How to Write a Bestselling Nonfiction Book in 5 Simple Steps
You’ve been thinking about writing a nonfiction book for awhile.
Thoughts hammer at your brain, begging to be released.
But, you’re struggling to get them out.
Nonfiction book writing isn’t a simple process. You have to think about structure, content, publishing, promotion…a whole bag of things!
Pause. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this!
There’s a wise monkey who I think has the perfect message for you. Check out his three simple words in the clip below.
It’s going to be a lot of work; there really isn’t a quick fix if you want a well-written nonfiction book that people will love.
But, you’ll feel a sense of pride when your book reaches bestseller status. (Your pocket will also say a big “Thank you!”)
Use this article as a guide for creating a bestselling nonfiction book that brings in the money.
What Does Nonfiction Book Mean?
Nonfiction covers a broad range of niches ranging from memoirs and autobiographies to self-help books. The best way to look at it is to consider the fundamental difference between fiction and non-fiction.
Fiction books bring readers into the author’s imagination. Some elements of the book may mirror real-life events or places. But, the bulk of the book is based on imaginary events.
A non-fiction book is different. It covers real-life events or offers practical solutions to real-life problems. Nothing about the book is fictional.
There are nine broad categories for non-fiction books:
History - These books capture true accounts of historical events.
Biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs - The author shares his or her life story.
Travel guides - Specific events related to the author’s travels are chronicled.
Academic textbooks - Remember those books you used in school? Yah, those are some of the most common nonfiction books.
Philosophy - Think Aristotle, Newton and Socrates.
Journalism - A true account of recent events.
Self-help - Any books that help the reader deal with various life issues ranging from relationships to personal finance and personal development.
Guides and how-to manuals - Step-by-step instruction is given relevant to niche-specific areas.
Humour and commentary - Chronicles the author’s perspective of current events. Some of these books depend heavily on satire.
What Makes a Nonfiction Book Good?
The nonfiction category plays a major role in what makes a nonfiction book good. A memoir certainly can’t be compared to a textbook or historical book. There’s one thing I can say as a general rule of thumb though - these books should be factual, well written, and well-structured.
Let’s look more closely at self-help books and how-to guides. I’ve noticed a disturbing trend over the years. Two common mistakes are made:
The author rewrites existing content just to make a quick buck. This leads to unauthentic content that gives the reader an “I’ve read this before” feeling.
There’s no depth or truly relatable content. Readers are looking for books that offer fresh perspectives to the daily problems they face.
That’s why storytelling is a key part of what makes nonfiction books, like self-help books and how-to guides, good. Check out the infographic below for the six reasons storytelling is important in a nonfiction book.
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Six Reasons for the Importance of Storytelling in Nonfiction Books
How Can I Write a Bestselling Nonfiction Book?
Your nonfiction book can be a bestseller. But, bestseller status doesn’t come overnight. Let’s discuss the five steps to creating a nonfiction book worthy of bestseller status.
Create a Detailed Book Outline
A sailor doesn’t begin his journey without a map. That’s the key to giving him a clear idea of how to get to his final destination.
You’re the sailor of your nonfiction book’s ship. Your nonfiction book outline is your map. A well-developed outline will help you avoid the maddening blinking cursor on a black page. I don’t know about you but that thing gives me anxiety!
Here’s the thing about a book outline though. You should start by identifying your target audience! It’s not just about pouring the ideas that are in your head onto a paper.
Heck no! All your work will be in vain if no one wants to know about what you’re writing. So, you have to start by identifying the demographics of your target audience and their pain point(s).
That then leads to identifying the sections of your book. Sectioned books offer a better reading experience in my opinion because they categorise the book’s content into themes.
Let’s say you’re writing about budgeting for freelancers. The sections of your nonfiction book could be:
Financial Goal Setting
Budgeting Tools
The Feedback Loop
Each section would then have chapters specific to that theme. Therefore, someone skimming through the book knows that you’ll be discussing three broad areas of budgeting for freelancers in specific ways.
The sections then lead to the chapters. But, what will really make your chapters resonate with your audience is the stories you share from your personal experience with the topic. Those stories are what will bring a fresh perspective that sets your book apart from the rest.
Check out a good nonfiction book outline template that’ll help you effectively plan your book outline. Access it by clicking here. Here’s what’s included:
Space for you to create your reader persona using specific prompts
An area for you to list your section titles
A chapter development page that focuses on the chapter’s thesis, hook, relevant story and other key areas
Taking the time to develop your book using this template will lead to better results (and less time wasted) when the time comes for you to write the content.
Don’t Rush the Writing Process
I know you want to quickly complete this book so that you can start selling. But, quality can’t be rushed. Some bestselling authors take a year or more to write, edit, and publish their books! You have to be in this for the long haul.
The best recommendation I can give is to set aside some of your best hours to work on this nonfiction book. Your best hours are the times you work optimally. “Christine, I can’t do that! I have a 9 to 5 and barely any time for myself!”
Hold up. Wait a minute. Don’t you want this book to be successful? Don’t you want to be a bestselling author?
Then you have to create those pockets of time. This may mean reshuffling your schedule so that you can use peak hour times on weekends. It could also mean finding a way to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to get some work in.
The point is that you have to do what you can to give this nonfiction book you need. Either that or you have to hire a ghostwriter.
Use Proofreading Tools to Check Your Work
Proofreading is the bane of any writer’s existence. You’ve given so much of your time, creativity, and energy to create your manuscript. It’s too exhausting to go through everything again. Besides, you’re the one who wrote it so there’ll be things you’ll miss that your reader will pick up.
Proofreading software tools provide a viable solution. There are several on the market that you can use to check each chapter as you complete it. I use Grammarly, but there are other options such as:
These proofreading software act as the extra pair of eyes your content needs. They’ll catch some minor errors you may miss even if you’re a great writer.
Invest in Great Design and Additional Editing
First impressions last. Your book’s cover is the first thing your audience will see. Not only do you need a catchy title, but you also need an eye-catching cover that will get people to stop scrolling and pay attention.
Book design doesn’t stop there. You’ll also need great interior formatting so that the content isn’t all over the place, especially if you’re planning to create an eBook.
Another great plus is including captivating illustrations in the book to enhance your messages. The visual aids make the reading experience even better.
Don’t forget to hire a good editor. Sure, you’ve written your content and done preliminary proofreading using the proofreading software. But, your nonfiction book still needs the extra attention of another pair of human eyes.
An editor will help you see things through the eyes of an external reader. There may, for instance, be areas where further clarification is needed or where the content doesn’t flow the way it should. The editor’s job is to point out these discrepancies (and other) discrepancies and provide recommendations for fixing them.
You can find great nonfiction book cover designers, book illustrators, and editors on Upwork.
Create a Marketing Plan
Bestseller status isn’t achieved through posting your book on Amazon while you lounge in your couch waiting for the money to roll in. Marketing is a hands-on, knee-deep approach to helping your target audience find your book. Here’re some things that you should include in your marketing plan:
Keyword research so that you can use the right keywords in your book’s title and description
A virtual book tour with some of the leading book review websites and book bloggers
Videos portraying key nuggets of wisdom from the book that will attract readers (use these videos on social media…probably invest in a few paid ads)
A series of blog posts related to the book. Share these blog posts with your email subscribers and include a direct link to your book within the text.
How Much Does It Cost to Create a Bestselling Nonfiction Book?
Your head is probably spinning after reading those five steps. It shouldn’t cost more than a couple hundred bucks to create a nonfiction book right? The word “create” here involves the entire nonfiction book process : ideation, writing, design, editing, publishing, and promoting.
That’s a big lie that too many people believe. I believe it’s also one of the reasons so many low-quality books are flooding the market. Prepare to spend thousands of dollars if you want your nonfiction book to be a bestseller.
The cost typically starts at $3,000, but it can extend to over $10,000 depending on your niche, target audience, existing contact list, writing skills, and book length. Invest in quality and you’ll reap the rewards you seek.
Final Words
A lot of work goes into writing a bestselling nonfiction book. But, you can achieve that goal if you:
Create (and effectively use) a book outline.
Invest the necessary time.
Proofread.
Hire a book cover designer, book illustrator, and editor.
Develop (and effectively execute) a book marketing plan.
It’s time for you to seize the moment and create that nonfiction book that has been in your mind for so long.
Need help writing your nonfiction book? Schedule a FREE 15 minute consultation with me. We’ll discuss:
How I can help you as a ghostwriter
The struggles you’re having and how I can help you overcome them
A content creation schedule for your nonfiction book