Book'n It

November 29, 2008 1:44 PM

Good books or blogs on writing your first non-fiction book?

I am a researcher and am looking for good books or blogs on the nuts and bolts of writing your first general audience non-fiction book. I am already an "expert" (whatever that means) in the topic I want to write on. I just want advice and tips on finding agents, submitting book proposals, structuring chapters, etc.. etc.. etc..

Any must have books or must read blogs out there on writing non-fiction?

posted by Spurious to Work & Money (5 answers total)

You just missed NaNoWriMo.
posted by Class Goat at 2:14 PM on November 29, 2008

You just missed NaNoWriMo.

True, but novels are fiction (or thinly veiled autobiography).

If you haven't checked it out yet, MediaBistro has classes on some of the nuts and bolts stuff, though I can't vouch for them personally, having never taken one. (Not a blog or a book, sorry.)
posted by Airhen at 2:39 PM on November 29, 2008

Follow the Story by James B. Stewart, a best-selling author and writer for The New Yorker, is very helpful for narrative non-fiction. He discusses agents and proposals as well.
posted by up in the old hotel at 4:37 PM on November 29, 2008

Michael Larsen's How to Write a Book Proposal is a pretty fantastic, comprehensive guide.
posted by headspace at 4:48 PM on November 29, 2008

Sol Stein's Solutions for Writers: Practical Craft Techniques for Fiction and Non-Fiction is very thought-provoking, clearly written and helpful. The second half of the book deals exclusively with non-fiction. But arguably a lot of the techniques discussed in the fiction section could be used fruitfully in non-fiction as well.

Also, first comment *waves*
posted by Ziggy500 at 6:41 AM on November 30, 2008