Understanding Non-Fiction Book Types

Hi everyone. This is Janice Thompson, full-time freelance author and speaker. Welcome to this informative lesson on non-fiction book types.

So, you’ve decided to write a non-fiction book. You’ve taken the time to build your platform—or are currently in the process of doing so. You’ve got the material. You’ve got the drive. You’ve got the following. Now you’re struck with one major question: What sort of non-fiction book would work best for my topic?

Just as there are many different “types” of articles, there are many different “types” of non-fiction books. Generally speaking, the reader of a non-fiction book trusts that what he’s reading is, indeed, fact, not fiction. Your job, as the author, is to present your facts in a compelling way to hook the reader and hold his interest. You want your book to succeed, so choosing the right “type” is critical.

Here’s a quick glance at the sub-genres of non-fiction:

• Self-Help/Pop Psychology
• Health/Dieting
• Inspirational/Religious
• How-To
• True Crime
• Cookbooks
• Travel books
• History books
• Photography books
• Biographies/Autobiographies
• Textbooks
• Memoirs
• Poetry Collections
• Documentaries
• Technical books/User ManualsWhen deciding your best approach, keep your audience in mind. Are you writing to students or teachers? If so, then a textbook would work. Are you writing to everyman? If so, then consider an inspirational or self-help book.Pause a moment and answer this question: Who is your potential reader? Male? Female? Young? Old? Business person? Student? College professor? Computer user? History buff? What sort of books does your reader enjoy? Remember, her knowledge of your material, coupled with her need for any answers you will give to her unspoken questions, is key. Your goal as a non-fiction writer is to speak clearly to the heart of your reader.

Let’s take another, more in-depth, look at that list I just gave you. We’re going to break down each non-fiction book type, one by one.

One by One. . .Here the Genres Come!

• Self-Help/Pop Psychology: These books top the list. Check out any bestseller’s list and you’ll find several self-help books. They’re are a favorite with readers because they promise answers to the questions the reader is asking, primarily the “How can I improve my life?” question. An example of a self-help book might be Get Out of Your Own Way: Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior, by Mark Goulston and Philip Goldberg. The book released in ’96, but is still going strong.
• Health/Dieting: You might think that dieting books are overdone, but think again. No other topic stirs up as much controversy, chatter or conversation as the latest diet fad. The same is true with health books. They tend to run in trends. Don’t believe me? Remember the Atkins diet from twenty years ago? These days publishers are making a mint off of new dieting trends: The South Beach Diet. The 17 Day Diet. The Flat Belly Diet. You name it, they’re selling it. . .and man, oh, man is it ever selling!
• Inspirational/Religious: Books with inspirational/religious leanings do very well in today’s market. People are looking for answers, and many are turning to their faith. You need look no further than Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now or Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life to see that spiritual non-fiction is at its peak. If you’re going to write one of these books, know your audience well before penning a word.
• How-To: As the name suggests, these non-fiction books lead you on a journey, teaching you to do—or be—something. Want to learn to quilt? Pick up a how-to book. Want to learn how to invest your money? You’ll find how-to guides everywhere. Need to learn how to write a novel? There are reams of how-to books on the subject. Several years ago, a how-to phenomenon swept the nation when the first Dummies book was released. It was titled DOS for Dummies and was written by Dan Gookin. Since then, over 1600 For Dummies books have been published. These non- intimidating how-to books make the reader feel right at home. Lest you think this sort of book is a fluke, consider the Idiot’s Guide books, which are selling well on a host of topics. People everywhere are on a learning curve and they’re happy to have instruction books. One of my favorite how-to books is a bright pink hardback with a hammer on the cover. The title? 100 Things You Can Do Without a Man. Clearly a book that every single girl needs.
• True Crime: This exciting genre allows the reader to participate in actual crimes by following the actions of the participants. One of my best friends is an avid true crime reader. She couldn’t tell you much about what’s selling in health and diet books, but she’s always up on who killed who...and how.
• Cookbooks: Think cookbooks are a dime a dozen? Think again. Savvycookbook writers have revamped, reshaped and re-thought the food industry. These days food is a hot topic. Don’t believe it? Check out Bobby Flay’s Grill It! Cookbook or Paula Deen’s Kitchen Classics. You don’t have to be famous to sell a great cookbook, either. One of the top sellers on amazon right now is Paleo Comfort Foods: Homestyle Cooking in a Gluten-Free Kitchen. Notice how the authors have targeted a specific niche market. Fortunately for them, it’s a market that’s in need of a great cookbook.
• Travel books: Most readers would love to travel the world but don’t have the money to do so. They live vicariously through the journeys of those who document their travels in books that tap into all five senses. Through photos, stories, food, architecture and clothing, we are transported to places unknown and exotic. The number one travel book on amazon right now was put out by National Geographic. It’s titled Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips. Just reading the title makes me want to pack my bags! The book released in 2007, but remains at the top of the list. Perhaps you love to travel. If so, consider documenting your journeys and compiling them into a non-fiction book.
• History books: Are you a history buff? Do you love to research historical events, digging for valid, primary sources? If so, you might consider writing a book on a particular era or event from history that captivates you. Carefully researched, well-documented...history books take us back in time and make us feel as if we live amongst the people of that day. History books stand the test of time. Consider the bestseller, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen. It released in 2007 but is still selling well today.
• Photography books (commonly known as coffee table books): As you might guess from the name, this is a book that is meant to sit on a coffee table where folks can browse through it at a leisurely pace to pass the time. Photography books are most often oversized hardbacks that contain a combination of photographs—beautifully done—and small bits of writing, usually captions. One of my earliest books was a coffee table book. It was titled If These Windows Could Sing and contained photos that I shot of stained glass windows, church steeples and a variety of other things found in and on churches. People love photos and captions.
• Biographies: A biography is an accurate and compelling re-telling of a person's life from birth to death. The Story of Walt Disney: Maker of Magical Worlds was written by Bernice Selden and released in 1989. It remains in the top five biographies on amazon. Talk about standing the test of time. One of the most fascinating biographies that I found online is titled When They were 22: 100 Famous People at the Turning Point in Their Lives (by Brad Dunn). It released in 2006 and is still going strong.
• Memoirs/Autobiographies: These two terms are interchangeable. You don’t have to be famous to write your autobiography. These days all sorts of folks are writing their memoirs to leave as a legacy to their children and grandchildren. For more information on memoir writing, see the bonus feature for this lesson.
• Textbooks: Also known as course-books, these are manuals of instruction. They cover a variety of branches of study. Educational institutions set the demand for these information-packed books. I have a fun childhood memory of a textbook. My uncle, a college professor, wrote a textbook, which was used for many years in universities across the nation. I remember the pride of looking at that textbook and realizing how many lives he had touched by writing it. As you might imagine, years of research going into each textbook, so you will need to know your material inside- out before attempting to write one.
• Poetry Collections: It’s getting harder and harder to publish poetry, but a few publishing houses still print collections. My heart goes out to the poet, because he slaves for hours, then struggles for even more hours to find a publisher interested in his work.
• Documentaries: Documentaries cover a variety of topics: everything from conspiracy to the military to unsolved mysteries from history to nature and wildlife. Documentary writers have to weigh their options before writing. Many write to address sensitive or timely issues or stories. The goal of the documentary writer is to educate readers and/or set the record straight. Documentaries are often filmed for television. Here’s a tough question you have to ask yourself if you’re going to write a documentary: will you seek to entertain your reader with what could be a sensational story, or are you simply trying to convey truth?
• Technical books/User Manuals: If you enjoy technical writing, you should consider writing technical books or user’s guides. These might seem dull to writers who thrive on creativity, but technical writers make a good living and don’t have to look as far to find work. Just remember, the tone and language of your technical book has to match the intended audience.EXERCISE:Before we close out this lesson, I want to give you an exercise. Take a good look at your non-fiction book idea. Think about the multiple non-fiction book types. Would more than one work for your book? Start with a list of all of the possible types, then narrow the list down to the best choice.

That’s it for this lesson on non-fiction book types. As always, it looks like you’ve got a lot to do, writers! Better get to it!

Download the .pdf of this lesson below.