If you want to write a non-fiction book, read this first

Advice from people who really know (including an agent)

Not a day goes by when I don’t see someone announce they’re writing or have written a non-fiction book.

From those in my network - coaches, trainers - to those I follow, most recently, Steven Bartlett.

There is just something about writing a book, right? It feels like it’s on everyone’s to-do list, and that there is a level of kudos attached to it that’s simultaneously joyous and humbling.

Even the most established of business leaders seem to go to school-girl/boy level jelly when they announce their book.

I found myself recently reading a post about a ‘get published’ programme. Nearly £2k to help me go from idea to book to published…

It sounded great but I also found an old feeling rearing its head. Why DO we care about writing books so much?

I am intrigued by the mentality behind wanting to write a book, and I’m sure you are too, if you’re an ‘author in waiting’.

I am one of those people who want to have a non-fiction book to my name. I’ve already got a fiction book to my name, called Boyfriend by Christmas.

As a writer, I am led to want to secure an agent, and a publishing deal, rather than self-publish. I am a person who is paid to write, so why would I pay to write a book?

That comes back to the goal - sales, money, kudos, lead magnet…

So I decided to ask those who really know what their advice is. And here it is:

The Agent

Jane Graham Maw is the co-founder of the Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency. She was shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year at the British Book Awards 2023.

She says: “I am impressed daily by the number of people who want to write a book. This agency receives around 50-100 submissions a week from aspiring authors – and I do know how much effort it takes to get to the point where they are ready to contact us. I know that their email to us is the result of many months or even years of work – the planning, the research, the writing, the re-writing, the honing of a pitch, the shortlisting of agents to query. I don’t believe it is merely the urge to see one’s name in print, particularly now that anyone can self-publish whatever they want to at the click of a button (and unless you are very careful a self-published book can look unprofessional).

“I think there are many reasons for this desire to write. For novelists, it is an instinctive, visceral, even painful urge. For experts in their field it is often a desire to share knowledge and explain their subject to a wider audience, to plug a gap in the market or to change the way readers think about an issue. Books can change the world, after all – we read them to develop our morals, test or support our belief structures, understand the way the world works, make voting decisions. In commercial non-fiction, which is the genre in which we work, we often find that business owners, entrepreneurs, brands and those with large followings on social media are keen to publish a book that can reflect, enhance and capitalise on what they are already doing.”

Books are real - we can hold them, open them, turn the pages… does that validate us?

“A book gives you a tangible thing to hold and sell. It says: ‘This is me, I did this, I’m an expert, I know things, and - what’s more - this publisher believes I have something important to say.’ It gives you authority and extends your brand. It can bring you new clients. It offers so many content opportunities for your socials. You can have a launch party! It adds to the offerings you already have on your website, and if you don’t have an e-commerce facility you can link to online bookselling sites (the famous one has an affiliate programme) .

“The first chapter or excerpts could be used as a lead magnet to attract new subscribers or sign-ups to a course, retreat or workshop you are running. Any publicity for the book naturally helps your business or your brand, particularly with a publisher’s publicity department pushing your book towards radio shows, podcasts, magazines, speaking events and so on. A publisher may also pay for sponsored posts and advertising. If your book receives an award – even better, more marketing opportunities for you and your work. This is the upside.”

Ah, so there’s a not-upside? Of course! This is real life, folks!

Jane adds: “I always caution that writing a book is not something that should be entered into lightly. Finding an agent to take you on is tough unless you have something unique to say, write exceptionally beautifully or have a very strong platform. Ideally all three! This is what we are looking for, and we do read every single submission with the aim of finding a new project that ticks at least two of these boxes. Once you are taken on by an agent they then have to convince a publisher to invest in you, and we work with authors for several weeks (sometimes months) perfecting a brilliant proposal.

“Even after securing a deal, writing a book is a long hard slog, worse than the longest essay you ever had to do, and much more scary. We offer support and hand-holding as much as we can, and sometimes a freelance ghost writer is brought in to help. After you have delivered your book you can expect months of editing, proof-checking, blurb-writing, cover-checking…not to mention marketing and publicity preparation…before the book is out in the world and you can start selling it (and obsessively checking your sales ranking and reviews on Amazon).

“So if one of your long-held goals is writing a book, if your vision board includes images of you writing and holding a book, if your business strategy involves a book as one of your products…be careful what you wish for. It’s not for the faint-hearted.”

The Book Coach

Next, I spoke to Helen Campbell, who is a coach and runs an author course. She is also the author of Founders, Freelancers and Rebels. She also has a Substack which I would describe as a ‘dose of joy in your inbox’.

She says: “I think part of the draw of writing a book can be self-actualisation. Sometimes our inner creativity simply has to burst out and take a physical form, and a book is a lovely tangible way to do that. One of many ways to reach our potential. In addition, when the nature of our work itself is somewhat intangible – such as coaching – a business book can be an effective way to articulate what we do.

“Sometimes it feels like a publishing deal and having our name in print is the goal in itself but, in my experience, that's where the real journey starts. Once a book is born, there can be years ahead of speaking opportunities, article-writing, courses, content and more. My own non-fiction book – Founders, Freelancers & Rebels – is sometimes used by colleges and universities in the UK and US.

Here’s the part that feels a bit serious again (yep, writing a book is a huge commitment). Helen’s course is 12 months long.

She explains: “We meet agents, publishers and a wide range of authors over the monthly sessions and being part of that writing community can be very nourishing for all involved. In the case of non-fiction books such as Julia Cameron's 'The Artist's Way', Elizabeth Gilbert's 'Big Magic', and all of the Brené Brown titles, they have a long lifespan, living and breathing in the lives of creative people for decades after publication. Creating a book like this can be a huge milestone in the career of an independent creative person or thought-leader. That timelessness is of course tricky to achieve, but very valuable.”

Me (I did write a book once…)

My novel, Boyfriend by Christmas, was, I hoped the ‘next Bridget Jones’. Alas, I’m still waiting for that call from Hollywood. But I wrote it, and it was published by Penguin (Michael Joseph). I was so proud - I had a launch party and everything. M&S gifted me a jumpsuit. Those were the days…

My biggest lesson was to not focus too much on it all. Yes, have the dream of writing a book, keep it in mind, be aware of it and follow that dream but not to the detriment of other things in your life.

I first had the idea for the book five years before it became a book, and that was only after it morphed first into a newspaper column. The original name was ‘Miss Havisham’s Dilemma’.

With that advice in mind, I’d also like to share Anniki Sommerville’s Substack, where she’s written twice recently about the realities of writing a book. She doesn’t hold back from the realities! This post, ‘So you want to write a non-fiction book’ is well worth a read.

Do share in the comments if you’re an author in waiting, self-published, published, ‘with agent’… let me know! What’s worked or working for you in the book world?