Nonfiction books are selling well because people just love to learn. In 2017, more than 280 million nonfiction books sold in the USA alone. With nonfiction writing, you have one goal – to impart accurate information about an idea, event, or facts. It doesn’t have to be boring though and you do need to pay close attention to your writing style. Nonfiction writing is as much about as craft as fiction writing; nobody wants to read a book that is confusing and lacking in life even if you are imparting the most brilliant of ideas. Your readers want information that they can understand, they can use and that, to be frank, excites them.

So, your mission, should you choose to accept, is to write a nonfiction book that is engaging, clear, accurate and, to a certain extent, fun and lively. There are four ways that you can improve on your nonfiction writing immediately:

Engage the Audience

Unless you are writing a textbook style of book that is for a captive audience, your book will need to entice your audience to read it willingly, to learn what you want to tell them. For that, you need to engage them on page one and keep them engaged to the very end.

People want to be entertained so start your book with a story relevant to the content, or a well-known quote. These serve a couple of purposes – for illustration and as an ice-breaker. You could keep this going with each new chapter.

People also like to participate so scatter questions through the book and then provide the answers. Add quizzes and give them the answers at the back of the book. It will help your audience feel as though you are having a personal conversation with them. Use case studies and examples to reinforce the information too.

Clearly Express Your Ideas

Readers want to understand what they are reading and that requires your help. Your book should be well structured in an organized way. Bring your readers in gently; provide each chapter with a specific reason for being, a set topic. Then bring it all together at the end.

Each sentence, each paragraph has a job to do so be clear, direct and simple in your writing. Provide details to support your writing but keep your sentences and paragraphs short and to the point – don’t ramble.

Write Authoritatively

As a nonfiction author, you are the expert on your topic. But can you demonstrate this? Include a bio with your book, showing your relevant credentials and experience to start with. Your writing also needs to show that you are an authority in your field. Avoid using words like “I believe”, “maybe” and “I think.” Instead, write with certainty. Your writing should make it very clear that you know what you are writing about inside out, back to front. Do NOT use too much jargon though; not everyone knows what the words or phrases mean. If you need to use some jargon or buzzwords, provide a list at the back or front of the book telling readers what they mean.

Satisfy the Goal Your Readers Have

People read nonfiction books for a reason;  they want to learn. It is your job to ensure that they do learn what they want to know so make sure your message is relevant and consistent.