How to Write for Non-Fiction Genres

Opportunities Abound for Nonfiction Writers

Nov 10, 2008

The tide in American literature has changed from the dream of writing The Great American Novel, to writing nonfiction in its finest form, as a finely honed craft, an art.

Most writers, particularly beginning writers, find that writing nonfiction is more comfortable than trying to pen fiction -- good fiction at any rate. It's easier, more enjoyable and ultimately more rewarding to write about what one knows and is familiar with, or what one wants to know about. Considering that nonfiction outsells fiction almost three to one, it's obvious that nonfiction is what most people want to read also.

Many Genres

Many people think of nonfiction as journalism, but nonfiction is far more ambitious and creative than that. Journalism is where many literary writers actually begin, and it is a noble discipline in and of itself, but it is not the be-all and end-all of nonfiction. Indeed, a major appeal of nonfiction is the number of sub-genres within the Nonfiction Genre itself. For example, besides the autobiography, biography and memoir which most people automatically think of when they think of nonfiction writing, there are numerous other categories:

In nonfiction one can simply write what one knows, or one can take on a topic requiring research, documentation and interviews. Either way, good nonfiction requires extensive craft to captivate the reader. Good nonfiction should be as compelling and entrancing to read as good fiction.

Many Opportunities in Non-Fiction

One of the advantages of writing nonfiction is that one has a smorgasboard of publishing opportunities. There are by far more small presses and university presses open to nonfiction writers than fiction writers. Add to this, the opportunities for magazine, newspaper and academic publication and one can see that getting published in nonfiction is far easier than getting that novel into print.

Nonfiction works may be as long as War and Peace, requiring sales strategies and all the skills of marketing, or the pieces may be quite short, thus freeing the author to turn his or her attention to other topics and projects.

Where to Start

Most beginning writers flounder because they cannot decide what to write about. That problem is easily solved.

First, what are you truly interested in? This is the key question for most budding writers. Begin by writing what you know. What is your passion?

Second, what would you like to know about? What is something that is so compelling and interesting that you’d actually like to find out about it?

Third, read widely to find topics. The newspaper is filled with potentially promising topics. Magazine articles may give you new ideas. The evening news and radio talk shows are also sources for articles.

Fourth, what angers you? Anger is a great stimulant and motivator. (The key here is to present evidence without the anger being obvious.) Muckraking is never out of style!

Fifth (and maybe the least noble approach but perhaps the most financially rewarding) what are people buying? What are people wanting to read about? New Age? Self-Help? Health?

Edit Well

Once started, one quickly learns that researching and writing are the enjoyable, easy tasks. Editing is tough. Learn to edit. Make your writing lean. Cut superfluous adverbs and frills. This can be painful, but writing will improve dramatically when it is slashed to the core. Frills, jargon and wordiness must go. This is particularly difficult for magazine writers who are generally paid by the word – that extra paragraph means more money!

Write First, Worry Later

Many nonfiction writers want to be assured of a publisher before they proceed with their work and spend a great deal of time sending out query letters. This is not a truly committed writer. A committed writer is one who gets the seed of an idea and sees it to fruition. A committed writer is one who sees the article/book through because he/she simply must. Committed writers will find the publisher, one way or the other, because the article/book becomes their child, and they will never leave the child homeless. If you are one who wants the assurance of a publisher before you begin, perhaps you are writing for the wrong reasons.

Resources

The copyright of the article How to Write for Non-Fiction Genres in Writing for Non-Fiction Genres is owned by R.L. Coffield. Permission to republish How to Write for Non-Fiction Genres in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.