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How to Write
Non-Fiction Books
Updated:
Writing non-fiction books
is a natural progression for many article writers. The
subjects covered by both are closely related; many would say
identical, with the only obvious difference being the actual length
of the work.
A great many non-fiction books come within the 'How to Do It'
category. 'How To Sell Your House Without an Estate Agent',
and 'How to Trace Your Ancestors', are recent examples. Other
types are those dealing with local history, biographical accounts of
famous people, studies of parts of the world or its peoples, and a
host of topics which do not fall within the realms of the more
fantasy-based world of fiction writing.
Obviously, in starting out in this area of writing, it is preferable
to begin with a topic in which you have specialised knowledge,
perhaps one forming the basis of many of your articles, or a pet
hobby or subject you might not necessarily have written much about,
but with which you have kept constantly up-to-date.
Consider first whether you do in fact have sufficient material to
fill a book, by writing an overall synopsis and a brief description
for each individual chapter. If you feel confident that what
you have is worthy of a book, now is the time to look for a
publisher. Look through 'Writers' and Artists' Yearbook',
and study the requirements of individual publishers.
Then make a list of those that seem suitable for your proposed
venture and send details to one of them, outlining your proposals in
letter form, with a brief synopsis of the book, details of the
chapters you propose including, and a few sample chapters you have
already written. Enclosing sample chapters is particularly important
for writers new to this field, and is necessary to convince the
publisher of your writing ability.
Send a stamped addressed envelope for the return of your documents
in the event the publisher isn't interested, and then continue to
approach other publishers in the same way, until you find one who
does like your work. Remember, a refusal does not mean your work is
inadequate. It may be the publisher already has something similar
planned, or else has completed his quota of books in the category to
which yours belongs. Don't be disheartened, for once you have one
non-fiction book behind you the road ahead is infinitely easier to
travel, and many article writers become almost exclusively writers
of non-fiction books and manuals.
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