Six Things You Need to Write a Non-Fiction Book: Part 1

Non-fiction literature represents the majority of man’s contribution to the collective body of written material in existence. Though a lot of non-fiction consists of old records, minutes of meetings, and technical documentation, it can also tell an amazing personal story, give self-help advice, or take us on a journey through space and time. The only difference between fiction and non-fiction is fact; in one genre fact is superfluous, in the other, fundamental.

Writing a non-fiction book can be both a joy and a struggle. The process involves a great deal of research and refining to get just the right information for a very specific audience…hopefully with a style and voice interesting enough to be memorable.

Once you’ve written your book, publishing it can be a daunting task. At a traditional publishing house, there are many factors to consider when choosing a manuscript to accept. Much of the deliberation is over the marketability of any given title…in other words, how well it will sell. Once a book is chosen, a team of people is usually assigned to design and edit it, send it to the printer, and then get it into readers’ hands using creative marketing and promotion strategies. If you decide to be both the author and publisher of the book, you’ll have to learn how to wear all of these hats.

In this free video guide to writing a work of non-fiction, discover how to take your idea from proposal to print. Our expert, a published writer, and author of How to Write a Nonfiction Book: From Concept to Completion in 6 Months, gives you exhaustive step-by-step advice. Tips include what you need before you write a non-fiction book, how to create a proposal, doing thorough research, overcoming writer’s block, choosing a publisher, and marketing your book.