Before a writer types his first chapter for his nonfiction book, he should take some time to consider his passion for the topic, his qualifications to write about that topic, his long-term goals, his competition, and the audience for the book.
Is the Author Passionate About the Topic?
It’s obvious when an author is excited and passionate about his topic. The enthusiasm translates on the page and instills excitement in people who read it. Authors must realize that it usually takes years from the time a book proposal is written and sent out to agents to the time the book is published. Writers should ask themselves if this is a topic they will continue to be zealous about three, four, and five years later. It’s important that writers choose a topic that can hold their attention for a long time.
Is the Writer Qualified?
Just because someone gets excited about a topic doesn’t make her an expert on it. To know if a writer is qualified, she should make a list of educational, job, and writing experiences that relate to the topic. For example, if an author wants to write a nonfiction book about parenting multiples, she would be more than qualified if she’s parented twins or triplets, has a degree in human development or psychology, has written numerous articles on the subject, and is a leader of a support group for parents with multiples. If a writer realizes she’s not an expert in the field that she wants to write about, she could find a partner to write the book with her. In the example above, the woman could ask another mom of multiples or a child development specialist to write the book with her.
Will the Book Help the Writer’s Long-Term Goals?
Sit down and write out a list of long-term goals. Does this nonfiction book fit into those goals? Will it help the writer reach those goals? For example, a writer who loves cooking, has taken cooking classes, and has made up hundreds of delicious recipes might want to have his own cooking television show one day. Writing a unique recipe book would help that writer get closer to achieving that long-term goal. If the book topic won’t help the author in the long run, he could still write it or he could focus on a different topic that would help him achieve those goals.
Does the Nonfiction Book Topic Fill a Void or Contribute to the Field?
Authors looking to write a nonfiction book need to check out their competition. They should look for books with similar topics and slants. A writer needs to be able to state how her book is different from the others in that field. If a writer finds that another author has already written a book about organic gardening and she’s really passionate about the subject, she could write a book about organic gardening on a budget or organic gardening in small spaces. Writers don’t have to give up their topic just because someone else has covered it, but they should add to the information or write about it from another angle.
Who’s the Audience for the Book?
Books are written to be read, so writers need to ensure that there will be an audience for their topics. Authors will use this information when they write their book proposals, so it’s not wasteful to spend some time researching this question. Think about educational levels, gender, age groups, and professions when considering audience.
Two mistakes writers make is having too large of an audience or not thinking about the audience before writing. If an author writes a book on self-help treatments for common mental health disorders, he might not make it to publication. Why would someone suffering from depression want to read about treatments for anxiety and bipolar disorder? Understanding and narrowing down the audience can help sell a nonfiction book.
Before writing a nonfiction book or nonfiction book proposal writers should consider their passion for the topic, their qualifications, their long-term goals, similar books, and the audience for the book.
Related Reading on Writing Nonfiction Book Proposals
Nonfiction Book Proposals: What, Why, and How: Find out the purpose and parts of writing a nonfiction book proposal, why writers need to send them, and who reads them.
Writing the Competition Section of Nonfiction Book Proposal: Learn why you should write this section first, the purpose of researching similar books, and what to include in this section.
April Bowles - Just to name a few of my hobbies, I love crafting, writing, football, baking and reading. I’m a professional writer, therapist, and ...
