Book Structure
Nonfiction Book Structure: Why Playing with Ideas Beats Planning Too Soon
Getting your nonfiction book structure right is one of the biggest struggles writers face. It’s tempting to lock in an outline early to give you a road map to follow, but you don’t want to create that structure too early. Last week, at a quilting retreat in Sisters, Oregon, I relearned this lesson in an…
Read MoreHave you taught your nonfiction book’s content?
There are so many reasons people pick up and read self-help or prescriptive nonfiction. Perhaps they need a solution to a problem, are curious about a topic, want to learn a new skill or grow emotionally or spiritually. Perhaps a friend, therapist or doctor recommended a book to help give them clarity, knowledge, reassurance, or…
Read MoreWhat’s Your Point? How to craft a core message for your self-help book
We’ve all had the experience of sitting with a friend listening as they share a seemingly never-ending story about something mundane, like their drive to work that morning. They go on…and on. As they’re talking, you’re mostly trying to figure out why they’re sharing this particular story. Perhaps, you interrupt them and ask, “Sooo…what’s your…
Read MoreFrom Messy Ideas to Meaningful Books: The Role of Genre Conventions in Prescriptive Nonfiction
When I was a kid, I loved playing with Legos. But I was a girl…with a sister…in the seventies…so we didn’t own any Legos. The only time I got to play with them was when I got older and babysat little boys who had them. I loved it. We’d dump out the bin of Legos on the floor…
Read MoreStories Stick: Using Personal Stories in Your Content
When our neighbors moved away, they “gifted” us with their three goats to help us with our invasive weed problem. While I knew nothing about goats when we got them, I do know how babies are made. We have two bucks and a doe, so I’m not sure why I was stunned to find two adorable baby goats in the pasture…
Read MoreFirst Impressions Matter: How to Write the Introduction for Your Nonfiction Book
When a reader picks up your nonfiction book, they will have questions like: This is a heavy load for the first few pages of any book, but answering all of these questions can be done. If you’re writing a self help or prescriptive nonfiction book, a book that is geared to help someone solve a…
Read MoreWho is your book for? How to identify your ideal reader.
This weekend, I had a book coaching session with my own book coach. We were reviewing my Book Blueprint – the foundational pieces that need to be in place for a book to work. I’ve been trained in this methodology and have spent many many hours studying it and working with clients on it, so I…
Read MoreHow to Organize Research for Your Book
If you’re writing a book, at some point, you’ll need to research, whether it’s a tiny factoid to supplement a scene or story, or a deep dive into psychological studies to build your argument. Conducting research is part of the job description. The challenge comes in organizing the information so that we can find it…
Read MoreDoes this “flow”? A checklist to check for and create flow in your writing.
Every writing teacher or coach ever has had a student ask this question, “Does my writing flow?” I’d bet money on it. Writers ask it because they know that the piece isn’t flowing, but they have no idea how to fix it or even how to define flow. They just know they haven’t achieved it.…
Read MoreHow to Write Chapter 1: Include the 4 C's and a Q
[originally published 11/2014; updated 5/2021] Starting a new project is often the most exciting stage. As creative writers, we get to put our imaginations to work dreaming up witty and fun characters, fantastic settings, conflicts that would destroy anyone but our stalwart protagonist, and plot twists that readers never see coming. We get it all…
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