A review of Writing Your Nonfiction Book: The Complete Guide to Becoming an Author by Trish Nicholson, published by Collca, kindly written by Anne Coates.
Anne Coates is an editor and author who has published seven non-fiction books including Applying to University 2014 (Need-2-Know), Parenting Without Tears Guide to Living with Teenagers and Parenting Without Tears Guide to Loving Discipline (both Endeavour Press) plus two collections of short stories. She is currently working on a crime novel and can be followed on twitter @Anne_Coates1
Just like fiction, non-fiction covers a variety of genres from the memoir to the how to… from biography to travel. Trish Nicholson covers them all in her latest comprehensive and informative work, Writing Your Nonfiction Book. So whether you are an expert wishing to share your knowledge or someone who just wants to set down a family history, this book should be your first port of call.
The book has three self-explanatory sections:
Part One: Planning and Researching
Part Two: Writing and Editing
Part Three: Publishing and Marketing
If you follow these guidelines meticulously you should have your own nonfiction tome at the end.
You may find you know some of the information in earlier chapters especially but don’t skip them, you could well discover invaluable tips that will assist you later in the process. (I have had seven nonfiction books published and still learned something new.) This is absolutely true of the “Good working habits” and “Your computer and basic settings” sections. Tips here will make life a lot easier when you get to the editing and/or formatting stage.
This book is brimful of practical guidance and feasible tasks. Much of the advice in later chapters such as editing and proofreading is applicable if you are also writing fiction so extra value for your money!
Writing your Nonfiction Book is essential reading for anyone considering producing a nonfiction work and I would also recommend the early chapters for students undertaking their dissertations and theses.
Trish Nicholson writes with authority and from experience. She is the author of many nonfiction works including four other titles for Collca one of which Inside Stories for Writers and Readers I reviewed recently. Writing Your Nonfiction Book has been selected as the set text for a writing course at the UK Writers’ College as well as for colleges in New Zealand and South Africa.
Personally I would make the time to read the book through from beginning to end to give yourself a good overview and then go back to the start and make Writing Your Nonfiction Book your step-by-step guide. Trish Nicholson is there for you every step of the way.
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