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Learn How to Nail the Writing of a Nonfiction Paragraph

by Bennett R. Coles Leave a Comment

Writing a Paragraph

When you write a nonfiction paragraph, you’re more than just writing, you’re creating a mind-to-mind connection between you and your readers, like a bridge.

In this article, you’ll learn a how to craft sound nonfiction paragraphs by looking at their structure, length and type so that your words can flow effortlessly through this symbolic bridge.

1) Nonfiction Paragraph Structure

Let’s start by looking at the anatomy of a nonfiction paragraph:

The Beginning

Most nonfiction paragraphs begin by introducing a main idea in the first sentence, called the topic sentence. It’s important to only focus on one main idea per paragraph so that you don’t split your audience’s attention.

The Middle

Once you’ve nailed down your topic sentence, it’s time to elaborate on your main idea. You’ll be doing so throughout the middle section of your paragraph by writing a number of supporting sentences.

This number will depend on the complexity of your main idea, but as a rule of thumb you’re a looking at no less than three and no more than five supporting sentences.

If you need more than five sentences to develop your main idea, then perhaps you need to it break down and devote a separate paragraph to each part.

The End

Once you’ve developed your main idea through a number of supporting sentences, it’s time to bring your paragraph to a natural conclusion.

You’ll want to do so by summarizing the discussion of your main idea in a way that’s memorable to your readers. In other words, the goal of your concluding sentence is not merely to repeat your main idea at the end of your paragraph but to translate it into an “aha” moment.

While the first sentence of your paragraph might have elicited a response such as “This sounds interesting, I want to learn more about it,” the conclusion must elicit a response such as “Oh, now I get it, this is very cool!”

2) Nonfiction Paragraph Length

A reasonable paragraph length is between 100 and 200 words. Now, this isn’t based on a formula but on the simple fact that the nonfiction genre — and problem-solving nonfiction in particular — is about new ideas, and those ideas need a minimum number of words for you to be able to develop them effectively.

If your find that you paragraph idea is too complex to be digested in a single paragraph, then break it up into several sub-ideas, and devote a separate paragraph for each.

3) Nonfiction Paragraph Types

Finally, there are four types of nonfiction paragraphs that you’ll want to master. Each type has different characteristics that’ll work best in different areas of your book. A balanced nonfiction book makes use of all four types.

Expository Paragraph Type:

The expository paragraph type is used to convey well-researched findings in a way that establishes you as an expert in your reader’s eyes.

Example:

“The fundamental question of work and leisure raised by Weiss is particularly relevant as a generation called Millennials moves firmly into the workforce. Millennials in general are hard-working, passionate young men and women who are eager to work, but they want to enjoy and draw meaning from their jobs. Weiss recognizes this trend in young workers, but an interesting disconnect between Weiss’ article and today is the discussion of self-employment. Weiss notes that self-employed workers are generally most satisfied even if they earn less, but also makes the observation that self-employment has significantly declined. This observation is being challenged by trends in Millennial work choices.”

Descriptive Paragraph Type:

The descriptive paragraph type is used to paint a picture in the mind of the reader by using language that appeals to the their senses.

Example:

“Coming down to Bridge Park had been a good idea, he decided. Leaving the crowded mass of the city behind he’d ridden the train south, out onto the delta. Rice paddies stretched to every horizon, blurring the line between land, river and sea. And then, in the shadow of the ruined supports of the bridge, the park rose like a garden oasis above the lowlands. He obviously wasn’t the only person with the same idea today, and the park was lifted by the shrieks of children playing on the bridge replica fun zone behind him.”

Narrative Paragraph Type:

The narrative paragraph type is used to take your reader through an emotional journey from problem to solution, as conveyed through the stories of real or fictional characters that support your book’s main thesis.

Example:

“Christopher Reeve was one courageous person who fully accepted an unexpected change in direction in his life. The icon of superhuman strength in the 80’s, he was the quintessential Superman. An actor of great appeal and talent, he represented the ideal combination of manliness, strength, seeker of justice, and savior of humankind. In May 1995, he was riding his horse and had a serious fall. The accident damaged his spinal cord such that he was left a quadriplegic and had to use a machine to help him breathe. The accident sent shock waves around the world. How could Superman be rendered a quadriplegic? It was unfathomable.

After many months of grueling physical therapy, he learned how to function in this new altered state. The emotional toll was great as he and his family struggled with the changes this accident brought into their lives. Within a year, however, he had founded a charitable organization called the Christopher Reeve Foundation in order to raise money for research on spinal cord injuries and made it his mission to find a way for all victims of these devastating injuries to walk again.”

Persuasive Paragraph Type:

The persuasive paragraph type is used to convince your reader why the solution presented in your book is different than any other than they might have tried in the past.

Example:

“‘I’m too old’ or ‘It’s too late to change’ are nothing but limiting beliefs. Like any other beliefs, they’re fully under your control and are totally replaceable. In the end, you’re the one who truly runs the show, as much as you’re taught to believe the opposite. When it comes to making changes in your life, you have the ultimate say. If you end up doing only what others think you should, it’s because on some level you’ve made the decision to believe that their ideas are more worthy than your own. If you want to change, you have to start believing in what you want to do, no matter what other people’s ‘opinions’ are. And you have to believe that the changes you want to make are worth it, regardless of your age or your circumstances.

If you enjoyed this article and are in the process of writing a nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide, drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling authors (including a New York Times bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access.

All the best!

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or need any help – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

 

Bennett R. ColesBennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of six books published through Harper Collins (New York) and Titan Publishing Group (London). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press, editor for multiple bestselling writers (including a NY Times bestseller), ghostwriter for CEOs and politicians and the founder of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghost writing, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, marketing, printing and distribution.

Filed Under: Writing Skills Tagged With: 118

How to Write the Perfect Introduction for Your Nonfiction Book

by Bennett R. Coles Leave a Comment

Writing Introduction

Second only to the book cover, the introduction of a nonfiction book is the most important sales asset at your disposal. In fact, if your book cover is the “lead magnet” that catches the reader’s attention, your introduction is the “closer” that seals the deal.

If you don’t nail this part of your book content, you’ll have to fight an uphill battle trying to convince readers to buy your book.

But here’s the thing: most new authors get this section wrong. I suspect the reason that is back in the day they taught us in school that the introduction of an essay is supposed to “tell your reader what you’re going to tell them,” then you “tell them” in the body of the essay and finally you use the conclusion to “tell them what you told them.”

The problem is that what works for essays doesn’t often work in commercial nonfiction. If you provide a summary of your book in your introduction (“tell your reader what you’re going to tell them”), they simply won’t buy it because you just told them all they need to know.

Instead, your book introduction should really be a “marketing sales letter” where you pitch your book to the reader. In other words, a document carefully crafted with the intent to tease, but never reveal, to hook the reader into wanting to know more, to pique their interest to such an extent that they feel compelled to purchase your book.

So the question now is, how do you go about writing this letter? Is there a formula you can follow to ensure it gets the job done?

Well, you’re in luck, because in this article I’ll share with you the 7 steps you need to follow to nail your book introduction!

Step 1: Begin Your Introduction With a Good Hook

Hook

The first step in writing a good introduction is to hook your reader in the opening paragraph. The goal of a hook is to capture your reader’s attention at the very beginning and make them want to read the entire section.

There are many different types of hooks you can use, but the basic structure is the same: you need to highlight the main challenge that afflicts your reader and then show them the expected end result.

Here are three popular opening hook options you can use as inspiration for the first paragraph of your introduction:

• You could use a thought-provoking open-ended question, the answer to which contains the solution to the problem you’re addressing with your book (e.g. “Why do 90% of people who go on a diet end up gaining back more weight than what they lost within six months ?”)

• You could start your paragraph with a story that depicts the emotional journey of a fictitious character who suffers from the problem afflicting your reader. Or you could share an example from your personal life that shows your reader how you overcame this challenge yourself. Or you could share the journey of a client (fictionalizing, names, places, genders, etc.).

• You could start your first introduction paragraph with a statistic that illustrates a controversial piece of information that goes to the crux of your book and at the same time addresses the challenge you’ve set out to address (make sure to reference your sources).

Step 2: Introduce your Solution and Establish Your Credentials

Now that people are hooked, it’s time to tease your solution but doing so in a way that doesn’t disclose your “secret sauce.” As I mentioned before, if you reveal any type of details about your solution in your introduction then you’ll be removing the need for someone to purchase your book.

As an example, you could say something like: “This book will show you the step-by-step approach required in order to permanently overcome _________ .”

Once you’ve teased your solution, you need to establish why you’re qualified to talk about the subject. For instance, you could talk about the journey that led to the discovery of your unique solution, conveying your passion for the subject and the reason why you made it your personal mission to help others afflicted by this problem.

Step 3: Reveal the Journey from Problem to Solution

Now it’s time reveal the specific road map that will take your readers from being afflicted by the problem to being freed by your solution.

For example, you could say something like: “In chapter 1 you’ll learn the best way to ___________. In Chapter 2 you’ll learn how to __________. In Chapter 3 you’ll learn how to ____________,” and so on…

The goal here is to “whet the reader’s appetite” with a high-level view of the kind of results they’ll achieve by reading your book, without revealing any of the specifics.

Next, you need to translate your solution into the clear and tangible benefits that your readers will get by reading the information in your book. These benefits are the various outcomes the reader will experience by putting your solution to work.

Ideally, you want to paint a vivid picture of the reader’s future situation using a rhetorical question — for example, you could say something like this: “Do you want to be stress free?,” “financially free?,” “healthier bones?,” “debt free?” .

Step 4: Provide Social Proof of Your Results

Once you’ve helped your reader “see” what their future will be like after reading your book, you need to earn their trust by showing them tangible proof from someone who’s benefited from your solution.

In other words, this is where you bring up your testimonials, either a statement from real people or a statement from organizations who managed to solve their problems by using your book or your services. Client testimonials are the most effective source of social proof to close a sale (note: make sure you have their written permission before publication).

As a word of caution, never make up testimonials. If these facts ever come out, especially in the age of the Internet where anything in the public domain can be virtually searched forever, it could seriously and perhaps permanently damage your credibility and reputation.

Step 5: Anticipate and Address Objections

Stop

Although this is an optional step, I highly recommend it. Many readers will likely feel jaded by similar solutions they must have tried before that didn’t work and will therefore have a built-in skepticism when they read your introduction.

So, research in advance what these specific objections are and counter them in your introduction by providing a logical framework that explains why they’re unwarranted in your case.

The best place to research objections is from your own prospects. Failing that, you can visit forums or online groups (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) in the problem area that your book covers and read people’s comments about similar products, approaches or solutions. They’re often a gold mine of information about objections and grievances.

Step 6: Issue a Call to Action

Now, you need to begin your closing arguments. You’ll do this by making it clear to readers that if they follow the secrets/formulas/steps/information revealed in the content of your book, they will overcome their problem (here’s a tip: always make sure to set expectations that express a clear impact — don’t use wishy-washy language that obscures the effect of your solution).

For example, you could say something like:

“If you follow the step-by-step process in this book, you’ll double your investment income in just 3 years….

… you’ll lose weight and never gain it back

… you’ll cut your credit-card debt in half

… etc.”

Step 7: Transition to First Chapter

Finally, you need to wrap up your introduction by inviting your reader to get started on their journey, wishing them well and seamlessly transitioning to your first chapter.

For example, you could write:

“Let’s now embark together on your journey to <desired goals>”

In Closing

Congratulations! You now have all the elements and strategies required to craft a compelling book introduction that can really “seal the deal.” Now, it’s time to get started writing your first draft!

All the best,

Ben

If you enjoyed the information in this article and have started the writing process for your nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide, drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling authors (including a NYT bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access.

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions about this article or a specific detail, skills or technique that I can help you with – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to self publish books.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

 

Bennett R. ColesBennett R. Coles is an award-winning writer of six books published through Harper Collins (New York) and Titan Publishing Group (London). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press, editor for multiple bestselling authors (including a NYT bestseller), ghostwriter for CEOs and politicians and the founder of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium services for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writers coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, marketing, printing and distribution.

Filed Under: Writing Skills Tagged With: 119

Learn How to Write a Nonfiction Outline in 5 Easy Steps

by Bennett R. Coles Leave a Comment

Writing Outline

In this article, I’ll show you the best approach to writing a nonfiction book outline that can be put to work immediately.

Creating an outline is one of the most efficient ways to write a nonfiction book from scratch, because a well-constructed outline will provide you with a point by point road map of ideas that you can use to kick-start your writing process.

An outline will:

  • Create the structure of your book’s table of contents
  • Make it possible for your book to “write itself”
  • Ensure that you never suffer from writer’s block

How Do You Write an Effective Outline?

To create an effective outline for your nonfiction book, you’ll have to begin with a main topic or main point and then go though a series of steps to map out your book’s content with ideas that are simmering in your head.

In order to arrive at your main topic you need to ask yourself the following question: What’s my audience’s most significant challenge for which I’ve created a unique solution?

In a sense, you need to figure out what’s the most pressing problem that you’re going to help your audience solve and then develop your main idea around your solution.

Once you’ve settled on this main idea, you’ll then use the mind mapping technique to turn it into a diagram or “map” listing everything that’s stored in your mind related to this topic (read: How to Create a Mind Map for a Nonfiction Book for instructions in detail).

Finally, you’ll lift your overall book structure from your mind map and use it to lay out your book outline by following the outlining process described below.

5 Easy Steps for Creating an Outline that Rocks!

Step 1: Group All Mind Map Branches Together

Your completed mind map will identify the specific topics and subtopics that make up your main idea. These are the main branches and sub-branches that radiate out of the center of the map — for reference, here’s an example of a mind map from one of Tony Buzan’s books, the British author who popularized their use back in the 70’s:

Your next task is to group together the main branches into themes and turn them into a book part or a section.

As an example, say you’re writing a book about the belief system and goal setting (your main idea). You could assign main branches for topics such as “how the mind works,” “the belief system” and “the power of perception.” These three topics could be grouped together as a single theme that deals with the inner workings of the mind.

Then, let’s say that you also group other branches related to “the role of our minds in procrastination,” “setting goals” and “dealing with our strengths and weaknesses.” These could be grouped as a new theme that deals with how our minds can impact our careers, and so on.

Once you’ve grouped all main branches into themes, you can then begin to create the logical structure of your book by numbering these top sections: e.g. Section 1 – How the mind works; Section 2 – How the mind influences careers, etc.

Now, pick one of the main branches, say “the belief system,” and group all its sub-branches. The main branch will become the chapter and its sub-branches will become the sub-chapters. Repeat this process for each of the remaining main branches.

If you have a third level of content (sub-sub-branches), then repeat the same type of process as shown above until all branches are exhausted.

Step 2: Generate the Initial Book Outline

Now enter the above information into your favorite word processor as a numbered list, with your section numbers as the top level, then tab to enter each chapter in the second level, and finally tab once more in order to enter the sub-chapters below each chapter. Your main idea will eventually be turned into your book title.

Here’s how the outline in our example above would begin to shape up:

Section 1: The inner workings of the mind (this is an outline section)

                     1-1 How the mind works (this is an outline chapter)

                                       1-1-1 The conscious and subconscious mind (this is an outline sub-chapter)

                                       1-1-2 Where thoughts originate

                                       1-1-3 ………

                     1-2 The belief system

                                       1-2-1 Beliefs from your upbringing

                                       1-2-2 Beliefs and your emotions

                                       1-2-3 ………

                     1-3 The power of perception

                                       1-3-1 ………

                                       1-3-2 ………

Section 2: How the mind influences careers

                     2-1 The role of the mind in procrastination

                                       2-1-1 ………

                                       2-1 2 ………

                     2-2 The role of the mind in setting goals

                                       2-2-1 ………

                                       2-2-2 ………

                     2-3 Dealing with strengths and weaknesses

                                       2-3 1 ………

                                       2-3-2 ………

Section 3: How the mind influences relationships

                     3-1 ………

                     3-2 ………

Step 3: Add Your Book’s Front Matter to the Outline

Front Matter

The front matter appears before the main body of the book and is composed of one or many pages from the following list:

  • Testimonials (optional)
  • Title page (mandatory)
  • Copyright page (mandatory, placed on the back of the title page)
  • Page with a quotation or a message (optional)
  • Dedication (optional)
  • Table of contents (not mandatory but highly recommended)
  • Foreword (optional) – this is written by an authority in your field
  • Preface (optional) – this is written by you
  • Acknowledgements (optional)
  • Introduction

Step 4: Add Your Book’s Back Matter to the Outline

The back matter appears after the body of the book and is composed of one or many pages from the following list:

  • Afterword (optional) – this can be used as a closing statement for your book; your parting words.
  • Appendices (optional) – these can be used for additional information that didn’t fit or didn’t work in the body of the book.
  • Glossary (optional)
  • Index (optional)
  • References or bibliography (optional)
  • About the author (highly recommended) – this is where share details about you with your readers and tell them how to get in contact with you.

Step 5: Turn Your Outline into Your Book’s Table of Contents

Go through your book outline from top to bottom and create a final title or heading for every section, main topic, sub-topic and sub-sub-topic. When doing so, keep in mind that your table of contents will become a navigational tool for your readers, so you need to ensure that all your headings fit into a narrative of ideas that flows with a clear purpose.

Another consideration is that your table of contents will often be browsed by prospective readers before they purchase your book, so you need to make sure that all headings are written in a way to entice people to want to read further — readers love it when a table of contents piques their interest!

Next Steps

Since your outline already contains all the information and ideas required in order to begin writing your book in the correct sequence, just know that you don’t need to write your book from top to bottom. You can simply pick the outline topic that inspires you most that day and start writing.

Thanks for reading and best of luck!

If you enjoyed this article and are in the process of writing a nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide, drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling writers (including a NYT bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access.

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or need any help – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

How Long Does it Take to Write a Book to Help Grow Your Business?

 

Bennett R. ColesBennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of six books published through Harper Collins (New York) and Titan Publishing Group (London). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press, editor for multiple bestselling writers (including a NY Times bestseller), ghost writer for CEOs and politicians and the founder of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writers coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, marketing, printing and distribution.

Filed Under: Book Writing Tagged With: 120

The Ultimate Book Design Guide for Nonfiction Authors

by Bennett R. Coles Leave a Comment

Book Design

When it comes to nonfiction book design, you won’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Prospective readers picking up your book for the first time will make a go/no go decision based on first impressions.

They’ll first browse your book, read a few pages and then make a decision based on that initial scan. So, given this brief time of exposure, the design of your book’s interior becomes paramount. At a minimum, readers will expect that you follow well-established publishing standards.

If you break one or more of these book design rules, your work may be branded as amateurish, even if the information in it is compelling. It’s for this reason that great care must be taken when balancing all the necessary visual aspects that appear on your book.

I’ve written this article to offer you important tips to help you gain a sound understanding of the different aspects of book design. You’ll need to nail these down in order to produce a nonfiction book that will look both professional and functional.

Let’s start with the most important step when it comes to your book design:

Book Dimensions

Your book size (or “trim size”) is the primary cost driver for your print book since it determines the volume of paper your book will require to be produced.

To make the printing process more efficient, most book print shops have settled on standard trim sizes that allow them to pre-set their equipment one time only without having to stop the presses to make constant changes. Although custom sizes are possible, they’re usually discouraged through high pricing.

Most nonfiction books are printed by choosing a standard size from the following list:

5” x 8”

This size is typically used for paperbacks only, although there are exceptions.

5.5” x 8.5”

This size is used for both paperbacks and hardcovers.

6” x 9”

This size is used for both paperbacks and hardcovers.

Your final choice will be determined by your total word count. If you have a large word count, then it’s a good idea to choose a 6” x 9” trim size to reduce the number of pages in your book (a large page can fit a higher number of characters).

If you choose instead a small trim size (say 5” x 8”) you may end up with an overly thick book, which will not only cost more to produce but may also be awkward to hold for readers.

On average, a 5” x 8” book can fit between 250 and 350 words of text per page. At the other end of the spectrum, a 6” x 9” book can fit between 350 and 450 words per page (less if you add if you add any visuals). As an example, a 70,000-page manuscript will require approximately 200 pages in a 6” x 9” trim size and the same word count will require 280 pages in a 5” x 8” book (40% more pages).

Page Design

Use of White Space

White space in your book design refers to the absence of any ink. The goal of a good nonfiction book design is to achieve the right balance between white space and text or visuals.

An example of a poor nonfiction design is a phone book (remember those?) where white space is purposely minimized to reduce the overall number of pages. In general, books printed with little white space are very hard to read.

Size of Margins

From a visual standpoint, margins are used to manage the balance between white space and the printed items in your book design, but from a technical standpoint, they’re needed to ensure that print shops have enough empty space to bind the books.

If your book margins are too wide, your text will appear to “float” in the middle of the page. If your margins are too narrow, your text will appear to be “cluttered,” making for an uncomfortable read.

Chapter Page Design

If you inspect any nonfiction book, you’ll notice that the first page in each chapter looks different than all other pages — they get a “special” design treatment.

For example, many authors take cues from their book cover design and reuse some of their design details in the chapter pages to give their books a unique identity. For instance, they may pick up the stylized image of a leaf from the cover of the book and repeat it at the beginning of each chapter page.

As a practical matter, make sure that every chapter begins on the right-hand side. Beginning your chapters on the left-hand side is a sign of an amateur design.

Header and Footer Design

An important aspect of book design is headers and footers. Headers are typically used to display page numbers and also as navigational tools, showing people where they are in the book by displaying the chapter or section heading.

Since the real estate of the header is rather limited, if you have long chapter or section names just show the part of text you can comfortably fit in and truncate the rest with an ellipsis (three dots). Never jam-pack your header with excessive information — this will make your book look amateurish.

Also, don’t display any text in your footers aside from the page number and footnotes if you have any. Finally, make sure there are no headers on title pages, the copyright page, chapter pages and any blank pages that may appear in your book design.

Table of Content Design

Your table of contents (TOC) serves two purposes: to help your audience navigate from chapter to chapter and to provide them with a road map of the overall structure of your book in case they want to glance at all topics before diving in.

What you want to avoid is a TOC that’s too “thin” (short chapter titles and no sub-titles) or too “dense” (too much information packed into the headings). Also, you want to display information that’s appealing to readers and that entices them to want to read more. Avoid making your TOC boring and utilitarian.

Breakout Boxes

Breakout boxes are text/graphical features where key takeaways from your book can be pulled out of the main text and given a unique font treatment and background to make them stand out.

They add a lot of value to most nonfiction books since they tend to be packed with a lot of actionable information, but make sure you don’t overuse them. Breakout boxes need to be planned out for the entire book to ensure that there’s a logical flow from box to box.

Balance is once again something to consider here. Too many boxes will become a distraction and take away from the reader’s enjoyment and too few will make readers question why they are there in the first place.

Information Flow

Don’t display any front matter sections between your introduction and your first chapter (such as acknowledgments, dedications, etc.). For maximum effect, your book’s introduction must transition directly to your first chapter.

Text Design

Line Spacing

Line Spacing

The space between two lines of text, also referred to as line spacing, is a critical detail to get right for readability. To much line spacing in relation to the size of your font (there’s a connection between line spacing and font size) and your inside layout looks sparse. Too little and your readers will get a headache.

Paragraph Length

Refrain from writing long, seemingly unending paragraphs. All your paragraphs should be broken down into short sentences that are easy for readers to digest. Aim to have between 3 and 5 sentences per paragraph on average. Nonfiction books require that readers constantly digest a lot of new information. You always want to ensure that they don’t feel overwhelmed when reading your book.

Paragraph Breaks

Always use a single line break between paragraphs. Multiple paragraph breaks is a big no-no in the industry. In addition, when you begin a new chapter always use a page break attached to the heading containing your chapter title — never hit the return key multiple times to get to the next page.

Widows And Orphans

A widow is a layout error that results in the last line of a paragraph being pushed to a new page. An orphan is a layout error that happens when the first line of a paragraph is the last line of a page. Both widowed and orphaned text should be avoided at all cost (word processors have a feature to automatically prevent this from happening).

Text Justification

Never left justify text blocks like you do when you write a letter, leaving the right edges unaligned (this is referred to as “ragged paragraphs”). The industry standards for nonfiction books require that text blocks be fully justified. That is, your text needs to align against both the left and right margins (cookbooks and art books are excepted).

Font Design

Avoid using “fancy” typography – they’re a sign of amateur design. Also, don’t use multiple typefaces in the body of your book. All paragraphs must be laid out with the same font types and font sizes. The only exceptions are captions for imagery and breakout boxes (explained above).

The font style you choose for your book design is the virtual “glue” that holds your reader’s attention. To the layperson, most fonts of the same type and size look similar (e.g. most serif fonts or most non-serif fonts). But in reality, the design of a font can make a huge difference in reader retention.

Graphical Elements

With everything spanning from photographs to artwork, to illustrations, charts, diagrams and tables, the judicious use of visuals can greatly enhance your book’s reading experience and help improve your reader’s understanding of the information in your book.

The key consideration is balance. Too many graphics bunched together can become a distraction. Too few will make your reader wonder why they are even there. Make sure that every single graphic has a clear purpose. Nonfiction readers are savvy and they expect all information in a book to be there for a reason. Misplaced, cluttered or confusing graphics are a sure way to lose them fast.

Image Resolution

Never show low-resolution images in a printed book. Always secure the highest possible resolution you can obtain. Aside from being considered an amateur design, a blurred or pixelated printed graphic or illustration will devalue your work in the eyes of readers and decision makers.

In-graphic Information

Never clutter your charts, graphs and tables with too much information. The amount of information on any graphic or illustration should always be in balance with the text that surrounds it. If you have a lot of visual information to share, break it apart into multiple images.

If you enjoyed this article and are in the process of writing a nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free non fiction success guide, drawn from years of experience editing and publishing books for bestselling authors (including a New York Times bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access.

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or need support in your book project – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners self publishing books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

 

Bennett R. ColesBennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of six books published through Harper Collins (New York) and Titan Publishing Group (London). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press, editor for multiple bestselling authors (including a NY Times bestseller), ghostwriter for CEOs and politicians and the founder of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book formatting and design, eBook production, marketing, printing and distribution.

 

Filed Under: Book Layout & Design

What is a Transition in Writing? A Nonfiction Guide

by Bennett R. Coles Leave a Comment

Transition

A transition is a word or a group of words that create a bridge between two ideas (i.e. between two subsequent paragraphs) or between two sentences within a paragraph, for the purpose of establishing a natural flow in the narrative.

Since there’s a nearly unlimited number of transition possibilities in the English language, I’ll devote this article to introducing the most popular transition categories in the nonfiction genre, along with some examples that you can use for reference.

For a comprehensive list of several hundred different transitional words or phrases organized by category, read my companion article: 711 Paragraph Transition Words for Nonfiction Authors.

Addition Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea builds on the first idea by adding new information.

Some Examples: Additionally, Also, An additional, And, And then, Another, Apart from this, As a result, As well as, Further, Furthermore, In addition, In the same way, In the second place, Moreover, Otherwise, Similarly, What’s more.

Agreement Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea expands on the first idea using an equivalency.

Some Examples: As a matter of fact, As well as, By the same token, Comparatively, Correspondingly, Equally, Equally important, In like manner, In the same fashion, In the same way, Like, Likewise, Not only… but also, Not to mention, Then, Together with.

Causation Transitions:

This type of transition is used when when there’s a cause and effect relationship between two ideas.

Some Examples: And so, As a result, Because, Consequently, For that reason, If…then, In order to, In the event that, In view of, Inasmuch as, Lest, On account of, Therefore, Thus, With this in mind, With this intention.

Chronology Transitions:

This type of transition is used when you need to add a temporal dimension to the flow between ideas.

Some Examples: After, Afterwards, And then, Formerly, Forthwith, Last, Last but not least, Later, Meanwhile, Once, Presently, Previously, Prior to, Until now, Up to the present time, Usually, When, Whenever, While, Without delay.

Clarification Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea provides clarification to the first idea.

Some Examples: In other words, That is, That is to say, To clarify, To explain, To put it another way, To rephrase it.

Comparison Transitions:

This type of transition is used you need to compare two ideas.

Some Examples: Analogous to, By comparison, Compared to, Equally, In a similar fashion, In comparison, In contrast, In like fashion, In like manner, In the same way, On the contrary, On the other hand, Similarly, Vis a vis, Whereas.

Concession Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea provides justification for the first idea.

Some Examples: Granted, It is true, Naturally, Of course, To be sure.

Conclusion Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea concludes the first idea.

Some Examples: After all, All in all, All things considered, As can be seen, As shown above, By and large, For the most part, In a word, In any event, In conclusion, In essence, In fact, In short, In summary, On balance, On the whole, To sum up, To summarize.

Connection Transitions:

This type of transition is used when two ideas need to be connected together thematically.

Some Examples: Additionally, Also, And, Finally, First, Firstly, Further, In the first place, In the second place, Last, Lastly, Moreover, Next, Second, Secondly.

Consequence Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea is a consequence of the first idea.

Some Examples: Accordingly, As a result, Consequently, Due to, For this reason, Hence, In other words, So, With the result that.

Contrast Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea provides a contrasting thought in relation to the first idea.

Some Examples: Alternatively, But, Contrarily, Conversely, Despite, Nonetheless, Nor, Notwithstanding, On the contrary, On the other hand, Otherwise, Unlike, While this may be true, Yet.

Details Transitions:

This type of transition is used when you need to add more detail to the first idea.

Some Examples: In detail, In particular, Including, Namely, Specifically, To enumerate, To explain, To list.

Effect Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea is the result of the first idea.

Some Examples: Accordingly, Consequently, For this reason, Hence, Therefore, Thus, Under those circumstances.

Emphasis Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea provides emphasis to the first idea.

Some Examples: Above all, In fact, In truth, Furthermore, Surprisingly, Unquestionably, Without a doubt, Undeniably, Undoubtedly, Especially.

Examples Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea is provided as an example of the first idea.

Some Examples: As an example, As an illustration, Especially, Indeed, Like, Markedly, Particularly, That is to say, To clarify, To illustrate, To put it differently, With this in mind.

Exception Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea illustrates an exception to the thought expressed in the first idea.

Some Examples: Despite, However, In spite of, Nevertheless, Of course, Once in a while, Sometimes, Still, Yet.

Generalization Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea expands on the first idea in a general way.

Some Examples: As a rule, As usual, For the most part, Generally, Generally speaking, Ordinarily, Therefore, To this end, Usually, With this in mind.

Illustration Transitions:

Transition Inside

This type of transition is used when the second idea is provided as a way of illustrating the first idea.

Some Examples: For example, For instance, In other words, In particular, Namely, Specifically, Such as, To illustrate.

Importance Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea enhances the meaning of the first idea.

Some Examples: Chiefly, Critically, Most importantly, Primarily.

Intensification Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea is used to build up the intensity or the power of the first idea.

Some Examples: In fact, Indeed, To repeat, Undoubtedly, Without doubt.

Location Transitions:

This type of transition is used when you need to add a spatial dimension to the flow between two ideas.

Some Examples: Across, Adjacent, Amid, Around, At the bottom, At the rear, Beneath, Between, Down, In the center of, In the distance, Nearby, On the side, On this side, On top, Peripherally, Surrounding, To the left/right, Within sight.

Opposition Transitions:

This type of transition is used when you need to establish a clear contrast between ideas.

Some Examples: Although this may be true, Be that as it may, Besides, But, Conversely, Despite, Even though, However, In contrast, Nevertheless, On the contrary, On the other hand, Otherwise, Whereas, While, Yet.

Proof Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea provides a point of proof to the first idea.

Some Examples: At any rate, Evidently, For the same reason, Furthermore, Granted that, In addition, In any case, In fact, In spite of, Indeed, Moreover, Obviously, Of course, While it may be true.

Purpose Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea gives purpose to the first idea.

Some Examples: For this purpose, In order that, So that, To that end, To this end.

Restatement Transitions:

This type of transition is used when the second idea restates the first idea in an analogous way.

Some Examples: In brief, In essence, In other words, In short, Namely, That is, That is to say, To put it differently.

Repetition Transitions:

This type of transition is used when you need to add repetition to your flow of ideas for emphasis.

Some Examples: As I have noted, As I have said, In brief.

Sequence Transitions:

This type of transition is used when subsequent ideas need to be part of a thematic sequence.

Some Examples: After, Afterward, And then, At the same time, At this time, Concurrently, Consequently, For the time being, Later, Meanwhile, Next, Now, Previously, Simultaneously, Subsequently, Therefore, Thus, While.

Similarity Transitions:

This type of transition is used when when the second idea expresses a similar thought as the first idea.

Some Examples: By the same token, Here, In like manner, In similar fashion, In the same way, Likewise, Wherever.

Summary Transitions:

This type of transition is used when when the second idea summarizes the first idea.

Some Examples: After all, All things considered, As a result, As I have said, As I have shown, As previously stated, In conclusion, In short, In summary, In the end, On the whole, Summing up, To sum up, To summarize.

If you enjoyed this article and are in the process of writing a nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide, drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling authors (including a New York Times bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access.

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

How Long Does it Take to Write a Book to Help Grow Your Business?

 

Bennett R. ColesBennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of 6 books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, printing, distribution and marketing.

Filed Under: Writing Skills Tagged With: 121

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