© 2018 Susan Day

Moving from fiction to nonfiction was something I wasn’t sure I could do as a writer. Over the past seven years, I had written fifteen children’s books aimed at eight- to twelve-year-olds. When the idea came to write a non-fiction book about grandparenting, I wasn’t sure I was equipped to succeed.

One thing drove me to achieve my goals. I wanted to help grandparents develop strong relationships with their grandchildren through a love of books and reading.

But I needed a plan and a different approach.

If you are considering swapping from fiction to nonfiction, I hope these tips will help you reach your aim.

Develop a framework

To successfully write a non-fiction book, develop a framework from which you can create a plan. Map out guidelines and brainstorm ideas on a large piece of paper. By the time I finished, mine looked like a toddler had gone mad with a packet of colored markers, but to me, every word and arrow had a purpose and made sense.

Your framework will keep you going and motivated when writing becomes difficult. It’s also a great way to avoid writer’s block. Spend time putting as much thought into it, and it will serve you well.

Post a visual reminder of your working title

Keep yourself on track by placing a note with the title of your book written on it beside your computer.

My title was The Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing. It was long and quite cumbersome, but the more I stared at it, the more real it became.

Keeping the title in view all the time will force you to explore the nuances and shades of what these words mean singularly and as a title combined. This will help you delve deeper into your subject.

Learn as you go

I enjoyed not only the challenge but also being stretched as a creative person and a writer. Celebrate and relish the journey, as much as you are going to enjoy your published book.

Broaden yourself as a writer and change the type of writing you are used to. You never know; you may be surprised just how much you learn and how talented you are.
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Susan Day is an author of fifteen books, educator, and a content marketer. Her blog, Astro’s Adventures Book Club, is full of ideas and tips for grandparents. Susan’s book, The Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing! is available online.