Bobbi Linkemer - How to Write a Nonfiction Book: From Planning to Promotion in 6 Simple Steps

How to Write a Nonfiction Book:

From planning to promotion in 6 simple steps

Seventh Edition

2011 by Bobbi Linkemer. All rights reserved

This book may not be duplicated in any way without the express written consent of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts or quotations for the purpose of review. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photographic, recordings, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the author. The information contained herein is for the personal use of the reader and may not be incorporated in any commercial programs or other books, databases, or any kind of software without the written consent of the author. Making copies of this book or any portion of it for any purpose is a violation of the United States copyright laws.

ISBN: 978-0-9826746-7-3

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011942029

Cover designed by Nehmen-Kodner: www.n-kcreative.com

Written by Bobbi Linkemer

Published & Distributed by LinkUp Publishing

St. Louis, Missouri

WriteANonfictionBook.com

PO Box 440023

St. Louis, Missouri 63144

Dedicated to

my students, clients, and readers who have taught me so much

OTHER BOOKS BY BOBBI LINKEMER

Words To Live By

Reflections on the writing life from a 40-year veteran

Going Solo: How to Survive & Thrive as a Freelance Writer

(Now an e-book)

Invisible Author: Confessions of a Ghostwriter (e-book)

The Secretarys Secret Weapon:

Arm Yourself With 7 Essential Communication Skills

(Revised and republished as) Shoptalk: 6 ways to get your
message across at work (now an e-book)

Secretria Eficiente: Prepare-se para o successo Desenvolva
as sete habilidades essenciais de communicao

Dealing with Difficult People

(Published in the U.S. as Solving People Problems)

Polish Your People Skills

Get Organized, with Rene Richards

Planning and Running Effective Meetings

(A self-study course)

How to Write an Effective Resume

Polish Your Professional Image

How to Run a Meeting

Lets Talk:

People With Developmental Disabilities Speak Out

Change is Good! Stories of Community Inclusion

If the desire to write is not accompanied by actual writing, then the desire is not to write.

Hugh Prather

There is no perfect time to write. Theres only now.

Barbara Kingsolver

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.

E.L. Doctorow

There is no rule on how to write.
Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes its like drilling rock.

Ernest Hemingway

INTRODUCTION

I can hardly believe I am writing the seventh edition of this book, which started out as an eight-and-a-half-by-eleven-inch workbook with only thirty-six pages. The copyright says 2004, and the subject matter was almost entirely about how to write a proposal. That was the first year I taught my class at the St. Louis Community College titled Writing, Publishing, and Promoting Your Nonfiction Book. The classes have been a joy to teach, and with each one, I have learned from my students and the wonderful speakers who volunteered their time to share their knowledge and experience. I have shamelessly incorporated those lessons into each new edition of the book.

Not only have I learned and taught new skills, but I have also applied them to my own life. Last year, I decided to test the process I was teaching by planning, writing, and promoting a book on my blog, The Writing Life. What I wanted to know was, does this process work? The bottom line is it does work. Having said that, I must add that going through all of the steps in this book is not for the faint of heart. It takes dedication, determination, and discipline. It takes love of your subject and effort. Books do not write themselves. They are not the product of inspiration and magic. They are the result of planning and much hard work. But when you hold your tangible, published book in your hand, you will know it was worth every minute of time you spent on it.

Here is indisputable proof that this process works. The following books have been written by students or clients who applied its principles to their books.

Amazing Journey: Metamorphosis of a Hidden Child by Felicia Graber

A Return to Abundance by Paul L. Gubany

Beyond the Ice Cream Cone: The Whole Scoop on Food at the 1904 Worlds Fair by Pamela J. Vaccaro

Crash & Burn: The Bureaupathology of the Federal Aviation Administration by Robert M. Misic

Dressing Nifty After Fifty: The Definitive Guide to a Simple, Stylish Wardrobe by Corinne Richardson

From Red Star to Spangled Banner by Dale Atilla Fogarasi

Its Your Life, Choose Well by Kathleen Keller Passanisi

Keys to Revelation: Messages in Letters, Symbols, and Patterns by Rev. Donald R. Meisner

Mood Blitz: Bipolar Disorder, an Onslaught of Mania and Depression by Marti Markley

Whos Been Sleeping in My Bed(room)? Researching a St. Louis County, Missouri Home by Kim Wolterman

What should you know?

Books are a labor of love. The first thing you must love is your subject. It has to be something you are compelled to share with others. If you are casual about it, you wont make it through the long haul. Think of writing an article as a sprint; that makes writing a book a marathon.

Sitting down to write when the spirit moves you is what I call starting in the middle. A nonfiction book takes planning. Planning is a lot of work but worth the effort because every single bit of your plan will eventually find its way into your book or promotional activities.

If you have never written a book, the process seems mysterious and maybe even impossible. It is neither. Its logical and orderly. If you doubt it, reread the list of titles on the previous page.

All along the route from start to finish, there are choices to be made. Some are small: Should I write in first person or third? Should I stick to present tense or use past tense? Some are more complicated: Should I try to find an agent who may sell my book to a traditional publisher, or should I publish it myself? If I do it myself, should I start my own publishing company or use a print on demand (POD) firm?

Once the book is published, it is your job to promote it, and you should have been thinking about how you would do that from the very beginning. This is not the time to start your marketing campaign.

The best part of being an author should be the process, not the end result.

Do you have a book in you?

It seems almost everyone I meet harbors a secretor not-so-secretyearning to write a book. Ideas range from memoirs to mysteries, from pamphlets to tomes. I am very popular at cocktail parties when people hear that Im an author. They cant wait to tell me all about their books, though I find that very few people are able to explain what their books are about in one or two sentences. They ramble on and on but cant seem to get to the heart of the matter.

When would-be authors ask me questions, they usually want to know (in fifty words or less) how to write a book or if I would mind taking a look at their work and telling them what I think. This book is in response to the first question, and I am learning to answer no to the second. People really dont want to know what I think unless its glowing praise. When I read something that cries out for editing, it takes a great deal of self-control to forgo the red pen. And when I do succumb and begin doing what comes naturally, the writer is usually insulted. Now, when people ask me to read their books or send me an unsolicited manuscript, I tell them my hourly rate. It tends to throw a damper on the conversation.