How to Write a Nonfiction Book By Deborah Froese
Part I: Find Your Core Message
Step 3: Review
If your bucket list includes writing a nonfiction book but you aren’t sure how to begin, this four-part series is for you. Consider it a basic roadmap. The signposts or steps along the way will lead you to your destination, but don’t be afraid to take detours, explore, and even backtrack. After all, it’s your adventure! As long as you return to the map, you’ll head in the right direction.
How do the important pieces relate to each other? What’s missing? Will this serve your audience? Is a core message emerging clearly? Review your notes. If you wrote by hand, type them into your computer. Add any new ideas that occur as you review. Highlight your most important thoughts. Analayse your discoveries by asking questions such as: As you review, you’ll probably find information that no longer feels relevant. Remove it and paste it into an outtake file for safekeeping. Continue exploring and refining your notes until you can answer the questions about your message in Step 1. When you know what kind of book you want to write, investigate related published books to discover what’s possible. (Keep reading all the way through the writing process!)
Let’s start by determining your core message.
Step 1: Where are you going?
To begin any journey—including book writing—you need to know where you’re going and why. Consider these questions: 1.
Why do you want to write a book? Who is your audience? How will your book serve that audience? What is the heart of your message, the idea you most want to share? With these considerations in mind, what kind of nonfiction book do you want to write? Memoir, business, personal development, how-to . . . the list is endless.
2. 3. 4.
5.
Step 4: Organize
Now that you have a better understanding of your message and genre, create a rough outline if you haven’t done so already—or hone the one you have. Then determine what kind of support material you may need such as anecdotes, various reference matter (gather citations!), and interviews.
If you have definitive answers to those five questions, go ahead and roughly outline your book. If, like most people, you find them tough to answer, Step 2 will help.
Step 2: Stream of thought writing
In our next installment, we’ll shape your discoveries into a first draft.
Grab your favorite beverage, pick up a pen, and start jotting down whatever comes to mind about your subject matter. (If you have an outline, use it as a loose guide.) Don’t worry if you go off track and don’t fuss about quality. This step is all about gathering information and sparking ideas. Write with abandon for a scheduled amount of time daily until your ideas are exhausted. This could take several days or weeks.
Author, editor, and story coach Deborah Froese is on a mission to spark change through the stories we share. www.deborahfroese.com
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