The Writing Loft: Write a Nonfiction Book in 30 Days

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Dave Wagner, Apr 11, 2009.

Loading...
  1. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    The Writing Loft: Write a Nonfiction Book in 30 Days:

    http://www.thewritingloft.com/nonfiction.html

    The course fee is a modest $67. Here is the quoted description:

    "Ninety percent of all published writing is nonfiction. The world is clamoring information; information of any kind. Publishers are searching for authors to supply that information. Opportunities for nonfiction writers are everywhere. Those who have given it a try are making sizable incomes writing about what they already know. This class will show you how to research, write, and produce a viable draft in only 30 days.

    This class is for you if you've:

    never written before

    never attempted a full-length project

    have an expertise or information others would like to have

    have very little time to write

    have a desire to write a book"

    This looks like an interesting DL class for you budding nonfictionalists out there.

    Dave
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 11, 2009
  2. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    Writing a book is the easy part. Selling the book is where the real work begins.
     
  3. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    Independent bookstores are dying at a worrying rate. Borders and Barnes-and-Noble control an ever-growing percentage of the the market. If you visit any of those stores, you'll find pretty much the same books. These chains serve a mass-market clientele and order a relatively small list of titles nationally, in huge numbers. There's a declining market these days for scholarly titles or for books that cater to unusual interests. Even the academic presses are tilting towards smaller lists of more popular titles that might actually make them a profit.

    Magazines might be a better bet, especially the smaller and more specialized ones. But they have never paid very much and my impression is that they are under a lot of stress as well and their numbers may be dwindling.
     
  4. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Hi Bill - With all that said, do you think this might lend a bit more gravitas to someone's book if it is self-published? In the past most self-published titles were seen as being sub-standard ("How good could it be if no one will publish it?") Is it possible that such an attitude might be shifting?
     
  5. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    While I'm not Bill, I thought I would offer that the DL course seems to be about helping those who would express themselves in the medium of a book (i.e., how to get started) and not the deeper, existential question of why write a book.

    Dave
     
  6. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    I have some experience in this area....if you don't know why you are writing a book, or who your market is (especially for nonfiction), don't bother writing the book.

    Much of what Bill said has merit.

    @Kizmet...this is one of the reasons why self-publishing is thriving these days. Major publishers are less willing to take a chance on an unknown author. A self-published author won't get far with bookstores (unless the book is already selling thousands of copies by other means), but if they can self-promote and sell online and reach their niche audience, self-published authors have done very well.

    That being said, most would-be authors give up too easily.
     
  7. RoscoeB

    RoscoeB Senior Member

    Thanks, Dave.

    I'm always delighted to learn about new writing programs. It's a subject that's dear to my heart.

    Back in the 80s, I took a homestudy course with the Christian Writers Guild (now Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild) while serving in the military. It was probably the best investment I made in education as it provided me a career and opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

    Roscoe
     
  8. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Thanks Terry.
     

Share This Page