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Captain Maximillem

Best Features of a Successful Non-fiction Book

Have you decided to write a non-fiction book? 

Well, it has varied genres, which makes it difficult to find clear guidelines. There are primarily four-five types of non-fiction writings; expository writing, persuasive writing, argumentative writing, opinion writing, biography writing, creative…

First of all, you will have to decide which type of non-fiction writing, you would love to proceed with. Go with some field, which is still unexplored or very less written about. Once you have done that, you will have to understand how to make it powerful enough to reach the masses. And once you have mastered that; there’s no stopping you.

The power doses that builds up a strong foundation of a non-fiction writing are quite many, out of which these are some:

  • A clear principle or problem to be solved; come up with unique problems which weren’t explored much earlier.
  • Come up with a striking introduction for your reader to pick up your book. The title and sub-title are equally important.
  • A solution or outcome you have come up with; the problem should have a resolution too. The reader must be able to take away some information, which will be beneficial to him/her.
  • A process to follow to reach any goal; simply informing readers with a problem and a solution to it isn’t enough. A believable/do-able solution will engross your audience. You can walk readers through a step by step process. Only then, the readers will trust you.
  • Back-up research; is a must. You have a responsibility towards your readers to provide them with correct info. Incorrect details may put off your audience forever. Whereas, quoting correct data or references makes your piece of writing more attractive. Readers will believe in you and feels the solution to any problem is achievable.
  • Inspiration; the book must have an uplifting tone which will encourage your readers. Include your personal experiences or some current example with which the readers can relate to. This will definitely pull in your readers.
  • Your book must be professionally formatted with book designers such as White Magic Studios. A badly formatted book is a put-off in-spite of a good write-up.

If you have already completed writing; after implementing these tips, the next step is to look for an agency which helps self-publishers. And if you’re yet not sure, don’t worry. 

You do know that; writing a great book takes a lot of work, but it can be easier if you know what the main components are; that creates a winning read. Before we get into that, just take a moment to sit back, relax and think about a recent nonfiction book you read.

You will observe that some of the subtle features of nonfiction are: 

  • Headings and subheadings: The reader has an idea of what he’s delving into.
  • Table of Contents: It tells in short which areas will be discussed inside.
  • Index: Usually at the back of the book, which lists important words in alphabetical order.
  • Illustrations: 
  • Photographs
  • Captions: A phrase or sentence which tells what the picture tells us about.
  • Maps
  • Diagrams
  • Glossary: Is like a dictionary which tells what the keywords of the book means.
  • Bold Print
  • Footnotes: Footnotes are notes that are placed at the end of a page and used to reference parts of the text.

And don’t forget that book front covers are very crucial for its sale. A client will pick up a book from the shelves if they’re really attractive, without even knowing what’s inside. 

Now, attractive doesn’t mean glossy catchy colours. Let a professional book cover design company take care of that or any other requirement that will enhance the looks/sales of a book, such as book illustrations.

Also, enter into a partnership with a book designing company such as White Magic Studios for a professional edge.