Do you want to write a non-fiction book but don’t know where to start?
Or perhaps you worry that you’re not an expert or have enough authority in your niche to write a book on it?
Are you ready to help other people and change your own life with your words?
The first non-fiction book I wrote changed my life. Sure, it helped other people, but it also altered the course of my career – so much so that 10 years and 20+ books later, I make a multi-six-figure income with my writing.
Much of that income stems from my non-fiction books and in this course, I’ll share everything I’ve learned along the way and save you time, effort and frustration on your author journey.
I'll share the business models of writing non-fiction, mindset issues around writing, the details of how to research, write and edit your book, dictation and productivity tips, as well as publishing, product creation, marketing and more.
Your Instructor
Joanna Penn is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and crime under J.F.Penn. She also writes bestselling non-fiction for authors, podcasts weekly at The Creative Penn and she’s an award-winning creative entrepreneur.
How will this course help you to (finally) write your non-fiction book?
Many people want to write a book, but very few actually complete the process – and even fewer are successful in terms of sales.
So how will this course help you (finally) write your non-fiction book?
- You will address the mindset issues that can stop your writing – including fears and self-doubt, concern about expert status, originality, the author’s voice, and writer’s block.
- You will discover the various business models for non-fiction writers BEFORE we get into the process of writing, so you can decide what you are aiming for and how best to achieve it.
- You’ll identify your target market and where your book fits into the eco-system, so it will have a better chance of standing out in a crowded market.
- You’ll learn how to structure, research and write your book in a productive way that will help you achieve your goal of finishing the first draft in a timely manner, plus how to self-edit and work with professional editors to complete the manuscript.
- You’ll discover how to turn one manuscript into multiple streams of income through creation of different products, plus learn how to position them in the publishing eco-system.
- You’ll find out how to market your non-fiction book with my own tips from 10+ years as a non-fiction author – through personal branding, content marketing, paid advertising and more.
What's inside the course?
How to Write Non-Fiction is a step-by-step guide through the process of writing a non-fiction book – from validating your ideas and choosing the best one, mindset issues, business models for non-fiction, structure and organization, research, writing the first draft, editing, publishing and product creation, and book marketing.
There are videos for every lesson, as well as downloadable audio and slides if you prefer to listen on the go. You can learn at your own pace and in your preferred format. There are also downloadable zipped files containing all audios if you prefer to go through it that way.
Each of the main curriculum videos are recorded especially for the course by Joanna Penn. There are also short snippets of interviews from Joanna's popular podcast by bestselling authors outlining aspects that relate to the course.
Module 1: Before You Write: Mindset
- Why write a non-fiction book?
- Can I write a non-fiction book if I'm not the expert?
- Originality. Or 'there are too many books on this topic'
- Who are you? Personal stories and the writer's voice
- Fear and self-doubt
Module 2: Before You Write: Business
- Types of non-fiction books
- Business models for non-fiction books
- Who is your book for? Identify your target market
- Decide on the topic for your book
- Decide on your book title
- Your author name and pseudonyms
- How long does your book have to be?
- How long will it take to write your book?
- Your perspective on time
- The book proposal
Module 3: Writing and editing your book
- Gather and organize your existing material
- Research, interviews, surveys and social listening
- Structure and organize the book
- How to write the first draft
- How to dictate your book
- Turn your blog into a book
- Speed, quality and perfectionism
- Focus and shiny object syndrome
- Writer's block
- Co-writing a non-fiction book
- How to turn a boring book into an engaging read
- Elements of fiction in non-fiction
- Does non-fiction have to be true?
- Copyright, using real people, quotes, lyrics, images and citing sources
- Self-editing your book
- How to find and work with professional editors and proofreaders
Module 4: Publishing and Product Creation
- Your publishing options
- Use different formats to create multiple streams of income
- Non-fiction book covers
- Book formatting for non-fiction: Tables, images, graphical elements
- Pricing your book
- Your sales description
- Categories and keywords
- Turn your book into a multimedia course
- Updating your books over time
Module 5: Marketing non-fiction books
- Two models of marketing and the importance of mindset
- Book-centered marketing
- Paid advertising for non-fiction books
- Author-centered marketing. The power of a personal brand
- The importance of an author website
- Your email list
- Integrate email marketing with your book
- Content marketing for non-fiction books
- Lessons learned from my marketing journey
- Next steps
Is How to Write Non-Fiction right for you?
This course is for you if one or more of the following apply:
- You want to build authority in a niche
- You’ve been through a particular experience and want to share your story to help others
- You want to add another income stream if you’re already writing in another genre
- You have a business already and want to use your book as lead-generation
- You’re a speaker (or want to be) and you want to have a book as the basis for your talks
Who is the course NOT for?
The course is relevant across most genres of non-fiction, but is less appropriate for those writing academic textbooks or those aiming for specifically academic publishing.
If you’re unsure as to what you’re writing at the moment, no worries! The course has a 30 day money-back guarantee (more details in the FAQ below), so you can always try it out and refund if it’s not for you.
Are you ready to (finally) write your non-fiction book?
This course contains everything that I have learned about how to write a non-fiction book that readers love, all wrapped up in a step by step guide that will help you shortcut the journey, save time and money, and avoid the mistakes I have made along the way.
Just scroll down, choose your payment option and click Enroll in Course now.
If you would like to join me, there is zero risk and a 30 day money back guarantee.
I want to make sure that this course is right for you. So if you sign up, you have 30 days to test drive it. If it's not the right fit, just email me and I'll give you a full refund. No questions asked.
If you'd like to join the course, there are two payment options. You can pay in full upfront for US$297 or you can pay in 6 monthly instalments of US$50.
Just scroll down and Enroll now.
[FYI. I use Teachable, based in the USA, to deliver the course and they process the payments.There may be tax added depending on where you are based.]
As soon as you join, you will have lifetime access to the course materials, including everything added in the future.
If you have any questions about the course, please email: [email protected]
Click a button below to continue on to Teachable and enroll using your preferred payment plan.
If you change your mind within the first 30 days, you can get a full refund. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.