WHAT'S YOUR NONFICTION CATEGORY & TOPIC?

Logically, "nonfiction" refers to that which is factual.

The judge wants to hear nonfiction, not fiction from the witness stand.

But generally a writer is referring to the kind of information (topic) and how it will be presented. A book about birdhouses might be image-dense with color photos or an instructional "How To Build a Birdhouse" book.

So just in case you're bouncing around your office with way too many ideas or pawing the ground for anything AT ALL, allow me to suggest...

PRACTICAL STRUCTURE

* How To Build a Birdhouse

* Fermented Vegetable Recipes

* Vegan Nutrition

* Patio Pot Gardening

* What You'll Need to Live on Your Own

* Naming Your Computer Files So You Can Find Them Later!

* Maximizing Profit from Your Own Comb Binding Machine

INFORMATIONAL

Today's Google makes research simple now. Between your own experience and the information from serveral *reliable* websites, your writing can shine with wisdom, practicality and smiles~

* The History of Ferris Wheels

* The Fur Traders on the Mid-Mississippi

* Preparing Your Child for Pre-School

* Make Your Garage Sale SPECIAL!

* Everyday Budget ($$$) Savers

Yes, there's overlap between Practical Structure and Informational. But like everything in this business, it's all in how you present it!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

My book "The Many Faces of Journaling: Topics & Techniques of Personal Journal Writing" is packed with information on how to boost the quality of writing content -- useful for the professional writer as well as the personal journaler!

Happy Writing!

NEXT TIME: Personal Experience Books

PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES

Professional Writing Techniques
Part 3 of 3

And a few last tweaking tips to better please your readers~

8. Include an occasional quotation or statistic. 

    Such additions to your text add variety, wisdom and depth to your words, as well as wisdom from a known authority. State the source of all your statistics.

QUOTATION     "Today, growing your global markets has never been easier. With recent advancements in technology, any small- to medium-sized company can grow its business in international markets." 

from Grow Your Global Markets: A Handbookfor Successful Market Entry

by Raymond A. Hopkins

STATISTIC

     "According to a report released by the Pew Research Center, 68% of Americans are on Facebook."

from How Floor DealersCan Beat the Boxes Online

by Jim Augustus Armstrong

9. Use – but don’t overuse – well-known slang or colloquial expressions.

     In nonfiction as well as fiction, a light scattering of such colorful words will go a long way. Really -- how many time do you think we need to read Y'all, before we get it! Too much sounds trite.

And unless you're writing an "adults only" book, be cautious about sexually suggestive slang or derogatory expressions.

10. Condense, but don’t stretch the content. 

      Judicious condensing (tightening the writing) of a paragraph or sentence can be done in ways that keep the meaning clear and eliminate unnecessary words.

Sometimes we string together a series of descriptive, short phrases that would "read" much better if they were combined using one or two specific words that incorporate the phrase descriptions.

However, stretching your content to fill more space always dilutes the message and looks like lazy writing. Your readers will catch on to “word fill” without any trouble and either be bored or so very annoyed!

11. Always ignore MSWord’s corrections except for spelling — usually.
      So often they are dead wrong! And copying their mistake will NOT exonerate you from using it!

That's all the pro tips for now, friends. But you know, deep down, that I'll soon be back with more~

(Yes, I know... that picture plays with my brain, too!)

Happy writing,

Lin

Writing Workbooks & Handbooks

Versatility of Comb- or Wire-Bound Handbooks

Short workbook and handbooks include topics like class exercise and notes, how-to short handbooks and guidelines. Yes, they're all nonfiction books and they all help and guide your readers!

Have you written a book, any articles, workshop or class scripts or other factual, information and guidance pieces? That's either print, e-book, blog posts, handouts and worksheets for those classes.

You've already written the basics, BUT your mind has a lot more details to share!

YOU CAN BUILD ON, FURTHER DEVELOP & EXPLAIN

             with the workbook and handbooks.

I've written several, including:

• News Releases X 4 Handbook: 4 different kinds of news releases to boost your visibility and sales
        This was based on my experience and workshops I gave on the topic.
• Guidelines for Writing Your Nonfiction Book (currently being updated)
         Based on the many workshops I've given on the topic.

• Examples of Front and Back Matter (in your books)
         Based on creating that material for 8 of my own books.

• Publisher's Press Kit? Instructions & Worksheets  (currently being updated)
• Writing Your Family History (currently being updated)

Since I have a plastic comb binder in my office, I print and bind these in-house. But you can print them at home or take your computer file to a local print shop and ask them to bind them.

OR you can offer them on your blog or website as pdf. files!

These books are filled with practical, use-now information and can either be sold or used as free incentives to encourage people to sign up for a workshop, coaching, or other services you may offer.

Naturally, you can also use them as workbooks for your classes.

Practical, versatile and actually easy to write after you've had experience on the topic.

Enjoy!

Inside Pages of a "Short Book"

Let's look inside a business-oriented Short Book~

10 Effective Ways to
Promote Your Seminar

The short book mentioned in the previous blog, 10 Effective Ways to Promote Your Seminar by Linda C. Senn (me), ©1998, had 48 inside pages:

Front Matter included copyright page and table of contents followed by the text pages and then a couple of back matter pages announcing a forthcoming book.

That was the 1st and last time 

I designed my own book cover!

The contents of the first inner page included a brief author biography, tiny acknowledgment, title, copyright, an "all rights reserved..." notice with publisher's mailing address.

                   <> The Table of Contents shows a variety of useful information <>

1. Brochures
2. Flyers
3. Testimonials & Endorsements
4. News Releases
5. Event Exposure
6. Articles
7. Newsletters
8. Electronic Media
9. Joint Promotions
10. Networking

Most computer word programs offer a template for 2-page-per-sheet document creation.

Being an optimist, I had w-a-y too many copies printed and bound (stapled), but when I opened the shipment, I was beyond excited. The cover is card-stock (heavy) weight and the printing is highest quality.

I sold a few copies, learned a great deal (including how much I still didn't know!), and now usually create these "in house" except for the heavier weight, color cover. 

• Covers are produced in color, on heavy card stock at a local printer.
• Inner pages are printed on my wonderful HP laser printer.



Strengths and Attributes of Mineral,
Plant & Animal Spirit Helpers

• They're "bound" by a heavy duty, deep-jaw stapler.

Short Books have as many purposes as your imagination can come up with.  Anytime you want an 8 1/2 " x 5 1/2" bundle of information-packed pages that can be produced economically, consider this approach.

Think about information about...

• your business for new clients, 
• a mini-workbook for your workshops, 
• a reference for terms, 
• symbolism, 
• idea stimulators, 
• short meditations, 

...and other short reference books.

The 28 page book on the right, Strengths and Attributes of Mineral, Plant & Animal Spirit Helpers by LCS, ©2002, 28 pages, was completely produced in my office*.The heavenly turquiose is simply 24# bond paper. This wasn't mean for bookstore sale and appeals to a small target market. So I offered it when I taught a related workshop. That's where the information was most useful and appreciated! 

* Sale of anything produced 100% by you in your office is virtually pure profit!

Next time, we'll look at the extraordinary range of uses for plastic comb-bound or wire bound books.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰💥 Coming soon!    A SURVEY on...  

Where are you in the whole book writing process
& what kinds of information would you value most from me?

What does a "book" look like?

What's your mental picture of "a book"?

Soft cover 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Your Pocket Divorce Guide

First, most people think of a paperback (a.k.a. soft cover), then of a hard bound, textbook-like object. The minimum depth would be 1/2" with a seriously professional cover design.

I don't have a graphic of bits & bytes, but mentally we'd include audio books.

Nothing else qualifies!

You may think (!) that if you plan to write "a book," you need to create one of those.

But wait!

Comb-Bound Handbook
Add Pizzazz to Your Books

What about the 8 ½" x 11" HANDBOOKS and WORKBOOKS? Plastic comb-bound or wire bound, they're handy, useful and certainly don't need to be 1/2" thick. 

And SHORT BOOKS? Are you familiar with the 8 ½" x 5 ½" half-size short book that's "saddle stitched"? They're still called that, because in the olden days, the pages were literally stitched together at the center fold of an 8 ½" x 11" size sheet of paper. 

48 pg. Short Book
10 Effective Ways
to Promotes Your Seminar

This short book started life as a tri-fold brochure but then kept growing! I'll be writing more about it in the blog-future.

For this one, published in 1998, I was both author and cover designer. (I never made that mistake again!) But it was packed with 48 pages of useful information.

So you see, even in print versions, there's variety in style and production of our books. At least one of your local print shops can print and bind the handbooks in either plastic comb or wire binding, as well as the half-size short bookswhich are not stapled in the center instead of "stitched."

Many of us have valuable information to share, but we know instinctively that the standard hard- or soft-binding are quite the right form for sharing it. These options give us lots of room for useful layout and creativity!

Enjoy ~

All First Drafts are "Rotten" -- Even Yours

Actually, Ann Lamott's richly insightful book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life says "shitty first drafts."

Most prose professionals agree on a few basic rules for writing a nonfiction book:

• Select topic
• Create Table of Contents listing the primary chapters of your book
• Write the book
• Rearrange the chapters as many times as necessary for flow of information
• Write "The End" at the end

You will have resisted the urge to stop and edit each page as you go, but have mostly kept writing in the interest of honoring your "conversation with the reader." 

But the self-edit comes after you finish that beautiful first draft.

          Next *DO NOT SHIP IT OFF TO AN EDITOR.* 

Your rough collection of words isn't quite ready for prime time.

Then too, it might cost more if the editor has to struggle through confusing pronouns and verb tenses.

Let the manuscript sit for a few days to cool off and allow your mind to rest. Then read a chapter, go back and make corrections and notes for change, and just circle (or underline) typos, misspellings and punctuation errors.

Go through the whole book, one chapter at a time, noting the flow and pace of information and evenness of voice, tone and writing style, making any changes that will improve the quality.

Type the corrections, smile, do a little happy dance and send it off to whichever professional book editor you've connected with. 

And celebrate!

 

     

The Nonfiction Books I've Written, Part 2

The Nonfiction Books I've Written: Turn of the Century Tidbits

Outside Book Research

Research is no stranger to nonfiction writers. Whether you're on a quest for fresh information, want to double check old notes or find yourself following a trail of irresistible hot links, Google is at your fingertips. But 25 years ago it was the library or live experts.

The Health section of the book produced more questions than insights! Luckily, the pharmacist at the local Glaser drug store not only answered all my questions, but also mixed 8 ounces of Rose Water for me to try in the cookie recipe.

When I questioned the use of mustard plasters, he explained the principle of counter-irritants. If you put one of those on the angry bruise, the nerve endings will be too busy feeling fried to notice the pain from the wound.

That good man also translated for me: by "sweet oil" the author meant olive oil. "Limewater" is a solution of calcium hydroxide & water. Paregoric and laudanum, both opium derivatives, were freely recommended. (The Food & Drug Administration wasn't created until 1938.)

About that time, the neighborhood Book House owner received the collections from a couple of old estates, and I bought more books from that era. The research then was into the what's and how-to's of social entertaining, from an elegant, 12-course dinner to a children's Halloween party. One had directions for clever ways to fold the napkins. (They were fun!)

The research needed for each of my books has been different, sometimes involving more interviews than books or computers. But, honestly, it may be my very favorite part of the process!

I'll never outgrow being the little kid who's full of questions ~