Writing Tips for Non-Fiction Writers

There is a lot of great, free writing advice available on the Internet, but sometimes it may seem that it is all geared toward either fiction writers or copywriters -- what's a non-fiction writer to do?

Actually, once you get past genre-specific tips, these different kinds of writing all depend on the same principles: be clear, concise, and specific. Once you understand that, even non-fiction writers will find that they can glean a lot of good techniques from advice aimed at other kinds of writers.

Helen Aitken makes a similar point in
"Seven Writing Tips From a Nonfiction Author." Here are just a couple of the points she makes:

1. Writing nonfiction, creative nonfiction and humor require the same qualities as great fiction, it should be well written and flowing in a direction that takes the reader to a logical destination, without them knowing they’ve been highjacked.
2. Nonfiction doesn’t have to be boring, or in sequential order.  However, it requires a working knowledge of English, few passive verbs, pertinent facts, great quotes, and a lack of clichés, in a concise, coherent writing style, with lots of hot coffee.

Read the whole article on Where Writers Win, a website that is chockful of good advice on writing and book marketing.

P.S. Don't forget that tonight we're meeting at the University of Dallas at 7:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!