{"id":1482,"date":"2016-08-17T00:01:07","date_gmt":"2016-08-17T04:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.robertwlucas.com\/wordpress\/?p=1482"},"modified":"2021-12-06T08:03:50","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T13:03:50","slug":"how-to-write-nonfiction-books-that-sell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.robertwlucas.com\/wordpress\/how-to-write-nonfiction-books-that-sell\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write Nonfiction Books that Sell (Part I)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/a>My first three nonfiction books were published in 1994. Thirty-seven books and compilations later, I am still working to perfect my technique in order to write nonfiction books that sell. Like most authors, I have made mistakes along my path to make a solid living from my craft. Even so, after selling a couple hundred thousand books, I feel that\u00a0my journey has provided ideas and techniques that are valuable for other nonfiction authors. That is why I write this blog and I\u00a0want to share tips on how to write\u00a0nonfiction books that sell with you in this article.<\/p>\n

Let’s get started by examining the process that I use when I decide to create a new nonfiction book. You can use a similar approach in designing your own book writing plan. If you\u00a0apply similar steps, you\u00a0can write\u00a0nonfiction books that sell on virtually any topic.<\/p>\n

Select a marketable topic<\/strong>.\u00a0Often, nonfiction authors choose book topics on which they\u00a0already have knowledge and expertise. The beauty of writing nonfiction books is that you can easily observe trends in society and the world to identify information and material that will interest readers. These observations lead to solid content for\u00a0nonfiction books that sell.<\/p>\n

Before I get into the actual writing process for my books, I spend long hours conducting research on my desired subject area. I do quite a\u00a0bit of research on the\u00a0Internet or in books and articles, interview some other experts, and attend conferences where speakers address your subject matter and the\u00a0ideas\u00a0usually start flowing. The key is not to select a\u00a0topic on which there is an abundance of material already available.<\/p>\n

When you begin your research,\u00a0make sure that there are not competing books that take the same approach\u00a0in addressing the topic that you plan to use. Also, ensure that your topic is viable and has\u00a0large market potential through Google searches for the topic. You can also visit\u00a0Amazon and other booksellers for titles on the subject and search newspapers, periodicals and articles on the Internet.<\/p>\n

Identify the reader audience.<\/strong> If you are going to approach a traditional publisher for your book, the question of who your target audience is will be one of the first they will ask. They want to ensure that any money they invest will result in\u00a0an adequate profit margin.<\/p>\n

I cannot overstate the importance of audience identification\u00a0in the\u00a0writing process. If your goal is to write nonfiction\u00a0books that sell and generate revenue, it makes little sense to jump into a writing project simply because you think that you have\u00a0a great idea. A key point in selling books is to make sure that you identify your reader audience before you start writing. You need to do thorough market research before you invest time and effort into putting words into a computer or on paper. This will help\u00a0ensure that your content and the approach you intend to take in communicating it will address the needs, wants and expectations of a large enough target audience. Failure to do this can lead to wasted time, effort and money and not make the venture worthwhile.<\/p>\n

Provide content of value.<\/strong> Once you have selected a topic for your book, you must start considering how you will cover the content in a manner that will attract the attention of your audience. You cannot simply put words on a page. Nonfiction books typically provide information that satisfies a variety\u00a0of reader needs. A partial list of longings that\u00a0material in your book might address includes:<\/p>\n