A Guide on How to Write a Nonfiction Book: Step-by-Step Guide for Self Published Authors. Self publish your book on five continents.
A nonfiction novel depicts the real historical characters and events combined with some fictitious conversations. A nonfiction story takes careful planning before you start writing. Writing a nonfiction book is a lengthy process. However, if you plan strategically, you can become a nonfiction book author within a couple of months. You should possess high self-motivation and self-dedication to sustain yourself as an author.
What is a Nonfiction Book?
A nonfiction book is based on facts such as authentic events, places, and people. Nonfiction books include biography, memoir, business, health, religion, science, cooking, and beyond. Unlike fiction books, nonfiction books are real, and nonfiction books are written to educate or inform the reader about a certain topic, concept, or event.
Steps Involved in Writing a Nonfiction Book
Now that you have an idea of what a nonfiction book is before you start writing lay the groundwork and be informed of the entire process.
Step 1: Prepare Your Mindset and Be Clear and What You Write
Before you begin your writing journey:
- Prepare your mindset in the first place.
- Be clear on what you want the reader to know and the kind of impact you expect the reader to have after reading your book.
- Choose whether you want to share a story that will inspire the readers or if you want to explain an event or topic you are passionate about.
Step 2: Have an understanding of the Subgenre of the Nonfiction You Are Planning to Write.
Now that -you have decided to write a nonfiction book, the next step is to choose the genre you are planning to write. Nonfiction books belong to different subgenres. They are of two types – Narrative nonfiction and Expository nonfiction.
Narrative nonfiction: Narrative nonfiction tells a story. Unlike fiction, the stories belonging to the narrative nonfiction category are true like memoir, autobiography, and biography.
Expository nonfiction: Expository nonfiction is about showing and not telling. In this category, a topic is explained and less focused on narrating like textbooks and self-help books.
Step 3: Choose the Structure for Your Book
There are different types of plot structures that can be used in a nonfiction book. They are,
The Traditional Three-Act Structure
In this plot structure, the story is narrated in chronological order. The story starts with the beginning of the set-up act. The beginning involves introducing the protagonist and slowly describing the event that sets the hero’s story in movement. The middle part is the confrontation act that describes the hero’s journey and the barriers and characters they come across along the way. An antagonist is introduced in the middle part. The final or the end part is a resolution act. Here the protagonist and antagonist have a face-off, and then the climate is built.
Manipulating Time in Writing
In this structure, the story starts somewhere in the middle of the protagonist’s journey and then uses flashbacks to tell the readers how it all began. This structure is about moving forward to future happenings and then goes back to a beginning point in time.
The Circular Structure
In this structure, the plot starts with the climax and then gradually comes to an end. The story then goes back to the starting and the middle, describing what led to this final event. Once the beginning and middle part of the story is covered, the climax is reiterated.
The Parallel Structure
In this structure, the author will be telling two or more stories at the same time. Each story has its beginning, middle, and climax. You can either write the stories together or separately within the same book. However, it would help if you tied them together in the end.
Step 4: Plan and Draft an Outline
Once you have decided the structure, you want your book to have, write down the main parts of the book structure. For instance, you must decide the story’s beginning, middle, and climax if you have chosen narrative style. In expository nonfiction, you will have to note down the main points you want to include in the book. An outline is essentially a guide to begin your book; however, when you are in the middle of writing, you may come across something that you have not thought of before and can include them as well.
Embark on Your Writing Journey
Once you have an outline drafted, choose the style guide to ensure consistency in your writing. Now it’s the time to put your ideas on a computer or paper. Get rid of all the distractions and uncertainties and get writing! Writat.com helps writers to publish their Non-Fiction and sell across the globe in 80 countries.
