Hire for skills and fire for behavior? That is completely backwards.
If there are at least 5, and no more than 15, that’s normal. If you have less than 5, or more than 15, that is not necessarily wrong, but it is very unusual.
If you do that, you’d better have a good reason, one that makes a lot of sense to the reader.
Using the Table of Contents you created, now fill in the template for each chapter outline.
Remember: Don’t write the book in the outline, the outline is to tell you what to write.
Below is the outline structure we recommend. It lays out the various elements you’ll need for each chapter. Just fill in the information, which you will use as your guide to write the book. Below this, we show you two chapter summary examples.
Chapter X: [INSERT WORKING TITLE]
Chapter 3: How Can We Improve Public Health? | |
---|---|
1. Chapter Hook | American Public Health Association quote about public health and how it is the biggest unaddressed issue facing America |
2. Thesis of chapter | No other healthcare space can benefit more from the application of anthropology and design thinking than the public health sector. |
3. Chapter content | The current problems within healthcare Why design thinking alone is not the solution (every patient requires their own individualized approach) What does educational assistance look like in public health? What we can learn from public health experts (What is their process and what tools do they use?) How anthropology and design thinking come together to benefit public health |
4. Key takeaway | While public health officials try to understand the problems patients are facing, they will always miss the mark as long as they fail to start by understanding the patient—this is why design thinking and anthropology are so important in the public health space. |
5. Callback to hook | American Public Health Association quote about how public health can be addressed |
6. Segue to next chapter | The public health space is complicated. Understanding this, and that the space is further complicated by cultural barriers, enables you to work harder to find solutions that fill these gaps. |
Chapter 6: Recruiters Will Be Replaced by Technology | |
---|---|
1. Chapter Hook | Google search shows over one million articles about how technology is going to replace recruiters |
2. Thesis of chapter | AI will replace millions of jobs, but it will CREATE millions more. Technology will NOT replace recruiters. Rather, it will create more demand for recruiters with the RIGHT SKILL SETS, which is what this chapter is all about |
3. Chapter content | How to draw the brakes on automating a broken system until the underlying problems are fixed What readers need to consider in terms of their process before they go about implementing new technology How to develop the kind of skills that technology will never be able to replace |
4. Key takeaway | Technology is only a tool. In and of itself, it can’t fix a broken process |
5. Callback to hook | Despite all the discourse and panic, there will be great new opportunities for readers who make themselves invaluable and invincible |
6. Segue to next chapter | Now that you understand how technology will help recruiters, it’s time to look at how to use technology properly |
Like we told you, we don’t structure our outline in the traditional way, like this:
There are a few reasons we don’t recommend this style of outline:
We’ve found that the traditional outline style doesn’t work well with most authors. There are several reasons we think it doesn’t work that well (the main one is detailed below), but why it doesn’t work almost doesn’t matter.
The fact is, it does NOT work. We developed our style of outlining after testing dozens of different iterations and realizing what actually produced the best books in the shortest time.
For most authors, they have problems actually understanding ahead of time precisely how to lay their books out. This is understandable; writing and structuring an entire book is hard and very foreign to people who haven’t done it before.
We find that the traditional outline structure gets people lost in the outline, and that the best way to actually get people to writing is to chunk up the chapter into sections. Then have authors write down enough so they understand what they are trying to say and what they need to write, and then figure out the details as they write.
Basically, what they need is a road map, not a detailed excel spreadsheet.
The conventional way of outlining forces the author to get very deep into their knowledge at a stage where some of the ideas may not be worked out yet. Most people do not do well with a long detailed outline, but do better by writing their way to understanding.
This process allows for either approach—you can go detailed if you really want, or you can just get the bullets down that you need, and then figure the rest out as you write.
If you already use and love Scrivener , then great, keep using it. But in our experience, for most first time authors, it is a huge waste of time to learn and use.
The Scrivener templates are fine, but nothing you can’t do in Google Docs or Microsoft Word . Scrivener is really good for fiction writers.
Completed your outline but need help taking the next steps? Consider joining the Scribe Guided Author Program. We’ve designed a proven process that provides everything you need to write, self-publish, and market your book with the help of expert coaches. Click here for more details . Or, schedule a consult with our one of our Author Strategists.
Elevating Your Nonfiction Audiobook: 7 Strategies for an Engaging Listening Experience
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Never Stop Launching [How to Make Your Book Successful]
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Guides • Perfecting your Craft
Last updated on Apr 23, 2021
About the author.
Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.
Savannah is a senior editor with Reedsy and a published writer whose work has appeared on Slate, Kirkus, and BookTrib. Her short fiction has appeared in the Owl Canyon Press anthology, "No Bars and a Dead Battery".
Rebecca van Laer is a writer, editor, and the author of two books, including the novella How to Adjust to the Dark. Her work has been featured in literary magazines such as AGNI, Breadcrumbs, and TriQuarterly.
Writing a nonfiction book is a good way to share your story, impart your wisdom, or even build your business. And while you may not have thought about becoming an author before, it’s not as far-fetched a goal as you might think. In this post, we'll show you a simple process for becoming a nonfiction author. Hold onto that book idea of yours, and let’s see how we can turn it into something that readers will love.
How to write a nonfiction book:
2. outline your book with a logical structure, 3. choose a style guide to remain consistent, 4. blast through your messy first draft, 5. revise your manuscript and check your facts, 6. choose to publish traditionally or independently.
When you start out, your idea is likely to be nebulous or vague, e.g. “It’s a self-help book for new parents.” Before you put pen to paper, you need to crystallize and tighten your original idea, as well as think about your target audience and how to reach readers . Using that information and the tips below, you can validate your book idea, find a sense of direction in your writing, and prepare for when you try to get a book deal , if you want to traditionally publish.
FREE RESOURCE
Book Proposal Template
Craft a professional pitch for your nonfiction book with our handy template.
A key part of figuring out how to write a nonfiction book is being able to answer the three important "W" questions:
Once you can answer these questions, you can fill in the blanks below:
[The who] will read my book about [the what] because [the why].
For example: "CEOs will read my book about workplace culture because it offers insights into the practices of the top ten companies voted 'best places' to work in the USA."
Being able to distill your book down in this way is a good sign you have a solid concept, and that your book will ultimately be marketable. If you can’t answer one of those questions, it may be time to return to the drawing board and tighten up your book’s main idea.
Once you’ve pinned down your idea, you’ll want to dig a bit into the topic or the nonfiction genre of your book to find the leads to develop this idea. Research is very important, and it can come in many shapes and sizes depending on the project. Here are a few of the different types of research that are suitable for certain genres.
We’ve got a whole guide on writing memoirs with more research tips, but if there’s one thing we recommend you do, it’s to interview yourself. Ask yourself questions that strangers might ask you. A simple interview like this can help you reassess your memories and pull out the important bits of your story. (And of course, you can always have someone else interview you too!)
Your research may involve collecting all sorts of existing material on the subject — such as blog posts and previously published essays. You might want to test some of the methods out in order to home in on the most effective instructions.
When writing a book about helping yourself , you might want to reach out to experts, such as psychologists and inspirational speakers, who can provide more evidence and insight to what you already know. If you're an expert yourself, you can interview yourself as you would for a memoir. It also doesn’t hurt to check out some of the best self-help books for inspiration!
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You’ll be gathering resources in libraries and archives, looking at primary and secondary sources on the matter. And if you’re writing about someone who’s still alive, you’ll probably need access to said person, or at least have their consent before forging on with the research.
This requires a lot of understanding of the market that you’re writing about, be it the one concerning stocks or houseplants (see more of what we mean in our guide on how to write an ebook). You have to find out who might be interested in the products you're talking about, what their habits are like, where they usually go to for advice on matters related to the product — the list goes on. If you really want to dive into this route, perhaps this free course of ours can be of some help…
How can writing a book revolutionize your business? Only one way to find out.
Like fiction, where story structure can make or break a narrative , nonfiction relies on the reader being able to follow the writer’s leaps of logic. Since nonfiction is all about utility, structure is of the utmost importance in guiding the reader toward the information they need. You want your structure to be coherent but also gripping, so that readers want to read on and remember what they’ve read.
Typically, if your book is about a process, or is a how-to, a linear structure makes sense. To make things more exciting for readers, you can also choose to disrupt the linear flow and follow a list or essay structure. Not sure what these structures are? Head on to our guide on how to outline a nonfiction book to find the answers (and more planning tips).
Before you start writing, pick a style guide to follow throughout your book. What’s a style guide, you ask? It’s a set of guidelines to help keep your writing consistent. If you’ve worked with both US English and UK English, you might notice that certain things get spelled differently, i.e. ‘color’ versus ‘colour’. You should choose the variation that best suits your target audience, depending on where they’re based. A manual of style would help ensure you keep to one of those versions, along with some other details like whether you use the Oxford or serial comma, single or double quotation marks, or how to list your references. A popular guide that you might find useful is the Chicago Manual of Style .
Why do things like this matter? Firstly, a proper guide matters to a nonfiction book because this book is supposed to be factual and accurate. Whether you’re writing popular self-help or more academic pieces, referencing will be a crucial part of your credibility, so you’ll want to nail it from the moment you start. Secondly, being consistent as you write will only help you in the editing process, preventing you from having to correct the same mistakes over and over again.
Now the planning’s out of the way, there’s nowhere left to run: it’s time to actually sit down and write your first draft. Luckily, we've got plenty of tips for writing to help you out!
Almost anything is more comprehensible and memorable when told as a story. Stories are easier to follow along, they get readers invested in the topic and curious about what happens next, and they tend to be more memorable than just hard facts. Which is why you should think about the stories that you can tell through your nonfiction book, and how to get the most out of them.
So when you use anecdotal evidence, think about the person (a.k.a. character) involved, what their motivations and feelings are. How can those motives and sensations be linked to your main point? If you can, the fact that you’re sharing will be that much more meaningful to the reader because they've associated it with a story. Of course, you shouldn’t embellish facts and end up in the realm of fiction, but an eye for narrative detail is a big asset for a nonfiction author.
Hear it from another author: Harry Freedman shared his process with us in this Reedsy Live!
Continuing on from the previous point, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use dialogue in your nonfiction writing. It’s a given that you’d use it in creative nonfiction, but it’s also a great way to break up dense texts and add a human voice to your book. If you have a transcript or a record of a direct quote, you can write it as dialogue . If not, feel free to refer to what was being said as something you’ve been told, rather than something someone said. The difference is subtle (as you can see in the example below), but either way, including conversations make the writing more accessible and interesting to read.
“I bought a lot of ice cream that week where there was a heatwave,” Joe said. Hot weather makes people crave ice cream — I remember my neighbor, Joe, stocking up in preparation for a heatwave.
Of course, it goes without saying that in academic writing this might not be the most conventional or professional option. But if you have a clear recording of the conversation, and you see the value of including it in your book, then you can do it. Note, however, that the formatting for dialogues in academic writing especially may be different from the ones you see in fiction writing (this is why we cannot emphasize enough the need to find an appropriate editor).
This just might be the most important piece of advice we can give you: keep your use of jargon and complicated language to a minimum. This does not mean that you have to cut away every expert term you have in your vocabulary, it just means you should use them mindfully. Remember that you may be writing for a quite a big audience, many of whom might not know what you’re talking about. Not only will they need you to explain the term when you first introduce it, they’ll also be less likely to remember these terms if they’ve only just met them.
As such, you want to minimize the use of jargon in your writing. If there’s a simpler way to express something, use it. It might feel like you’re killing story elements you love , but it will most likely be appreciated by your readers.If you must use specialist vocab, be sure to define it and add refreshers where necessary.
Our final tip is one for your process: create a writing schedule for yourself, whichever fits your own timetable and writing habits the most. Perhaps you have a day job and work best when you have a specific time to write at the end of the day. Or maybe you work better with a monthly goal of finishing certain sections and chapters in mind. Either way, setting out time to write regularly will help you progress and keep you from losing motivation.
If you think learning how to write a nonfiction book is all about the actual writing, you’re forgetting another crucial dimension of the book business: editing. Most manuscripts go through several rounds of revisions before they reach their final form, and the first round should always be a self-edit. So don’t hold back: it’s time for you to ruthlessly edit your book . Here are some of our best tips for you.
It should go without saying, but this is probably the most important part of editing your nonfiction book. Whenever you refer to a fact, a historical event, or an argument that another academic has previously made, you have to make sure that it’s accurate. On top of that, you’ll have to add a footnote and reference at the end, listing your sources. You don’t want to be sharing false facts or accused of paraphrasing other’s works!
As such, combing through and checking your facts is essential. It can be quite a tedious task, and you can never be too careful, so having a second pair of eyes on your manuscript is always a good idea.
The top nonfiction editors are on Reedsy, and you can meet them for free
Learn how Reedsy can help you craft a beautiful book.
While we’re on the topic of facts, let’s talk about being overly informative. Can a book that’s supposed to educate ever be provide too much information? Turns out too much of anything can be bad.
Everything in your book should link back to the main problem that you’re addressing. Sometimes it’s tempting to drop in a fun fact or anecdote that you think readers might find entertaining, but it’s important to balance that with the coherence of your book. So as you reread your first draft, think about the purpose behind the pieces of information you lay out, and remove those that don’t aid in answering the main question of your book.
The style guide you picked at the beginning will probably have you covered in terms of punctuation and grammar. What it can’t cover is your sentence length. Most sentences in first drafts err on the longer side — we tend to use more conjunctions than necessary to connect phrases and ideas that are interlinked. However, it’s often easier for readers to take in the details bit by bit.
Aim for 20-30 words sentences, which should max out at about two lines in the standard Times New Roman, 12-point font. Anything longer than 50 words should be avoided as much as possible.
Looking for more tips to refine your nonfiction writing? Reedsy editor Jenn Lien shared plenty in this seminar!
Self-edits all done? That means you’re ready for the next steps of your publishing journey. The next question to ask yourself is how you’ll be putting this book of yours into the world: will it be through a publisher, or will you produce the book independently? There’s a lot to consider when debating the pros and cons of traditional and self-publishing , but as a nonfiction writer, you might find doing it yourself beneficial, because:
That said, we’ll share some tips to get you ready for either pathway below. And if you’re still on the fence about the next steps, maybe this little quiz can help you out!
Takes one minute!
If you’ve decided to become an indie author , here are some things you might want to do once you finish your manuscript. (Remember that although you’re self-publishing, you won’t have to do everything by yourself! Professional help is at hand.)
✍ Hire an editor (if you haven’t already). At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we can’t recommend hiring a professional editor enough. A fresh perspective will always help when it comes to the nitty gritty details.
🎨 Work with a professional cover designer. In the digital age, the decision to buy a book is arguably more heavily influenced by the appeal of the cover — it’s the thumbnails on Amazon that do much of the work! Artistic book covers like these are guaranteed to catch the eye of browsers, which is why you should definitely work with a designer.
🌐 Get to know Amazon. We know, its influence on our lives is uncanny, but there’s hardly a better place to reach your audience than Amazon. From printing the books to promoting it, there are all the tools you need on this platform to achieve self-publishing success. This guide on Amazon self-publishing will shed some light on how that can be done.
Going down the traditional route means that the publisher will take care of most areas of finishing up the product, from the edit to cover design. However, to get to that point, you’ll need to follow some pretty standard steps.
📬 Query an agent. Most large publishers don’t accept unsolicited submissions from authors, meaning they require representation from a literary agent. Some resources we have for those looking to query are:
📖 Submit a book proposal. Together with an agent, you’ll have to pitch a publisher with a book proposal. This proposal includes your book’s synopsis, its target audience and competitive titles, as well as a sample of one or two of the chapters. So while you don’t need a complete manuscript before you submit, a rough draft will no doubt be helpful. For a bit more detail on the process, check out our free course on how to submit a nonfiction proposal.
Get publishers excited about your nonfiction book in this 10-day online course.
Now that you know how to write a nonfiction book, the publishing world is your oyster! Whatever path you take, we wish you the best of luck. And if you do decide to publish, we can’t wait to see what you’ve created.
David Irvine says:
05/12/2019 – 16:58
I self-published all my books for free using the Amazon KDP software. It was a bit of a high learning curve but worth the time and effort. You can also create a really nice front cover using their cover creator. Anyway, nice write up with plenty of good tips for writers seeking to get published.
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Outlining a Nonfiction Book: A Writer’s Tips and Strategies for Drafting an Effective Outline
June 15, 2021
Writing a book is an exciting journey. And, as with any journey, it contains both ups and downs. However, experienced writers simplify their journey by having an accurate roadmap.
When writing nonfiction content, outlining becomes the roadmap that leads a writer from point A to point B as efficiently as possible.
Often, inexperienced writers go about their projects without a clear idea of what they intend to communicate. As a result, they struggle to finish their endeavors. However, a solid outline can provide writers with the clear path they need to produce high-quality works without wasting precious time and effort.
In this article, we will explore the importance of writing an outline for nonfiction books and will discuss the tips and strategies that successful writers use to produce effective outlines.
Writing a book is meant to be a finite activity. It has a beginning and an end.
This assumption is true so long as the writer completes their task. However, most aspiring authors find themselves struggling to finish what they start.
Many factors hinder a writer’s ability to complete a project.
To begin with, some writers lack the expertise needed to complete a full book. Many would-be writers neglect to develop a system that aids them in producing a finished draft.
Other times, first-time authors do not have a clear idea of the message they wish to convey.
Therein lies the importance of outlining.
Suzannah Windsor Freeman, founder of Write It Sideways , offers this insight into the importance of outlining a writing project, “ The reason I believe in the benefits of outlining is that it simply gives you less room for failure .”
The idea of “failure” pertains specifically to leaving the writing project incomplete. An outline can drastically reduce the odds of leaving a writing project undone because it limits the project’s scope and helps the writer focus on specific points within the general topic.
One of the foundational elements of nonfiction writing is research. After all, nonfiction content should stem from relevant information.
As such, research helps the writer concentrate on detailed information that will allow them to develop their narrative.
Without an outline, a writing project can progressively degenerate into a compendium of facts and data that do not lead anywhere. Ultimately, the project may become a vast information dump if it ever comes to fruition.
The most significant benefit derived from outlining pertains to creating a constant thread throughout the finished project. Even though nonfiction books contain facts and data, that does not mean they should not have a storyline.
A storyline is a consistent narrative that enables readers to follow the author’s main points as they navigate the content.
Outlining helps writers maintain that constant thread throughout the writing project. Without an outline, writers may diverge from their main storyline. Therefore, the book may fall into rambling or become altogether pointless.
Creating an effective outline entails having a clear picture of what the book aims to cover and the message it looks to contain.
Therefore, authors should avoid writing a nonfiction book without one. Regardless of skill level and experience, using outlines helps maintain focus while drastically improving the odds of seeing a writing project through to the end.
An outline is essentially a list of items that will make up the final draft. As such, this list provides writers with a roadmap, leading them to the desired outcome.
Most outlines work in a list format. This format allows authors to visualize what they intend to cover in each section. Consequently, the list of items provides a structure to follow throughout the book.
The purpose of an outline is to arrange and develop ideas formally. While an outline should not be immutable, writers should nonetheless adhere to it as much as possible.
Deviating from the outline’s contents may lead to losing the project’s scope and message. Therefore, a solid outline should incorporate flexibility whenever possible. By doing so, it allows authors to ad-lib without risking a major divergence from the book’s original concept.
Also, an outline should organize content by linking ideas to one another. Moreover, an outline should reflect which points need more support to develop fully. This decision boils down to the book’s overall scope.
For instance, an author may feel that certain points warrant more attention than others. In consequence, the outline should reflect this decision.
It is worth noting that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to craft an outline. However, there are best practices to keep in mind. These practices contain the guidelines to follow when producing an effective outline.
First, the outline should clearly establish the topic. Broad topics such as “The French Revolution” are too vast to develop in a single volume adequately. Therefore, the outline should delineate the topic as specifically as possible.
Second, an outline must contain the points to cover in the book. As a general rule of thumb, a 60,000-word nonfiction volume should contain 12 to 15 chapters. Thus, this implies outlining 12 to 15 main points.
While the book could certainly have less than 12 chapters, authors must avoid cramming large amounts of information into a single chapter.
Third, chapters must flow in a logical sequence. Ideally, each chapter should build on the previous one. By the time the reader reaches the final one, they have a full picture of the author’s message. The entire discussion builds the writer’s thesis thoroughly.
Fourth, sub-points help breakdown main ideas into manageable chunks. Sub-points provide the reader with a pathway through each of the main points. This sequence provides readers with a clear roadmap. Generally speaking, each main point should have at least two significant sub-points. Otherwise, that main point might best become a sub-point in another chapter.
Lastly, a thorough review of the outline should ensure all main points receive adequate coverage. Also, it is crucial to eliminate unnecessary information. To maximize space, only items that contribute to the book’s overall thesis should comprise the content.
Here is a sample look at what a run-of-the-mill outline would look like:
The proposed outline structure shows a standard way of organizing an outline. Please bear in mind that each chapter represents the main idea. Every sub-point represents a specific concept for that chapter. The number of chapters hinges on the proposed word count and overall scope of the project. As such, larger projects would have more chapters than smaller ones.
Generally speaking, writers ought to produce an outline before writing. Nevertheless, creating an outline can happen at any stage of the writing process.
Some writers create their outlines after conducting research. As such, they can organize their main and sub-points based on the compiled information. Others prefer to write and then create an outline to serve as a checklist during the review process.
The first step in the outlining process is to establish the overarching theme and thesis. These two elements will lead to determining the book’s title and subtitle.
Moreover, the thesis should determine the number of main and subpoints that will support the book’s overall scope. These elements must appear in the introduction. The introduction is where authors present their case and state their thesis. Additionally, the introduction serves to outline what contents readers can expect throughout the book.
The next step involves determining the book’s size. This decision largely depends on time constraints or publishing space.
If space is unlimited, then anything goes. A typical nonfiction book ranges around 50,000 to 60,000 words. Nonfiction eBooks often range between 25,000 to 30,000 words.
The final decision on word count should keep the target audience in mind. A target audience comprised of avid readers could easily consume 50,000 words. In contrast, a quick how-to guide should take up around 10,000 to 15,000 words.
One system both fiction and nonfiction writers use frequently is to outline their ideas using the Index Card Method.
Successful nonfiction author Steve Scott uses a specific Index Card system to manage ideas during the outlining process. In his system, index cards represent chapters and sub-chapters. Three to five index cards full of notes represent one chapter’s worth of notes. One full chapter should contain roughly 10 to 12 cards.
In total, a finished book should contain about 30 to 60 index cards. Naturally, a larger book would have more cards. Nevertheless, the ratio described in this system provides a ballpark figure.
It is also worth formulating a specific structure for individual chapters. The following structure offers a suggested guideline for every chapter, regardless of specific content.
This structure enables writers to create a rhythm, enabling them to produce quality chapters consistently. It is worth reiterating that the outline process intends to reduce the likelihood of failure. A chapter structure such as the one described above would greatly reduce any incidence of failure to complete a writing project.
There are several pitfalls to keep in mind to make the outlining process as beneficial as possible. In particular, these pitfalls represent mistakes during the conceptualization process of the book’s content. As a result, it is worth taking a closer look at these issues.
The biggest mistake a writer can make is not telling a real story. This mistake can quickly derail a book.
Even when the writing is fantastic and the research appropriate, not conveying a message will leave the reader without a clear path. Therefore, nonfiction writers should always strive to tell a story.
This story represents the message the author wishes to convey.
Lacking a logical starting point may confuse readers from the start. For instance, assuming that readers are already familiar with the topic is often a mistake.
Unless the book specifically caters to a well-versed group of readers, authors must assume that readers are not familiar with the topic. Thus, writers must build knowledge from fundamental concepts up to larger, more complex ones.
The outline’s organization needs to reflect a logical progression in its chapter organization. Failing to do so may leave readers confused and uninterested.
A huge mistake novice writers make is not writing for their target audience. This mistake is evident in the writing style.
Writing style must match the target audience’s knowledge level, experience, and background.
For example, using highly complex language for a general audience may alienate some readers. In contrast, using an informal, conversational tone would be inappropriate for an academic subject.
Therefore, the outlining process should reveal the most appropriate writing tone and style.
Producing an information dump can lead readers to lose interest.
Books loaded with vast amounts of data can lead readers to question the book’s message. The book must have a message in order to keep the reader hooked on the subject.
Books with a clear message use data, even when voluminous, to support it. Doing so keeps readers engaged. However, citing facts and figures for the sake of sounding smart does a disservice to readers.
Consequently, using the suggested chapter structure should aid writers in producing captivating and informational content.
Nonfiction writers may lack an emotional element to their content. While emotion is a staple of fiction writing, in the nonfiction domain, emotion is crucial.
Regardless of the topic, writers can use their emotions to convey their passion, enthusiasm, or perception. Hence, the outlining process can reflect these emotions. A simple note such as “Chapter One: My Personal Journey into Gardening” serves to remind the writer they intend to take their readers through the journey that lead them to their love of gardening.
Ultimately, the outlining process allows writers to plan as many details as they wish. For some writers, a broader outline may suffice. For others, a highly detailed outline would better serve their needs.
Therefore, writers should tinker with their outlining process until they find the one that suits their needs best.
The outlining process is crucial to the success of a nonfiction book. And producing an effective outline can drastically reduce the likelihood of a book remaining unfinished.
Most importantly, the outlining process enables writers to plan the details related to their content. Without it, a writer may lack direction. Lacking a clear direction may cause the content to appear disjointed and incoherent to the reader.
While the research and writing may be high-quality, an incoherent message can derail great work. Ultimately, writers must strive to communicate their overarching theme and thesis across their content. Each chapter serves to gradually build their argument, thereby taking readers through a journey of discovery.
In the end, the reader will take away the pearls of wisdom the writer intends to share with them. All of this is valuable work that begins with writing an effective outline.
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Barb Adams is an award-winning writer with more than 30 years of B2B and technical writing experience. She understands and closely follows the changing dynamics of the oil and gas industry – E&P, midstream, and upstream – and therefore needs minimum ramp up for any new O&G copywriting endeavor. Her portfolio includes hundreds of white papers, case studies, trade articles, op-eds, books, and brochures. Adams has also held positions as staff writer for a Houston agency, public relations manager for a Houston-based retail franchisor, and the advertising and promotions coordinator for a Minnesota-based hospitality company. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism.
Stacy Clifford is a wearer of many hats, both literally and figuratively. Having earned a B.S. in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996, his career has covered environmental cleanup, software testing, web development, technical support, copy editing and proofreading, and martial arts instruction. He has been proofreading since 3rd grade English with Mrs. Barry, corrected every stripe of web copy for over 15 years, copy edited both fiction and non-fiction books, and written on subjects as diverse as volcanology, sword fighting, and space colonization. A fixer by nature, Stacy is a stickler for structure and form and enjoys a good challenge whipping a document into shape. When not tackling the worlds problems or teaching people how to stab each other, Stacy enjoys pencil drawing and hiking in the national parks.
Flori, who has more than 25 years of writing experience, began her career in suburban Detroit as a community newspaper reporter. She has worked as a neighborhood news editor for the Houston Chronicle and as a copywriter for Powell Public Relations. During more than 10 years as a freelance writer, her projects included newspaper and magazine articles, press releases, brochure and website copy, Request for Proposal (RFP) responses, and grant applications. Her clients have included Galveston Monthly magazine, Weddings in Houston magazine, Judy Nichols & Associates (public relations) and NCIC Phone Services, along with nonprofit organizations, Lifeway International and Newspring. Since joining The Writers For Hire, Flori has assisted with social media campaigns and written blog posts, articles, press releases, brochures, and web copy.
Flori has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Oakland University.
With a Bachelor of Science in Language Arts from Georgetown University and 20 years of editorial experience, Erin brings a passion for words and well-crafted writing to every project. As a writer, she revels in the opportunity to create vibrant original copy and rejuvenate tired text. She has written on a range of topics, in a variety of styles, and for an array of platforms. As an editor, proofreader, translator, and trusted second set of eyes, she has helped clients from around the world enhance their writing. A self-proclaimed editorial perfectionist, Erin once canceled a credit card because of a grammatically incorrect form letter, which she edited and promptly sent back to the company. (Incidentally, she wasn’t surprised to receive no response.)
Morgan has worked in marketing and communications for more than eight years, with a primary focus on copywriting and content creation. Throughout her years of experience, she has written and edited almost every kind of copy imaginable – magazine articles, blog posts, website copy, brochures, press releases, nonfiction books, newsletter articles, brand guidelines, and more – for both B2B and B2C audiences in a wide array of industries, including energy, technology, finance, healthcare, education, travel, retail, and more. In addition to her creative skills, Morgan has technical expertise in HTML coding and utilizing content management systems (e.g. WordPress) and email platforms, such as MailChimp, ExactTarget, and Constant Contact. With a lifelong interest in language, it is not surprising that Morgan has a bachelor’s degree in German and Linguistics from Rice University, where she studied more than eight languages. In 2011, she received her master’s degree in Advertising from The University of Texas, where she was accepted into the elite Texas Creative Program for her copywriting skills. In her free time, Morgan enjoys writing personalized picture books for friends and family.
Melanie Green is a Tampa-based writer and editor, with a focus on digital marketing content. She has more than 15 years of experience writing professionally, including time spent as a full-time employee of McKinsey & Company, Nielsen, and The Business Observer. She loves to write blog posts, website pages, press releases, RFPs, and whitepapers for companies of all sizes in the United States.
She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing with a concentration in screenwriting from National University in La Jolla, California, and her Bachelor of Arts in Writing from the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida.
Carol Kim is a versatile freelance copywriter who specializes in content marketing, blog posts, website content, and email marketing for business clients. She especially enjoys diving into research and discovering what makes every company unique. Carol holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a Master’s in Public Affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin.
Carol is also a children’s book author, having written several fiction and nonfiction books for the educational market. She especially loves helping kids learn about the environment and social sciences. Her first nonfiction picture book from a trade publisher is due to be released in fall 2021.
Martha Scott’s technical writing career began on a contract at Houston’s Johnson Space Center. She edited papers for scientific journal publication, documents for departments across the site, and a book about a proposed crew escape vehicle. She produced a yearly booklet describing Shuttle contract cost-saving measures, the mission managers’ Flight Data Pack, and a 45-page booklet called Charting a Course to the Year 2000 and Beyond describing plans to develop additional space vehicles and prepare for manned Mars explorations. At Invesco, Martha edited and contributed to two company newsletters (online and hardcopy). She wrote software user manuals, Help files, Training and Benefits department documents, and, finally, shareholder reports. She returned to aerospace for the Shuttle Program’s last 5 years where she attended and produced detailed descriptions of presentations and subsequent discussions at the Orbiter Configuration Control Board’s weekly meetings. She also documented crew debriefings for 17 flights. Martha’s most recent experience was on Jacobs Engineering’s contract with a Texas City refinery for which she wrote and edited Engineering, Safety, Inspection, and Information Systems documents.
Brenda Hazzard has over 30 years’ experience working as a writer and editor in the private and public sectors. She spent over 20 years working for the US Government in Washington and abroad, and spent several years working with the CIA during which she managed a team of writers producing internal briefs on international news, events, and politics. She writes on a variety of topics but loves opportunities to work on projects that cater to her keen interest in international affairs. She considers herself to be an empathetic editor, one who improves a draft but lets the spirit of the writer shine through. She has also worked on dissertations, white papers, newspaper articles, and family histories.
Cecile enjoys the challenge of discovering each client’s unique strengths and presenting them to a wider audience. Since joining The Writers For Hire, she has worked on blogs, newsletters, RFPs, end-user documentation, email, social media, sales pages, biographies, op-eds, and fiction.
Previously, she taught in Shenzhen, China and obtained an HSK3 (Intermediate Mandarin) certificate. Cecile enjoys gaming, drawing, producing short films, and growing fifteen different varieties of apples with Serenity Orchards.
Rosalind Stanley grew up on the Coast of Maine and then accidentally spent fifteen years in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, before moving to the Midwest. She graduated from Lynchburg College in 2008 with a B.A. in Creative Writing (and a minor in Theater Performance); ever since, Rosalind has endeavored to make writing a part of her daily life, whether creative or technical, whether as a volunteer or an employee. She has tutored students, taught workshops, edited fiction and non-fiction books, and worked as a beta reader and a legal writer. She also publishes a newsletter on Substack, where she releases her own fiction serially. When not writing, Rosalind is busy homeschooling her four children and raiding the local library for new fiction.
There’s no way around it. You need a book outline if you’re writing nonfiction .
For a novel, if you’re a Pantser (one who writes by the seat of your pants—like I do) as opposed to an Outliner, you can get away with having a rough idea where you’re going and how to get there.
But for nonfiction, a book outline is non-negotiable.
Potential agents and publishers’ acquisitions editors require it in a proposal. They want to know you know where you’re going, chapter by chapter.
Over the past nearly 50 years, I’ve written 200 books, 21 of them New York Times bestsellers—a third of them nonfiction. I’ve come to appreciate the discipline of outlining, though that doesn’t work for me with fiction.
I’ve developed an easy-to-use book outline process I believe will help you organize your manuscript.
But first, a word about your topic…
Don’t make the mistake of trying to make a book of something that could—and should—be covered in an article or blog post.
You need a topic worthy of a book. Can it bear at least 12 chapters?
If you’ve forgotten the basics of classic outlining or have never felt comfortable with the concept, you can still manage this. Your book outline must serve you, not the other way around.
You don’t have to think in terms of 20+ pages of Roman numerals and capital and lowercase letters followed by Arabic numerals—unless that best serves your project. For me a bullet point list of sentences that synopsize my idea works fine.
Don’t even call it an outline if that offends your sensibilities. But fashion some sort of a document that provides direction and structure—which will also serve as a safety net to keep you on track.
If you lose interest in your manuscript somewhere in what I call the Marathon of the Middle, you likely didn’t begin with enough ideas. A book outline will reveal such a weakness in advance. You want confidence your structure will carry you through to the end.
I recommend the novel structure illustration below for fiction, but with only slight adaptations it can work for nonfiction as well.
The same structure can turn mediocre nonfiction to something special. Arrange your points and evidence to set up a huge payoff, then make sure to deliver.
If you’re writing a memoir , an autobiography, or a biography, you or your biographical subject becomes the main character. Craft a sequence of life events like a novel, and watch the true story come to life.
But even if you’re writing a straightforward how-to or self-help book, stay as close to this structure as possible.
Make promises early, triggering readers to anticipate fresh ideas, secrets, inside information—something major that will thrill them with the finished product.
While you may not have as much action or dialogue or character development as your novelist counterpart, your crises and tension can come from showing where people have failed before and how you’re going to ensure your readers will succeed.
You can even make a how-to project look impossible until you pay off that setup with your unique solution.
Always view your outline as fluid. You can expand or condense it as you go, and of course move things around.
Your outline should answer:
Begin with a one-page road map that gives you a bird’s eye view of what you intend your book to become.
What to include:
This can also serve as your Elevator Pitch —what you’d share with a publishing professional between the time you meet him on the elevator and the time he gets off.
Think big. This is not your book, but the idea behind it.
What message can you communicate with the potential to change lives? It should be one you’re passionate about, because it changed your life.
People love to be educated and entertained, but they never forget if you move them emotionally.
I wrote As You Leave Home: Parting Thoughts from a Loving Parent to our eldest son when he left home for college.
My elevator pitch: “I want to express my unconditional love for my child as he leaves the nest.”
Gift books for grads are a dime a dozen, so what made mine stand out and be excerpted in the in-flight magazines of United and American Airlines, and land a guest spot on James Dobson’s Focus on the Family radio program?
Why did this book resonate with tens of thousands of parents facing the same season?
The emotional nature of the message.
By declaring my love for my son, I connected with the hearts of parents during this same bittersweet season.
Without contriving, by letting it bubble up through true passion, aim for the heart.
Resist the temptation to say it’s for everyone . We all like to think our message is for both genders and all ages, but that’s unrealistic and viewed as naïve by agents and publishers.
Three of the bestselling nonfiction books of all time eventually landed in the everyone category but were originally aimed at specific readerships:
One way to determine your target readership is to imagine a single reader.
I used to imagine my mother as my target reader when she was in the demographic most likely to buy inspirational books. If I could make sense to her, I’d hit the mark.
If you’re still fuzzy on your readership, look in the mirror. Write the book you’d read.
And, be specific. If your book is about your life as a veterinary surgeon, its primary target would be aspiring vets, then practicing vets, and finally animal lovers.
Research the numbers of people who populate these categories so you can give agents and publishers an idea of the potential market.
Imagine you’ve confided to two friends about a personal problem.
The first says, “Here’s what you need to do…”
The second drapes an arm around your shoulder and says, “I was in your place once. Let me tell you what I learned and how I got out of it.”
Which are you more likely to listen to?
I call that second approach the Come-Alongside Method . It avoids preachiness and allows readers to get and apply the point on their own.
A story well told drives home a point much more powerfully than narrative summary.
Think reader first.
Think in stages, so your chapters flow logically.
Begin with a promise—a setup you’ll pay off in the end.
For example, with a how-to topic like Time Management, your first few chapters should dangle a carrot, either with a story about a chronic time waster who became a consummate success, or by simply implying, Stick with me and you’ll be a time management pro by the time you finish this book .
Then list chapters that:
Now summarize your chapters to help divide your research into categories.
Example Chapters:
Getting every fact right adds polish to your finished product.
Even a small mistake due to a lack of research can cause your reader to lose confidence—and interest—in your book.
Essential tools:
When choosing anecdotes, remember:
Readers love stories.
If you don’t have a story to support a point, get creative! Feel free to invent stories, but always clearly differentiate between which are true and which are imagined.
If you begin a story, “A friend of mine…,” the reader will assume it’s true.
If you begin with something like, “Consider a mother of preschoolers…,” the reader understands you’re suggesting a scenario.
Now expand each chapter summary into a synopsis of a few sentences.
Under each, list the stories you’ll use and tell how each supports your theme and message
Next, for self-help, psychology, business, or other non-character driven nonfiction books: examine the primary message of each chapter. Note whether it meets the needs of your readers.
For chapters in memoirs, biographies, historical fiction, or any other character-driven nonfiction, examine:
Outlining a book is crucial to your success. Carefully follow the steps above to give you the structure you need to write the nonfiction book you’ve always dreamed of writing.
Click here for additional resources, like help with writing your memoir, a devotional, or my start-to-finish book writing process.
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by Bennett R. Coles
You’ve decided to write a nonfiction book so you search for “how to outline a book,” only you find that virtually every article posted is addressed to fiction writers who want to outline their novels.
I wanted to write this article specifically for nonfiction writers like you, so that you can learn the necessary roadmap to go from the idea stage to a completed book outline, including a table of contents.
I’ll share below ten easy steps to get you from A to Z in the most direct way. However, you have to keep in mind that easy does not mean effortless; it means clear and straightforward (you’ll still have to put in the hard work).
What you won’t have to do is to spend hours trying to figure out what the right steps are. The methodology shown in the steps below has been fine-tuned and time-tested by thousands of nonfiction writers over decades and you’ll be able to put it to use in order to produce immediate results. Let’s get started…
There are many ways to write a book outline, and it varies according to genre. In this article I’ll be focusing on an outline process for nonfiction books, but not just any kind of nonfiction.
I’ll be focusing specifically on problem-solving nonfiction. That is, books written by entrepreneurial authors, professionals, people with a practice, consultants and coaches who want to offer a unique solution to a big problem that their target audience is experiencing .
If this is you, then you’ll have a key advantage over most other authors in that your book is already inside of you – it’s made up of your many years of experience and skill-building in your field, your time in business, your time solving problems for clients, etc.
The task ,then, is to help you get the book that’s sitting in your brain onto the written page in a way that it can be easily structured.
To create an effective outline for your nonfiction book, you’ll have to begin with a main idea and then go though a series of steps that allow you to map out the book out of your brain into a diagram that you can then manipulate, organize and structure to turn it into an outline and a table of contents.
Step 1: define your book’s main idea.
Before you can begin the process of creating your book outline, you need to hone into the main idea behind your book. As someone who’s in business for yourself, you probably cater to a number of different clients who experience different problems.
Perhaps you offer a suite of solutions to address different sets of circumstances. However, when it comes to writing nonfiction you’ll have to focus on a single problem and a unique solution.
Now it’s time to define your main idea. What’s your audience’s most significant problem for which you’ve created a unique solution? What single problem are you helping your audience solve?
Title: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People / Problem: I’m a procrastinator and I’m paying dearly for it.
Title: The 4-Hour Workweek / Problem: I’m tired of the rat race and I want freedom.
Title: The Mindfulness Code / Problem: I’m constantly anxious and don’t know how to quiet my mind.
For a more in-depth article about how to define your main book idea, click here to read How to Come Up With Great Book Ideas For Business Owners .
Once you’ve chosen your book’s main idea, which clearly reflects how your unique solution solves a big problem for your target audience, it’s time to generate your book outline.
The technique that you’re going to use is called “ Mind Mapping .” It was developed in the 1970’s by British author Tony Buzan, and it’s the most effective means of creating an outline for a problem-solving nonfiction book.
This technique is effective because it mimics the way your brain stores and retrieves information. In essence, a “mind map” is a pictorial representation of all the information related to your book that’s sitting in your brain.
First, you place your main idea at the center of the mind map diagram, and then you expand out radially by drawing a number of main branches. These branches represent the key topics that your main idea will be broken into.
Coming out of each key topic you now draw a set of sub-branches that make up all the sub-topics that your key topic will be broken into. Finally, you repeat this process to further break down your sub-topics.
Here’s an example of the mind map for one of Tony Buzan’s popular nonfiction books:
Once you have your mind map captured on paper, it’s time to begin the process of structuring it in order to turn it into a book outline.
As you can probably sense by now, your main branches will eventually become your book’s chapters, the sub-branches your sub-chapters, and so on.
The first step in structuring your book is to group together main branches that fit thematically and turn them into a book part with a part title.
If you were writing a book about how to alter your audience’s beliefs to achieve goals, you could assign main branches for topics such as the belief system, the power of perception and how the mind works. These could be grouped together as a theme that deals with the inner working of the mind.
Then, let’s say that you also have branches related to the role of their minds in causing procrastination, setting goals, dealing with strengths and weaknesses, etc. These could be grouped as a theme that deals with how their minds can affect their career, and so on.
When you’re done grouping branches into themes, you can begin to create the flow of your book by numbering these top sections. So, in the above example you’ll have: Part 1 – How Your Mind Works; Part 2 – How Your Mind Influences Your Career, etc.
Next, you’re going to choose each part and rearrange all the key topics in it to create your desired flow. Each key topic will eventually be turned into a chapter number and a chapter title.
You’re now going to repeat this process for each chapter. You’re going to take all the sub-topics that the key-topic branches into and you’re going to order them in the way the best fits the flow you want that chapter to have.
If you have a third level of sub-sub-topics, you might combine two or more and turn them into a new sub-topic. Or you may want to retain it as a part of an existing sub-topic.
Your sub-topics will eventually be turned into your sub-chapters.
When you’re done with Steps 3-5, you can begin to piece together your book outline.
Just enter the information into your favorite word processor as a numbered list, with your part numbers being the top level, then tabbing to enter each chapter in the second level, and tabbing once more to enter the sub-chapters under each chapter.
Repeat this process for each sub-chapter if you have sub-subchapters.
Here’s an example:.
With the book outline out of the way, it’s now time to build it up into a full table of contents. To do that you need to add the front matter before the book outline.
The front matter is composed of some or all of the following sections. It’s entirely up to you what to include from the list below:
Next, it’s time to introduce readers to your book. The introduction is not a summary of your book’s content; instead, it’s a sales letter to convince readers to buy your book.
Its goal is to hook readers by teasing them with the results that they can expect to achieve, but without revealing any of your secrets – those will be contained in the body of the book.
This is the most important page of text in your book and as such, it should be written last, once your manuscript is completed with no further editing to be done.
The structure of this “sales letter” is contained in my companion article How to Write a Compelling Book Introduction That Will Move the Needle, so I won’t repeat it here, this is the page that’s going to close the deal for your book and you should take great care when you write it.
The last paragraph of your introduction will transition into your first chapter.
The final piece in your book outline is to add any required back matter pages after your body ends. Here are some of your choices:
Finally, it’s time to put together your table of contents. The first thing you need to do is to go through your book outline and create a title for every part, topic, subtopic and sub-subtopic.
Although only your chapter titles will be shown in your table of contents, all titles need to be written in a clear and inviting way. Unlike the body book outline, which is meant as your roadmap for writing your book, the table of contents is meant for your readers as a navigational tool and also as a secondary sales tool (more on this later).
So, on top of creating the logical flow of your book, your table of contents entries need to be written with the intent of enticing the reader to read each section.
In addition, you need to create chapter titles with an economy of words in mind because they’ll also appear in the heading of each left-hand page, where space is limited.
As I mentioned before, your table of content entries will also act as a secondary sales tool. Your readers will first be drawn by your book’s cover and title. They’ll then pick it up and read the marketing copy in the back cover. Next, they’ll quickly scan your table of contents and perhaps browse some pages randomly.
But if your table of contents intrigues them, they’ll next turn to your introduction. That’s why it’s so important that your section titles be engaging – readers love to discover new information in books!
Finally, here’s an example of a table of contents:
Note: all front matter before the table of contents is not numbered and therefore not listed in it.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword …viii
Acknowledgments …xi
Introduction …1
Part 1: How Your Mind Works
How The Mind Works …3
Your Belief System …11
The Power of Perception …23
…………………………
Part 2: How Your Mind Influences Your Career
The Role of Your Mind in Procrastination …63
The Role of Your Mind in Setting Goals …75
Dealing With Strengths and Weaknesses …83
Part 3: How Your Mind Influences Your Relationships
Afterword …197
I’m glad you made it all the way! Now it’s time to start crafting the outline of your book. Follow these ten steps and you’ll create a great non-fiction book without having to spin your wheels. If you’d like to learn about my steps for creating great nonfiction that solves a problem for your target audience, read my article: How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors .
If you enjoyed this article and are in the process of writing a nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide , drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling authors (including a New York Times bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access .
Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.
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Sir, I am writing a book titled “Turn around your creative instincts”. This is my own story and the narration of my life’s journey with creative instinct. Your tips are valuable. I am already through around 35 pages ( A4 size). I have created around 15 topics and I am now writing under each topic whenever I get motivated. Hope it the right method. Your advise please. Franklyn
Thank you so much for your clear & concise instructions! This helps me a lot.
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by Harry Wallett
Get our free definitive guide to creating a nonfiction bestseller here.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
How to Outline a Nonfiction Book Step-by-Step; Another Nonfiction Book Outline Formula; How to Outline A Chapter of a Book; Don’t Forget the Front and Back Matter Pages
Step 1: Brainstorm the Chapters for Your Book. The first step to create your outline is to brainstorm what the chapters are for your book. What’s a chapter? It’s basically a single cohesive idea, fully explored. Depending on how you organized your book, it can be a step in the process, or one of several principles, or anything like that.
Tips on Writing A Nonfiction Book Outline. Summarize Your Book. Ask yourself some pointed questions. Be honest and realistic with your answers. What is your book about? Why would someone want to read it? How will you capture and maintain a reader’s interest?
Knowing how to outline a nonfiction book is an essential part of creating a compelling and helpful title that readers will love. With these three key steps, you’ll organize your knowledge and plan your research so that you’re ready to write an amazing book (or ebook )!
Develop an outline. You may want to use the storyboard method, which means that you write each and every topic idea on a notecard or sticky note until you’ve emptied all ideas out of your head! Then begin to put them into a logical order. These will naturally help you develop an outline for your chapters, and you can see where you may need to
How to create a helpful outline for nonfiction book writing (+ template) Writing Tips. Table of Contents. 1. Set the intention to write for yourself—and your “target audience.” 2. Begin researching for facts + stories with a curious mindset. 3. Find the “spine” of your book. 4. Create a simple table of contents. 5.
1. Determine what problem your book will solve. 2. Outline your book with a logical structure. 3. Choose a style guide to remain consistent. 4. Blast through your messy first draft. 5. Revise your manuscript and check your facts. 6. Choose to publish traditionally or independently. 1. Determine what problem your book will solve.
In this article, we will explore the importance of writing an outline for nonfiction books and will discuss the tips and strategies that successful writers use to produce effective outlines. Why Writing Outlines are a Must
How to Outline a Book in 5 Steps. Always view your outline as fluid. You can expand or condense it as you go, and of course move things around. Your outline should answer: What’s my ultimate goal—my message? About what am I trying to convince, inform, educate, entertain, or move my readership?
Let’s get started… How Do You Write an Effective Outline? There are many ways to write a book outline, and it varies according to genre. In this article I’ll be focusing on an outline process for nonfiction books, but not just any kind of nonfiction. I’ll be focusing specifically on problem-solving nonfiction.