Writing a Nonfiction Book

This is a course for memoirists, journalists, historians, and others who have an idea for a nonfiction book. In the first half of the course, students present a chapter from their work. We think about different ways to tell a nonfiction story, and consider issues of audience, pacing, and voice. In the second half, students draft a book proposal (this is the document necessary to interest a publisher in one's work). Here we consider the book's structure: where it starts, where it ends, and the sequence of ideas. We also look at sample proposals, discuss the current market for nonfiction, and think about how to position oneself as an author. Reading for the course includes essays from a wide range of contemporary writers (as examples of literary style), as well as extracts from several classic books on the craft of nonfiction writing.