Most references you hear to hooking your reader are related to fiction writing. But as a nonfiction author, how are you going to insure readers choose your book off the shelf instead of the others again and again?
By fulfilling the promise you offer them in your first line, first paragraph and first page; thereby earning your readers trust enough for them to invest their budgeted dollars in you.
"Like Fiction, nonfiction accomplishes its purpose better when it evokes emotion in the reader".
Sol
Stein: Stein on Writing
There are many effective ways to open your story:
There are many effective ways to open your story:
• Ask a Question/ Address a problem
• Conflict- most popular in fiction but
effective in nonfiction as well.
• The Unexpected- inserting personal story
amongst the information.
• Voice- unique style of the author/
subjective to readers personal taste.
Ex: Jena Morrow/ Erwin McManus/ Donald
Miller or Max Lucado.
• Mission Memoir/ Testimony of survival- if
I made it, you can too.
"Clutter
is the disease of American writing", and "Fighting clutter is like
fighting weeds--the writer is always slightly behind."
William
Zinsser
It
is as important to eliminate unnecessary words in nonfiction as it is in
fiction. Maybe more so.
I
recommended all authors write a mission statement for each title you are
writing. Why are you writing this book? Who is it for and what do you hope they
will take away from reading it?
Suggested
reading:
On
Writing Well by William Zinsser
Proofreading
Secrets of Bestselling Authors by Kathy Ide by Jodie Renner (pacing)
Memoir
writers might enjoy: You Can't Make This Stuff Up by Lee Gut Kind
Stein
on Writing by Sol Stein.
Blogs to review:
Blogs to review:
Cec
Murphey's blog Writer to Writer
www.MichaelHyatt.com
www.bloggingbistro.com This blog offers great
information for growing your online presence. 
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