Fiction Techniques for Nonfiction Writers
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Logan Information
1M ago
Fiction and nonfiction are separate genres, but though their labels imply otherwise, they are not wholly opposites. While the first is created from your imagination and the other pulls from real life, both require creativity and vivid expression to become compelling.  Ironically, the definitions of the two genres could almost be flip-flopped. Fiction works best when it’s believable, and the best nonfiction seems unbelievable and is most effective because the reader knows it’s true. If your nonfiction reads flat, maybe even boringly, it could be because you’ve failed to use fiction’s liter ..read more
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How Long Does It Take to Write a Book?
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Logan Information
1M ago
Writing a book can take a lifetime. But realistically, how long should you expect yours to take?  If you’re trying to balance a full-time job, a family, or every other priority life throws in your path, where will you find the time—and how much time do you need? Your book should serve as a way for you to say something important.  Breaking it into small chunks makes it doable.  How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. But again, where and how do you find the time for those bites?  You don’t. You can’t. You won’t find the time. You must make the time.  What does t ..read more
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Write What You Know: Understanding this Classic Writing Advice
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Logan Information
3M ago
“Write what you know” is one of the first pieces of advice many aspiring fiction writers hear when they embark on their journey to become an author. (And if you’re a nonfiction writer, stay with me.) On the one hand, the idea of writing what you know makes perfect sense. If you’ve ever read a book on a subject with which you’re wholly familiar, you knew immediately when the author moved outside their area of expertise.  On the other hand, writing what you know seems a rule often ignored. Who among us has rocketed through space or captained a pirate ship? I have not yet endured the end tim ..read more
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Popular Book Genres Explained
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Logan Information
6M ago
Guest blog by Vanessa Tym Mary Shelley didn’t intend to invent a new book genre when she wrote Frankenstein in 1822 but now, over 200 years later, every library and bookstore has a science fiction section. Since the inception of categorizing literature, dating back to ancient Greece, we’ve been updating, expanding, and rethinking what genre means. So, let’s take an in-depth look at the most popular book genres. What is a Genre of a Book and How Many are There?  A genre is a category characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter found in an artistic composition. How many ..read more
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Your Ultimate Guide to Writing Contests Through 2024
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Jerry B. Jenkins
7M ago
Regardless where you are on your writing journey, you can benefit from entering contests. The right contest can tell you: Where you stand How you measure up against the competition What you still need to learn And you could win cash. That’s why my team researched a wide range of high-quality contests. We’ve included free competitions and also many with modest entry fees. Contents Short Story Writing Contests Full Manuscript Writing Contests Poetry Writing Contests Need help writing your novel? Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. Short Story Writing Contests   Great Amer ..read more
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Memoir vs. Autobiography: What’s the Difference?
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Jerry B. Jenkins
1y ago
You may have heard the terms memoir and autobiography used interchangeably. They often live on the same shelf in bookstores. Both are nonfiction and contain facts from someone’s life, so what’s the difference? Let me walk you through the differences so you can be confident which you should be writing. What Memoir and Autobiography Have in Common Both genres fall under the category called Creative Nonfiction,  a term that can be also applied to biography, travel writing, personal essays, interviews, blogs, and more. Unlike pure academic, technical, and straight journalistic writing, creati ..read more
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How to Research a Nonfiction Book: 5 Tips for Writers
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Jerry B. Jenkins
2y ago
That you’ve landed here tells me you have a message you want to share in a book. You’re eager to start writing, but you first need to conduct some research. Problem is, you’re not sure how to research for a nonfiction book. You may even wonder whether research is all that important. You may be an excellent writer, but even a small factual mistake can cost you the credibility of your readers. Over the last nearly half century, I’ve written 200 books, 21 of them New York Times bestsellers. So I ought to be able to write a book on my area of expertise — writing and publishing — based on my experi ..read more
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6 Best Practices for Writing Creative Nonfiction
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Jerry B. Jenkins
2y ago
People browsing books usually scan the cover for the title, author, and whoever wrote the foreword. Then they glance at the back cover. If intrigued, they’ll turn to the first chapter. Your first paragraph—from the first sentence—must compel your reader to continue. The power of creative nonfiction comes from using a technique common in fiction—rendering a devices employed in fiction to tell a compelling true story. The goal is the same as in fiction: a story well told. Some nonfiction narratives carry a literary flair every bit as beautiful as classic novels. My very favorite book ever, Rick ..read more
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How to Outline a Nonfiction Book in 5 Steps
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Jerry B. Jenkins
2y ago
There’s no way around it. You need a book outline if you’re writing nonfiction. For a novel, if you’re a Pantser (one who writes by the seat of your pants—like I do) as opposed to an Outliner, you can get away with having a rough idea where you’re going and how to get there. But for nonfiction, a book outline is non-negotiable. Potential agents and publishers’ acquisitions editors require it in a proposal. They want to know you know where you’re going, chapter by chapter. Over the past nearly 50 years, I’ve written 200 books, 21 of them New York Times bestsellers—a third of them nonfiction. I ..read more
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Setting Goals to Finish Writing Your Book
Jerry Jenkins » Nonfiction
by Jerry B. Jenkins
3y ago
Guest Post by Brian Tracy Over the course of writing more than 70 books, I have found two things essential to turning my ideas into published books. The first is following a proven system to plan, write, edit, and publish my manuscripts. The second is setting goals and scheduling time to stay committed to the system. It takes self-discipline, but it’s worth it. Even the most basic goals, such as waking up earlier to write a single page each day, can be effective. Over time, these pages add up, and if you write even just one per day you can have a book ready to go to the publisher within twelve ..read more
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