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!

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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

Nonfiction Author's Tip #2

 Book writing is organic (and a little bit magic)!

Writing-in-progress is organic, like children - not static. By the end of a chapter, you may realize the previous chapter needs a lead-in to this one. Or the message you meant to write has shifted and now leads to a different insight or conclusion.

That's wonderful (usually)! Your brain has sprinkled creative writing dust into your pages in for form of additional content!

Yay, Brain!

The same thing can happen to your Table of Contents. At some point, maybe after you've typed the last page, you'll see that's not the most useful, orderly flow of information.

Ah, so you rearrange. Maybe you'll need to alter the first and last paragraphs of some chapters, to create a natural transition to the next one. Than you'll follow your muse and tuck in some cool examples or side stories.

Be excited! You're improving your already *phenomenal* book.

Most writing, fiction and non, short and long presents lively, new information.

<|>  After all, they're our literary children.  <|>

Will "everybody" want to buy your book?

Identify the target audience for your book!

As a consultant and book writing coach, one of the first questions I ask is: who is your target audience? Then I go on to explain that they'll need to identify their target reading audience, the person who will benefit from your insights.

AND NOT "EVERYBODY" WILL FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY!

For nonfiction books, the future readers are usually the buyers, too. So the content, arrangement of information (Table of Contents) and additional information like glossary or resource material need to appeal to the one who's going to curl up in a chair with the book in hand. (Or settle onto a booth at lunch with their e-book version.)

Make a TARGET AUDIENCE list:

       *  Male -- female -- both
       *  Age range
       *  Book shoppers -- yes or no
       *  Primary age range

As you write and promote your book, keep those  in mind. 

If your chapters have clever titles, add matter-of-fact subtitles, like Flying Solo: budgets for the newly single in a personal finance book.

Put yourself in their place in wording some of your sentences. If it's something you learned through trial and error, say so.

That kind of information builds a bond between them and you and isn't that what you had in mind to begin with?

Happy identifying!

Lin

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 ~