SUCCESSFUL NONFICTION
Tips
and Inspiration for Getting Published
(Second
Revised Edition)
by
Dan Poynter
Smashwords Edition
* * * * *
Published on Smashwords by:
Para
Publishing
Post Office Box 8206
Santa Barbara, CA
93118-8206
U.S.A.
info@ParaPublishing.com
http://ParaPublishing.com
Successful Nonfiction
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2003 by Dan
Poynter
Second revised edition, 2003
ISBN: 1-56860-104-2
Unattributed quotations are by Dan Poynter.
Some images by
Jeanette Jaramillo.
Some images copyright by
http://www.ClipArt.com
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal use only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
* * * * *
Read what others are saying about this book
“This book is so reduced, so concise, so easy to grasp—so if you’re really serious about writing grab it.”
—Barnaby Conrad,
Founder and Director,
Santa Barbara
Writers Conference
“The advice contained in this book comes from those who have succeeded in their writing careers. The sensible counsel in this well-written anthology has immediate and long-term benefits for the serious writer.”
—Ray Newton, National Coordinator,
Reader’s
Digest Writing Workshops
“(This book is) loaded with practical and inspirational tips for writing success.”
—Nat Bodian,
The Book Marketing Handbook
“The information in this book is worth thousands of dollars. Don’t even think about writing or publishing a nonfiction book without it!”
—Jack Canfield,
Co-author and editor of the
best-selling
Chicken Soup for the Soul®
series
“Dan Poynter is a wealth of publishing information. That makes what he’s selected to share all that more valuable.”
—Gordon Burgett,
Publishing to Niche Markets
“Dan Poynter’s Successful Nonfiction is a must read. He gives many valuable tips that can move you light years ahead in your work. I plan to keep his book on my desk alongside my Chicago Manual of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus.”
—Mary Embree,
Literary Consultant and Founder of
the Small
Publishers, Artists and Writer’s Network
“The main reason people don’t finish their books is lack of motivation. If this book doesn’t inspire you to finish your manuscript and get it into print, nothing will.”
—Robert W. Bly,
Getting Your Book Published
“There are not many perfect books but this is one of them. It provides two of the three ‘in” words a writer needs to succeed—information and inspiration. The third is inner drive, but the writer must provide that himself. And Dan delivers it all with the greatest weapon a writer has at his disposal—fun. Dan knows how to entertain, so his reader enjoys the experience of reading.”
—John Tullius,
Founder and Director,
Maui Writers
Conference
“Throw away your library of how-to-write books and grab this one. It’s packed with ideas, tips and tricks to help you write and sell your book. I love it!”
—Joe Vitale, author of
There’s a Customer Born
Every Minute
“I can’t imagine a better gift for anyone who ever thought of writing.”
—Maryanne Raphael,
Writers World.
“This book is a keeper with practical insights on every page. It belongs in every writer’s library.”
—Terry Paulson, Ph.D., author of
50 Tips for
Speaking Like a Pro and
1998-99 President of the
National Speakers Association
“Fun. Informative. Motivational. The perfect gift for your writer friends.”
—Dianna Booher,
author of
Communicate with
Confidence, The Worth of a Woman’s Words
and Get
a Life without Sacrificing Your Career
“Once again, Dan untiringly offers up more of his expertise and experience to the army of nonfiction warriors. This is a marvelous ‘crack sealer’.”
—Raleigh Pinskey,
101 Ways to Promote Yourself
and
You Can Hype Anything
“Why settle for writing a good book when you can write a great one? This book shows how to create a great book even if it’s your first. You will find wisdom on every page.”
—Terri Lonier,
Working Solo
* * * * *
Contents
On writing
Why Write?
Why a Book?
What to write
Research
Building your book
Copyright
Finding an agent; Finding a publisher
Book promotion
* * * * *
Dan Poynter fell into writing. He spent eight years researching a labor of love. Realizing no publisher would be interested in a technical treatise on the parachute, he went directly to a printer and “self-published”. Orders poured in and he suddenly found he was also a publisher. Since 1969, he has written 77 books, 47 special reports, 500 magazine articles, nine audiotapes and two videotapes. Most of these information products focus on book writing and publishing. In the publishing field, he is widely known for his best selling The Self-Publishing Manual, How To Write, Print & Sell Your Own Book.
Dan Poynter’s seminars have been featured on CNN, his books have been pictured in The Wall Street Journal, and his story has been told in U.S. News & World Report. The media comes to him because he is the leading authority on nonfiction book writing, publishing and promoting.
Dan is descended from a long line of published authors including Stephen Vincent Benét, William Rose Benét, James Thompson, Frank Norris, Charles G. Norris, Kathleen Norris, Margaret Bridgman, and Josephine Poynter.
A consultant to the book industry, he was recently presented with the Benjamin Franklin Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Publishers Marketing Association. Dan is a past vice-president of the PMA.
Dan is a frequent speaker at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, the Maui Writers Conference and many other industry events. He runs his own publishing company, Para Publishing, in Santa Barbara.
* * * * *
I am deeply indebted to the many wonderful people from the writing trade and publishing industry mentioned in the text. In many cases, I included their web site or email address for more information.
Penny Paine monitored the quality, Gail Kearns did the content and copyediting, Jeanette Jaramillo contributed several drawings, Robert Howard provided another great cover design, and Christine Nolt of Cirrus Design is responsible for the book design and typography.
I sincerely thank all these fine people, and I know they are proud of their contributions to the book community as well as to this work.
* * * * *
Even great books have their limitations. (Please see page 110 on Disclaimers). This book is designed to provide information about the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
It is not the purpose of this book to reprint all the information that is otherwise available to authors and other creative people but to complement, amplify and supplement other texts. For more information, see your bookstore.
Book writing is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Anyone who decides to write a book must expect to invest a lot of time and effort without any guarantee of success. Books do not write themselves and they do not sell themselves. Authors write and promote their books.
Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes both typographical and in content. Therefore, this text should be used only as a general guide and not as the ultimate source of writing and publishing information. Furthermore, this book contains information on writing and publishing, which is current only up to the printing date.
The purpose of this manual is to educate and entertain. The author and Para Publishing shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.
If you do not wish to be bound by the above, you may return this book to the publisher for a full refund. For those who love to find mistakes, please send your corrections for the next edition.
* * * * *
Writing is a creative act. Building a nonfiction book requires planning, structure and lots of labor. Your intellectual property is a piece of art; it will not design itself or be created overnight.
Writing a book is a journey, a trip to be enjoyed on the way to the reward at the destination. Learning as you research your subject is stimulating. The thought process of distilling the pertinent information for your readers is invigorating. Crafting just the right words to convey your message is energizing and provides the power to maintain your writing momentum. The published book is your goal but the process is fun. You are fortunate to be a writer.
This chapter will take you through the four nonfiction drafts with dozens of tips from the best in the business:
• Rough draft
• Content edit
• Peer review
• Copy edit (including fact checking)
Writing is creative, writing is fun. Good writing begets better writing—so practice.
* * * * *
Write a Page-Turner
Get the reader past page eighteen.
Start your book off with an action chapter; make it exciting. Like the introductory part of a speech, Chapter One should arouse the reader and whet his or her appetite. Too many authors want to start from the beginning and describe their research or put a boring history chapter first. The reader wants to know “where to” and “how to”. Do not sedate the reader in the first chapter; encourage him or her to read on.
•
It has been reported that most book buyers do not get past page 18 in a new book. They buy it, bring it home, begin reading, and then put it down on the bedside table. And they never get back to it. Your book has to be exciting in the initial pages to keep the reader involved and reading.
•
Getting a customer to buy your book is not enough. You want your buyer to read it, underline it, highlight it, talk about it, move to action and profit from it. A satisfied reader will recommend your book to friends and your fan will buy your next book.
Hit the page writing.
•
“It is the writer’s fault, not the reader’s if the reader
puts down the book.”
—David Halberstam,
author
* * * * *
Don’t Allow Interruptions
God made the earth in six days and then he rested. He could have done the job in just four days if it had not been for all the interruptions.
Good writing requires concentration. Interruptions often occur when you are deep in thought and producing your best work.
Emergencies such as earthquakes, fire, and flood are interruptions we can accept. We may even weave the unexpected experience into our future work. Telephone calls, visitors and unnecessary questions are interruptions that may make a writer a bit snippy. This is perfectly normal. If people do not want to hear you yell at them, they should leave you alone.
Novelist Judith Krantz places this sign on her door:
DO NOT COME IN. DO NOT KNOCK. DO NOT SAY HELLO. DO NOT SAY “I’M LEAVING.” DO NOT SAY ANYTHING UNLESS THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE.
Explain to your housemates: “I love you but I am working now. Working requires concentration and one brief interruption can cause me to lose a train of thought and lose an hour or more of time. Your brief greeting or question could cause me to lose a valuable thought that will affect our income.” Set boundaries and unplug the telephone.
•
Sue Grafton lives in Santa Barbara. In 1993 she returned to the University of Louisville to accept an honor. On a lark, she went to look at houses—and bought one. Now she writes in both places. She says “It’s really quiet in Kentucky because no one knows when I’m there.”
•
“Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends and society
are the natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone,
uninterrupted, and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete
an undertaking.”
—Lawrence Clark Powell,
author
* * * * *
Take Your Time
How long does it take to write a book?
That’s like asking “how much is a car?” It depends on a great many things.
•
When Maryanne Raphael first read about the international Three-Day Writing Contest, she thought it was a joke. But the idea of writing a book in three days fascinated her. So several years later she signed up, got a sponsor, and arranged to spend Labor Day weekend at her keyboard day and night.
She began writing as fast as she could, doing her best at all times because there was no chance for rewriting. The subconscious was in control with the conscious mind in the dark much of the time. The same powerful curiosity that keeps readers turning pages kept her writing them.
She finished the manuscript, The Man Who Loved Funerals, by the deadline with short breaks for stretching and naps. It is now in New York with her agent who thinks it is her best work. And she has spent ten years writing her nonfiction book, How To Write a Novel in Three Days.” http://www.authorsden.com/maryanneraphael
•
According to Brenner Information Group, on the average, it takes 475 hours to write fiction books and 725 hours to write nonfiction.
For many authors, the writing of the book is a journey to be enjoyed.
•
“You’ve lived 78 years and you expect me to ghostwrite your
memoir in a week?”
—Gail Kearns
writer and editor
* * * * *
Allocate Time
Does your writing come first or last?
Many writers like to set aside a few hours for their writing each day; they establish a schedule and stick to it religiously. A few have the luxury of writing full-time or of getting away to concentrate on their writing. They find marathon writing is more fun and avoids the challenge of getting back to the manuscript each day. Still others have to fit in their writing whenever they can.
•
Nat Bodian decided to write his first book in 1979. Finding time was difficult because he worked full-time as a marketer at a New York publishing house and commuted from New Jersey. He did some writing on the bus to and from New York, some was done on a pad of paper walking across Manhattan and some was done during his lunch hours. Then, evenings after his kids were in bed, he continued in a basement typing room until the wee hours of the morning and on weekends.
The Book Marketing Handbook was published by R.R. Bowker 20 months later and it is still selling. This and several more industry books led to his nomination to the Publishing Hall of Fame. NatBodian@aol.com
•
Subscribers to Writer’s Digest magazine spend 12.64 hours writing each week. Beginners spend seven hours a week and advanced writers spend 30.5.
Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King wrote powerful articles and books about their activities or causes while behind bars. Make effective use of your most valuable asset: your time.
•
“Writing has to come first.”
—Sue Grafton,
author, “O”
is for Outlaw
* * * * *
Overcome Writer’s Block
If you wait for inspiration, you are a waiter not a writer.
If you are having trouble getting started, look at other books. Go to the bookstore, library, and surf the Web. See what is available on your topic (and what is not). Read about writing and about your subject. More research will give you more ideas.
•
Paul and Sarah Edwards, the nation’s “self-employment experts” and authors of eight books say, “We non-fiction writers do not get classic writer’s block. We get brain block. We get disconnected from what we have to say. So, when you get stuck, ask yourself ‘What do I have to say about this?’ or ‘What do people need to know?’ Then start writing down whatever comes to mind.
“If you draw a complete blank, check out what others think about the topic by reading what they have written or doing a few interviews. Then write out what you think about what you have heard or read. What conclusions have you reached? Do you agree or disagree? Is your experience similar or different?
“What are others overlooking? What can you add? Write it all down and you are underway.