Writing a non-fiction book that will capture attention

Everyone wants to write and publish a book these days, and with the internet and now the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI), it’s easier than ever.

Bur getting anyone to pay attention, let alone pay for what you write, is getting harder and harder. That’s because ease of publishing means you’re competing with a squawking multitude for whom it it is become a piece of cake to make their work available as well.

Before the internet there were a limited number of “gatekeeprs” (i.e., commercial publishers) you had to convince to invest a significant sum of money in reviewing, printing, warehousing, and distributing, not to mention making a modest profit. Since most publishing has gone electronic, the costs of “getting it out there” are a fraction of the previous price tag.

With the exception of a few current authors who have become celebrities, commercial publishing and self-publishing have changed dramatically. Even if you can convince a commercial publisher to put its imprint on your work, you will most like have to assume the lion’s share of the responsibility to promote it anyway.

Marketing and promoting a book is a rather different animal than preparing it for publication. Getting it ready for publication, which will likely be self-publication, is where Global Arts Associates LLC can help you.

Contact us if you’d like to talk about it.

But here are some basic guideposts.

First, you need to define your audience and objective. You also should try to identify exactly who your book is for and what benefits you want them to gain from reading it.. This focus is key to maintaining relevance and clarity throughout your work.

Second, narrow your topic:. Don’t try to cover everything. Pinpoint a niche or specific angle that sets your book apart from others in the market.

Third, make your book engaging. For instance:

• Tell stories, not Just facts: Even in non-fiction, readers are drawn in by narrative. Use real anecdotes, case studies, or vivid examples to bring concepts to life.
• Inject personality. Write in a conversational, approachable style as if speaking to a single, interested reader. Be authentic and avoid adopting a “lecturing professor” tone.
• Use design elements. Break up text with subheadings, bullet lists, images, charts, or sidebars for key insights or quotes to enhance readability and hold attention.
• Start chapters with hooks: Open each chapter with a story, provocative question, or bold fact to keep curiosity high.

Fourth, organize and structure your book.

• Plan a solid outline with clear chapters, each serving your main promise or thesis. Make sure all content links back to your core theme.
• Maintain logical flow. Ensure smooth transitions and logical sequencing to guide readers effortlessly from one point to the next.

Fifth, be accurate and credible.

• Thoroughly research your topic, organize sources, and check facts. Cite sources to build trust and credibility.
• Balance depth and clarity. Offer enough detail to inform, but avoid overwhelming readers with excessive jargon or technicalities—use clear, plain language whenever possible.
• Share drafts with beta readers from your target audience for honest feedback and adjust accordingly.
• Be concise. Trim repetitive or non-essential content, and ensure every section advances your argument or story.
• Format the manuscript for ease of reading (clear headings, proper spacing, properly cited references).

Sixth, get feedback and help.

• Share drafts with beta readers from your target audience for honest feedback and adjust accordingly.
• Invest in professional editing if you don’t already have a lot of experience with and knowledge about what makes good writing. Consider developmental editors (for structure and clarity), copyeditors (for grammar/style), and proofreaders (for typos)..

Seventh, decide what format for, or context of, publishing makes the most sense for you. This will probably be the most important decision you can make. Here are the pros and cons of each way of going about it.

Commercial publisher. If you’re already a published author, or some recognized public figure, you will probably succeed in going this route. If not, it is going to be, as they say, a “difficult slog”. However, many newbie authors have found that initially self-publishing, then promoting the heck out it to the point you start making serious sales, is a great way of interesting a commercial publisher.

• Pro: Assuming the publisher is not a known “vanity press”, having you on their book list will give you instant credibility. You will also benefit from the name recognition, publication lists, networking with other commercial publishers and having access to their distribution system.
• Con: Increasingly, commercial publishers make you do all your own marketing and promotion anyway, particularly through social media, unless of course you’re a famous person or an already recognized superstar author. But even if you are, it can be risky. If a publisher makes significant financial investments in a promotional campaign and your book bombs anyway, you’ll probably have a hard time getting another contract with them, or any other commercial publisher for that matter. Furthermore, making a living through writing is even more difficult presently than becoming a movie star.

Self-publishing. That’s the route more and more authors are taking, and even though you don’t get the instant publicity or prestige of a commercial publisher, you’re just as likely to get your message out, if you make even a modest effort to promote you work. And it can be a great tax-write off as well, even if you don’t make a lot of money.

• Pro: It’s cheaper, less stressful, and much straightforward to become visible in taking this route, Also, you receive an appreciably higher percentage of the take when it comes to revenues.
• Con: You are competing for attention with tens of thousands of other self-publishers. So you will need to come up with, as well spend time and perhaps some money in developing, a marketing strategy. In addition, if some one decides to sue you for any reason, you rather than the publisher will have to bear all the legal costs. Creating an LLC rather than publishing it directly under your name is strongly advised, but you’ll still have to defend yourselves in court, especially if your plaintiff has any pretext to charge defamation. If you’re not saying anything negative or nasty about anyone, you’re probably safe on that end.

For traditional publishing, you need a proposal (overview, author credentials, market analysis, sample chapters) rather than a complete book to secure an agent/publisher. Depending on the publisher, you may need to hire an agent, which can be also tricky. With self-publishing, you don’t need to hassle with all the foregoing.

But you do need to make sure the book you self-publish is up to commercial standards in terms of look, writing style, grammar, punctuation, and Library of Congress registration.

To self-publish a book, you typically follow these key steps:

• Write your book and have it carefully edited and proofread, ideally by a professional.
• Prepare your manuscript for digital and/or print publication, ensuring proper formatting for eBooks and print layouts.
• Create a professional-looking cover, either by designing it yourself if you have skills or hiring a cover designer.
• Choose a self-publishing platform: Popular options include Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press, and others. Each offers global distribution, different royalty models, and varying setup requirements.
• Set up book metadata: Input your book’s title, author name, description, keywords, and categories to help readers find your book.
• Use your chosen platform’s interface to upload your files and preview for quality.
• Set price and distribution: Decide your sale price and select your distribution channels (e.g., Amazon only, or wider distribution through other platforms).
• Once published, focus on marketing—use social media, email lists, Amazon tools, and offline opportunities to reach readers. If you prefer less hands-on work, you can also hire a service company to manage editing, design, and publication for a fee, though this approach can be costly and you should vet the provider carefully.
• Most platforms let you keep full rights and control, plus a large share of royalties. You do not need to establish a formal business, but some serious self-publishers choose to set up an LLC for tax and ownership reasons.
• Self-publishing combines creative work with business/marketing tasks, so be prepared for some learning in both areas.

One other thing about publishing, no matter how you do it. If you include in your work copyrighted images, diagrams, or long quotations or segments from other published materials comprising more than 10 percent of each item’s word count, you may have to write and get permission from whoever holds the copyright. They may demand a fee from you to republish the copyright material, and in some instance it may not be worth paying it. Be selective about using other people’s materials. If you don’t follow copyright use, you can be sued, and in some extreme cases even charged with federal crimes.

Using copyrighted material as sparingly as you can. It’s your work, not theirs, that you are publishing. Using other people’s creative content without permission is allowed under certain circumstances, which varies from case to case, and is known as “fair use”. Here is a government website you can use to determine whether your leverage of other people’s material is considered “fair use”.

Again, we’re happy to consult with you about how to get started. Email or telephone us at 580-218-8869.