How to write a nonfiction book, stage by stage.
Ten stages, from "why am I writing this?" to choosing how to publish. Each stage tells you what to decide, what to make, and the mistakes that stall most first-time authors. Read it in order, or jump to where you are stuck.
- 10 stages, free to read
- 3,000+ books published by Scribe
What to do, in the order that works
Most stalled books are stalled because a stage was skipped, usually the first three. Each stage ends with what you should have in hand before moving on.
Decide why and who
What the book is for, and the one reader it is written for.
Read stage 1 → Stage 2Test your book idea
Turn a topic into a promise, and check it against the books already out there.
Read stage 2 → Stage 3Outline the book
Five nonfiction structures, sample tables of contents, and how to outline a chapter.
Read stage 3 → Stage 4Gather stories and research
Find the proof every chapter needs, and handle real people's stories with care.
Read stage 4 → Stage 5Set the length and the plan
How long the book should be, and a writing schedule built from your real week.
Read stage 5 → Stage 6Write the first draft
A chapter template and the drafting rules that keep you moving.
Read stage 6 → Stage 7Revise your draft
The order of revision passes, from structure down to sentences.
Read stage 7 → Stage 8Title and subtitle
What each one has to do, patterns that work, and how to test them.
Read stage 8 → Stage 9Introduction, conclusion and extras
The parts readers judge first, and the parts around the book.
Read stage 9 → Stage 10Choose how to publish
Traditional, self, hybrid and assisted publishing, compared honestly.
Read stage 10 →Build your outline while you read
The outline builder walks you through Stages 1 to 3: your reader, your promise, a structure, then a point, a story and a takeaway for every chapter. It saves in your browser, and you can copy, download or print the result.
Written by people who make books for a living
The Scribe Guide is made by Scribe Media, a book writing and publishing company in Austin, Texas that has published more than 3,000 books, including 23 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers. Scribe sells writing and publishing services; this guide is for people who want to understand the work, whether they do it themselves or not. Read how the guide was written.
Common questions
How do you start writing a nonfiction book?
Not with chapter one. Start by deciding what the book is for and who it is for (Stage 1), then shape the idea into a promise you can say in one sentence (Stage 2), then outline (Stage 3). Writers who skip those steps tend to stall in the middle of the draft.
How long does it take to write a nonfiction book?
It depends on your hours and your pace. The Scribe Method, Scribe Media's free book on writing, puts a typical pace at about 250 words an hour, which means a 30,000-word first draft takes about four months at 250 words a day. Stage 5 shows how to build your own schedule.
Do I need to be a good writer to write a nonfiction book?
You need to be clear, not fancy. Nonfiction readers want an idea they can use, proved with stories and examples. Clear thinking in an outline does more for a book than polished sentences, and sentences can be fixed in revision.
Is this guide really free?
Yes. Every stage is free to read with no sign-up. The guide is made by Scribe Media, which sells book writing and publishing services, and says so. Where a paid service is a sensible next step, the guide says what it costs; most of the guide is about doing the work yourself.