to explore new avenues later on.

Brain dump

I encourage my clients who are having difficulties organizing the elements of the book to start by making a list of the facts, opinions, scenes, anecdotes they would like to fit into their book – in short, I suggest a “brain dump”.
Then, we sift through the pieces together to sort them out. Some elements may stray too far from the main theme, even if they are fascinating tangents, personal stories or passages you’ve been carrying for years. They may need to be left out.
For each element, consider:
- Does this contribute to the readers’ understanding of your core message?
- Would removing this weaken your central argument?

If the answer isn’t a clear “yes”, they won’t be needed in this book. Eliminating them may feel harsh, especially if you’re writing memoir and these are personal stories, but the closer you remain to your core theme, the more powerful your message will be.

You don’t have to give these elements up forever. I always keep a folder where I store sections of writing or ideas that ended up on the cutting floor. In most cases, I’ve never gone back to look at them or re-used them, but knowing they were accessible made it easier to cut them out.

Assembling the pieces

After this first process of elimination, the next step is to fit the remaining pieces together. Think of it as a big jigsaw puzzle.
Colorful post-it notes can replace the puzzle pieces. Assign specific elements (facts, narrative points, arguments, examples) a separate note and pin them to a board or wall. You can try different combinations, play with your notes, and move them around, until you find links that connect them. If some elements don’t belong to this book, leave them out rather than try to fit them in at all costs. Focus is important. Don’t dilute your core theme!
Some writers find that a tactile approach unlocks their creative potential. Physical arrangements engage different cognitive skills. If you don’t have a free wall or a large board, you can engage in a similar exercise digitally. Tools like the Scrivener cork board or other apps were designed specifically to replicate this experience as closely as possible.
This exercise may reveal gaps that you will need to fill: additional research on aspects of your topic, interviews to be conducted, or even field research to add color to your writing.

While using the post-its on your board to create a chapter outline, consider the flow of the narrative. Does each chapter ending lead seamlessly to the beginning of the next chapter? The narrative arc running through your book relies on a natural progression through the chapters.
As you examine the draft content of each chapter, ask yourself a key question: have you imparted all the information in each chapter that your readers will need to grasp the message contained in the next chapter.

The big picture

The process of developing the right structure for a book can be messy, but it is a fascinating exercise.

You’re building the scaffolding that will support your story. Keep going back to the core message – your initial idea – until you feel you have a cohesive narrative (it’s a good idea to keep it pinned above the post-it notes as a reminder).

You’ll probably notice that shifting some elements or chapters can strengthen or weaken a particular argument. Through the process of moving elements until they find their place, you’ll gradually gain thematic clarity.

At first, the disparate elements make no sense. But, as more pieces of the puzzle fit into place, a clear image – the narrative arc of your book – will emerge.

Finally, keep in mind that this outline provides a roadmap that will enable you to get started with a strong sense of direction. But remain open to following new leads or changing your core argument if you feel the elements in your possession do not support it your initial idea. Consider how you can tweak the narrative if needed. That’s what creativity is all about!

Why don’t you try it? Set a timer and spend 20 minutes listing ideas you’d want to include in your memoir or nonfiction book.

Get your ideas out of your head and pour them all out on the page without editing yourself. The result will surprise you!